Until a year or two ago, I never so much as glanced at cotton pocket squares, preferring linen. That changed when I was formally introduced to pochettes from the venerable French firm of Simonnot-Godard.
The next time you're browsing the pocket squares at Alan Flusser or Paul Stuart in New York, Lanvin in Paris or Turnbull & Asser anywhere, pay attention to the cotton offerings. It's likely that the better ones are Simonnot-Godard products that were made the old fashioned way, to very high standards. Beautiful stuff. Reasonably priced as these things go. And recommended.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Simonnot-Godard
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11 comments:
Most of my pocket squares come from Paul Stuart. They are cotton of very fine quality and I have no doubt that they come from Simonnot-Godard.
Will, this may seem like something of a stupid question, but do you have any advice on the care and cleaning of cotton pocket squares?
I typically wash them with other whites, iron them (sometimes with a little starch), but the seams never seem (sorry) to snap back into place and the cotton fuzzes over time. Maybe it's just a case of needing to buy Simonnot-Godard instead of lesser quality handkerchiefs (I use that word deliberately).
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Scott, I send mine to the cleaners. They come back clean and pressed. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that what happens in between is a mystery to me.
I have yet to ever try a cotton handkerchief. I'll be in Paul Stuart tomorrow to pick up my suit jackets which are having boutonniere strings attached to the underside of the lapel as we speak. I'll take a look and see if there is something that grabs my eye - even if it is just a plain white one. They're having their sale now so perhaps I can get into some trouble yet.
Thanks for the post.
Will,
Thanks for the article.
I hand wash my pocket square, air dry and personally fold and press into desired rectangle shape. In fact, because of my understated style sense, I exclusively use cotton or linen solid white pocket squares.
Will, I am new to this game, so pardon if this question seems basic. Would there be a time to use a cotton square over a linen and vice versa? Or can the two be considered interchangeable?
I think of linen and cotton as interchangeable.
Nice post, Will.
My squares are all linen and silk. I love the texture of a linen pocket square next to a worsted or light-weight flannel suit. Similarly there is something really appealing about a silk square (perhaps even in a paisley design) combined with a heavy tweed jacket. I love the contrast.
Speaking of tweed, when I was younger and undergoing a phase of sartorial experimentation I constructed a few pocket squares out of my uncle's discarded old tweed jackets. I would not recommend Tweed pocket squares today. However, I see Sam Hober offers wool pocket squares, so maybe I will try those.
LB Trad:
As a matter of interest, is there a classic men's store(s) you like to shop at in southern CA - LA/San Diego area?
My preferences in NYC (at least until I am well off like Will and can get my suits made at A&S) are Paul Stuart and Ralph Lauren and to a lesser extent Turnbull & Asser, Alan Flusser and Brooks Brothers. For shoes I like Crockett & Jones. Also, Oxxford on West 56th Street has nice suits.
John, as you can imagine, there aren't many classic men's stores in Southern California, at least compared to, for example, New York. Here in SoCal, Brooks Brothers, Lobb, and Allen-Edmonds have stores at South Coast Plaza. Gary's is right down the street from me, and although it is too fashion-forward (Boss/Armani) for my tastes, I have bought an occasional dress shirt, socks, or belt there. I have heard good things about the custom suits, shirts, and jackets at Classic Tailoring in Newport Beach, but I just use them for alterations. Fuller's in Dana Point sell classic suits, Robert Talbott, and Trafalgar belts. For MTM and bespoke suits I use a couple of guys in NYC.
Until last night, I was wondering what to do with a linen or cotton pocket square besides leaving it stuffed in one's breast pocket, but then I saw Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder" (in its original 3D version), in which Ray Milland takes out his white pocket square to carefully wipe off the fingerprints left by the man he just hired to kill his wife. Any doubts about the usefulness of a piece of cotton or linen always on hand were instantly dispelled.
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