A little surprising history and origins of the pocket chief that every man should know.

Pocket chiefs are indispensable to the suit outfits of today’s sophisticated businesspersons. In addition to being particular about the way it is folded, its color and pattern, and the material it is made of, understanding the origins of the pocket chief will help you to achieve a more sophisticated look. In this issue, we will introduce the origins and origin of the pocket chief, which is a bit unexpected!

The first pocketchief to be placed in the breast pocket was not a pocket chief but a glove!

The breast pocket of a jacket is now commonplace, but in fact, it is a detail that did not exist in the first place. It is said that the first men’s wear with breast pockets was the Chesterfield coat of the mid-19th century. Incidentally, it was common practice at the time to insert a glove, not a pocket chief, into the breast pocket of a coat. This is a common practice at Pitti Uomo in recent years, but it is not novel, and is an extremely classic look.

*There is a theory that the pocket chief itself originated when a linen cloth worn by Chinese farmers as a sunshade was brought back to their homeland by French sailors in the 15th century and inserted in the epaulettes (shoulder decoration) or on the upper left sleeve.

Only recently have jackets with breast pockets appeared for the purpose of inserting pocket chiefs!

In the 1920s, jackets were finally fitted with breast pockets for the purpose of inserting pocket chiefs. This gradually established the custom among gentlemen of inserting a handkerchief in the breast pocket as an ornament, rather than as a practical item. The history of the pocket chief is surprisingly short, about 100 years or so .

This custom was adopted by the bourgeoisie (the wealthy) at that time, mainly when they wore tails and frock coats, and white linen pocket chiefs were often used, gradually forming the unspoken rule of ” a white pocket chief for formal wear.

How to choose a pocket chief [silk vs. linen vs. cotton]

How to choose a pocket chief [ silk vs. linen vs. cotton

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Why is the pocket chief square?

The square is the basic shape when it comes to pocketchiefs and the handkerchiefs that share the same origin as the pocketchief, but there is a reason for this: in 1785, at the advice of Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI issued a decree that “all domestic handkerchiefs shall be square. In the Middle Ages, handkerchiefs became a fashionable staple among ladies, and handkerchiefs of various shapes such as circles, ovals, stars, and triangles flooded the market as if in competition with each other. Many handkerchiefs were also decorated with jewelry, but Marie Antoinette is said to have disliked them.

FRANCO BASSI

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