Perfect the look with a Multiway Silk Pocket Square
Need something a bit different to put in your pocket? A versatile and beautiful multiway pocket square might be the final flourish your outfit needs.
As we always say, detail is everything. Well chosen accessories can lift an outfit from ordinary to remarkable, separate work from play, and give your confidence a well-timed boost. When in front of your wardrobe, wondering where to start your ensemble, a silk handkerchief could give you the colour scheme or aesthetic to really get you going.
A pocket square of almost any description is an outfit’s best friend. The garment has no barrier to entry, working with almost everything and providing an easy-to-wear, easy-to-live-with finishing touch. They can add refinement or personality to a simple jacket or overcoat, and make even a basic suit look stunning. They’re almost a cheat code for displaying a sense of style.
And what if you take that simple concept - a swatch of fabric in the breast pocket - a little further? This is where our multiway pocket squares really start to show what they can do. Intricate, artist-drawn custom designs in broad palettes, with many parts to play with, these pieces combine an unboxing “wow” factor with endless versatility.
Style and Individuality
Wearing a pocket square is an act of expressing yourself, but also one of private rebellion - let us explain.
A silk handkerchief demonstrates attention to detail and a sense of refinement. It’s a way of fitting in with a dress code whilst demonstrating that you know what you’re doing. Showing just enough personality to ensure you’re not screaming “look at me”, but still absolutely looking the best you can.
A multiway design plays with this, pairing this effect with a sense of personal satisfation. The design is of course made to be worn a myriad of different ways, none of which give the whole game away. The full design might speak to you, but the real utility of the piece is how the design can be moved around and folded to accommodate many different outfits and looks.
It's an opportunity to express individuality and confidence without even needing a tie or other accessory, unless you choose one. Taking the time to select and fold a pocket square properly demonstrates an appreciation for the classics, while also demonstrating that you have the confidence and imagination to experiment.
Singular and Versatile
The play between singularity and versatility makes a multiway pocket square fun for the wearer. For want of a better term, it’s a little like buying a few luxury pieces in one. Take our new restock of The Navigator handkerchief for example -
The autumnal brown of the border contrasts with the hand rolled edges, which come in glowing turquoise. You also have strident reds and golds, alongside thunder grey and deep nautical blue. It’s not hard to imagine how these colours can combine in different ways in different outfits; use the brighter colours to work with a darker jacket for example, use the deep blue to pick out jacket detailing, or show more of the design for a more strident effect. Being silk, it always has a lustrous hue whichever you choose.
Different folds can also highlight different elements. Whether you go for a structured, geometric fold or a more nonchalant puff fold, the hand-rolled edges allow for graceful draping and folding. This means you can adapt your pocket square to suit you, never worrying about showing its “good side” (they’re all good sides).
Smart/Casual
Pocket squares have an inherent ability to cross traditional fashion barriers. Think of them as a bridge between ultra-formal and smart-casual. A suit without a tie can get a beautiful lift with a pocket square, but so can a formal wedding suit. An important work presentation can be enlivened with one, but so can an evening out with your partner. The king of context, if you will; they signal an attention to detail and a certain confidence without making you appear overdressed.
Intentional Dressing
Casual outfits often lean into neutral palettes – blues, greys, whites, blacks etc. While timeless, these can sometimes lack a certain spark. This is where the pocket square truly shines. Introduce colour or patterns and generate genuine interest in your ensemble. A playful pastel peeking from your denim jacket pocket or a blazing red in a sports jacket can give you many outfits in one. Indeed, your multiway pocket square is many pocket squares in one.
Our multiway pocket squares have become something of a signature Cravat Club piece, with different collections combined around a central theme; be that Japanese mythology, Art Deco design or the power of the natural world. Here are some spectacular options to start you on the journey to the perfect pocket -
Deco Island Night Pocket Square
Inspired by the Art Deco age and featuring a tropical menagerie of birds, this stunning design from artist Chris Bardo pairs a deep blue base tone with the brightest shades for beautiful contrast. A true tropical design, the greens, browns and purples nevertheless would work gloriously in colder temperatures,
A deeply menacing design based on the Japanese Noh theatre, featuring the demonic Hannya at its centre, a vengeful woman transformed into a demon. The figure is originally a complex one, mixing rage, horror and pathos in equal measure, and this colourway makes the most of the character’s horrific bearing, showcasing the darkness at the heart of these ancient stories. The design was originally hand-drawn in Japan by artist Yusuke Aoki.
This design in a beautiful peach base tone centres on the tale of Izumo, depicting the origins of the Japanese islands and its mythological guardians. The divine Shinto beings known as kami 神 come together an event celebrated from the 10th to the 17th day of the 10th lunar month (usually falling in November). The Kamiari Festival at the Izumo Taisha Shrine in Southern Honshu is the centre of these celebrations, thought to be the oldest shrine in Japan and believed to be both the birthplace of the gods and the site of their initial gatherings. This hand-drawn print depicts the Shinto deities in all their colour and variety.
Designed as a counterpart to Hidden Curiosities’ multi-award winning Aranami Strength Gin, this stunning illustration is featured on every bottle, perhaps reaching its fullest expression in this dramatic pocket square. “Aranami” translates roughly as “raging wave” in Japanese, with the dragon at its centre representing the untamed and unknowable power of the wide oceans. Delicate pastel tones frame the scene, along with serene cranes in flight, making this piece one of contrast and lush detail.
This design, in glorious and uncompromising pastel shades, depicts the climactic showdown between the samurai Yorimitsu and the demon-king Shoten Dōji, as the warrior finally outwits the supernatural monster and delivers his final, fatal blow, vanquishing the demon and restoring peace to Kyoto. Based on original Ukiyo-e woodblock prints and featuring one of Japan’s most enduring stories, the design has been hand-drawn in Kanagawa prefecture to a stunning level of detail.
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