Escape from the day and age of the $50 square foot piece of silk called a pocket square. The pocket square’s predecessor, the handkerchief, is still alive and well. I happened upon a few of these recently at a market in Saigon. The price was right at about $2 a piece so I picked up a few. You likely won’t find them at this price online but they can still be found for relatively cheap.

The great thing about a cotton handkerchief is that you can actually use it. I wouldn’t recommend wiping up any red wine but if you spill a little of that gin and tonic or your lady friend gets some bubbly on her dress, wipe away.  I wear cotton handkerchiefs with a suit and tie. However, they really shine when paired with a cotton blazer or casual sport coat and jeans. Another bonus with patterned handkerchiefs such as those shown below is that you can wear with the pattern showing or fold them so only the solid color shows. I like to match the secondary colors in the handkerchief with my shirt.

Maroon Handkerchief

Grey Handkerchief

Blue Handkerchief

Taupe Handkerchief

Shopping Tip: Searching online for “handkerchiefs” will usually bring you some great-looking pieces at a much lower cost than if you searched for “pocket squares”.

Stay true to yourself. Be kind to others. Define your own style.