So what’s the difference between a handkerchief and a pocket square? The truth is, most retailers market the two accessories interchangeably due to their long histories as both a functional and fashionable menswear fixture. To clear up the confusion, we’ve compiled a brief history on the evolution of one of our favorite symbols of sartorial savoir faire.
During the Renaissance, pieces of fabric called “kerchiefs” were considered an essential accessory for blowing one’s nose, a more sanitary alternative to the previously used shirt sleeve. To distinguish this kind of kerchief from the one women used to cover their heads, the word “hand” was added to kerchief.
Over time, handkerchiefs grew more decorative, often serving as love-tokens for courting couples during the Victorian period. If a man was lucky, the ever-proper lass of his interest would drop an ornate, perfume scented handkerchief as an invitation to pick it up and talk to her.
Eventually, every respectable gentleman kept a handkerchief as a sign of his civility and social rank.
During the 1920s, the stylish Prince of Wales brought brightly colored silks into popularity and influenced menswear for years to come. By the 1930s, well dressed men carried two handkerchiefs – a decorative one made of silk to compliment his breast pocket, and another made of cotton and linen for blowing his nose, usually kept out of site in his trouser pocket.
Today, most men have ditched the hanky in preference for disposable tissues, while the decorative pocket square still stands as a symbol for refinement and style. The two names, handkerchief and pocket square, are still used interchangeably.
If you’re looking for functionality in your pocket plumage, look for a fabric with cotton or linen, like this Striped Vintage Pocket Square made with a linen and silk blend. For a more decorative pocket piece, artfully designed silks and silk-like microfibers like this Designer Silk Pocket Square with Paisleys are the way to go.
Your Mens-Ties Team