How to fold a pocket square: four folds worth knowing

Start with the fabric, not the fold

Linen and cotton are the easiest to fold because they hold a crease, which is exactly what a straight edge or a sharp point needs. The Tie Bar recommends structured fabrics like these, along with woven silk, for the flat and pointed folds. Printed silk is smooth and fluid, so a crisp edge tends to slide and soften within the hour; it looks best in a puff, where its drape and color are the point. Silk also shows off a pattern well, while a plain white linen or cotton square is the most versatile thing you can own.

Size matters a little. A small, fine square folds down neatly, while a large silk square may need an extra fold to keep from bulging the pocket. A light press with an iron on the setting the fabric allows makes linen and cotton folds much sharper; skip heat on silk unless the care label allows it, and see our guide to caring for silk before you try. Whatever you choose, it should sit in the pocket without distorting the line of the jacket.

The presidential fold, flat and clean

The presidential fold, also called the square or flat fold, shows a single straight band of fabric parallel to the top of the pocket. It is the most conservative of the pocket square styles and the one to use with a business suit, at a funeral or with a tuxedo. A white linen or cotton square in this fold is almost never wrong.

1. 01

   Lay it flat

   Spread the square face down on a clean table and smooth it out.

   CheckThe side you want to show is against the table, and the edges are straight.

2. 02

   Fold it in half

   Fold the left edge over to meet the right edge.

   CheckYou have a tall rectangle, half the width of the square.

3. 03

   Fold to the pocket's width

   Fold the sides in again until the rectangle is a little narrower than the opening of your breast pocket.

   CheckLaid against the pocket, it fits across without bunching.

4. 04

   Fold to the pocket's depth

   Fold the bottom up so the folded piece is just taller than your pocket is deep, with a folded edge at the top.

   CheckWhen you hold it against the jacket, the top edge rises only slightly above the pocket.

5. 05

   Tuck it in and level it

   Slide it into the pocket with the folded edge up, and adjust until a narrow band shows, parallel to the top of the pocket.

   CheckThe band is straight, even from end to end, and shows no loose hems.

The one point fold

A single triangle rising from the pocket is a little less formal than the flat fold and works well with a business suit, a blazer or at a wedding. It needs a crisp fabric so the point stays sharp.

6. 06

   Set it as a diamond

   Lay the square face down with one corner pointing toward you and one away.

   CheckThe square looks like a diamond on the table.

7. 07

   Make a triangle

   Fold the bottom corner up to meet the top corner.

   CheckYou have a triangle with its point at the top and the fold along the bottom.

8. 08

   Fold in the sides

   Fold the left corner toward the right, then the right corner over it, until the width matches your pocket.

   CheckThe top point is centered and the bottom is a neat, narrow base.

9. 09

   Tuck it in

   Slide the base into the pocket with the point up.

   CheckOne sharp point shows above the pocket, upright or leaning slightly toward your shoulder.

Two or three points

For two points, follow the one point fold, but when you fold the bottom corner up, stop it slightly to the left of the top corner, so two points sit side by side like a small step. Then fold in the sides and tuck it in as before. The Tie Bar gives exactly this offset as its double point fold. For three points, make the first fold offset in the same way, then fold one side corner up to create a third peak before folding in the sides. Adjust the spacing until the points look evenly stepped, and keep them close together; widely spaced points look like an accident.

Multi point folds are the most decorative of the crisp pocket square folds, and they read best in plain white linen or cotton, where the shape is the detail. They suit weddings, parties and evenings more than daily business wear. If a pointed fold keeps collapsing in the pocket, the fabric is too soft for it, and the puff is the better choice.

The puff fold

The puff is the quickest fold and the most relaxed. Pinch the center of the open square and lift it, letting the corners fall together beneath your fingers. Gather the hanging fabric loosely in your other hand, then fold the loose ends up behind the rounded top, so the corners are hidden. Tuck it into the pocket so only the soft, rounded puff shows. The Tie Bar suggests this fold for flexible fabrics such as printed silk, whose sheen looks best when it is gathered rather than pressed flat.

Adjust the puff with your fingertips once it is in the pocket, fluffing it up or pushing it down until it looks full but not crammed. A puff that towers above the pocket looks overdone; one that has sunk inside needs more fabric folded underneath it to raise it. If you want a slightly neater version, fold the square loosely in half before you pinch it. A puff suits sport coats, spring weddings and any outfit where the tie is patterned or absent.

What to match a pocket square with

The most common advice from tie makers, including Ties.com, is not to match the pocket square exactly to the tie. A tie and square cut from the same print look like a boxed gift set rather than a choice. Instead, pick up a color from the tie, the shirt or the jacket in a different pattern or scale: a navy tie with a white square edged in navy, or a burgundy tie with a square that has a little burgundy in its print. A plain white pocket square goes with almost everything, and our guide to colors that go together helps with the rest.

For occasions, keep it simple. With a tuxedo, a white silk or linen square in a presidential fold is the classic choice, as our black tie guide explains. For a pocket square for a wedding, white or a soft color in a presidential or one point fold is safe for guests and groomsmen; if you are also wearing a boutonniere on the lapel, a quiet square lets the flower lead. For more on dressing for the day, see what to wear to a wedding. Pocket squares work without a tie too, and a puff in a sport coat is one of the easiest ways to make an open collar look deliberate.