When Should I Wear A Pocket Square ?

Summertime Wardrobe: When Should I Wear A Pocket Square?

As I have always said, December is the month for Sydney. It is when all the ships come back to the shore and festivities begin along with the summer garden parties, canapes and drinks parties, product launches, art gallery openings and the hive of activity in bustling restaurants from Potts Point to Bondi Beach as people hurriedly catch up and exchange mini histories of the year that just past. Of course, suggesting Sydney starts and ends from Potts Point to Bondi is completely disgraceful, but I don't have the time to list every suburb in Sydney that has it's own charm and character. Although I will say that as you get further and further up the Pacific Highway as you head north to Hornsby, it's hard to tell what charms may lie on either side of that scar of a road which cuts the upper North Shore in half, with just a hint of heavy greenery and what looks to be paradise for funnel-web spiders (these are peculiar to Australia and can kill you very quickly- see other post on Australia, Where Everything Wants To Kill You). Why upper crusty North Shore people pride themselves in living in areas where allegedly such spiders congregate in pool filter boxes, I do not know. Perhaps it is some sort of rite of passage.

The reason I write is that Sydney, as it gets hot, presents a challenge. Wearing a shirt gets a little too hot for some, especially for myself. You can wear a very light cotton shirt, but these tend to crumple. Then there is the choice of suit to wear in the summer and whether or not you wish to stand out or blend in. Below is a small example of whether or not to wear a pocket square.

In the photos I am wearing a navy peaked lapel jacket with a pop-over styled t-shirt by an Australian company called Moth. The shirt is made of  Italian mercerized cotton in navy. The blazer is a Holland & Sherry Black Tie Elite wool and kid mohair wool in a deep navy with a plain weave. In the top photo I have La Belle Dame square in my pocket. By contrast, in the bottom photo I am sans pochette.

It's a small detail change but it has a very big change on the look of the ensemble. In the top photo it is playful and paired with white jeans and some colourful suede loafers it will be a very summery outfit. By contrast, if you were to take the bottom image and pair it with some darker jeans or say grey or caramel trousers, you would completely alter the look to one of more power or authority. Depending on which function it was and what kind of message you were wishing to convey, I would suggest thinking about a combination like this for the summer. It's very easy to wear, light and breathable and can be dressed up or down with a pocket square. It requires no tie or bow tie ( Sydney summer time can be intolerable for neckwear on certain days) and could still get you into any golf club or members lounge across Sydney. It might even be accepted on the far North Shore.....