Of Pocket Silks and Things

It's been neckties, neckties and more neckties at the ASW store recently but they are joined by a few new silk pocket squares that are worthy of a look. These are not the ordinary stuff, nor should they be at the price. Where the run of the mill silk needs frequent attention to stay visible, the ASW versions are woven to be about a third heavier. That weight helps keep them in place, and men who may in the past have spent much of their day adjusting their squares know that is a considerable virtue.


Now a few English purists do not sport pocket squares with their city clothes on the grounds that the frock coats that preceeded the lounge suit did not have breast pockets and so no opportunity for breast pocket decoration. Most of the rest of us are happy for the opportunity to wear patterned silk with textured jackets like tweed and linen, and linen squares with worsteds, either plain or with a colored border. The boldest among us, including HRH the Prince of Wales, wear silk on all occasions. That is a good precedent for a bit of silk in the breast pocket adds considerably to the look of an odd jacket worn tieless.