Review: Bespoke JB Original Pocket Square

Bespoke JB is a small business started a couple years ago by John Broughton when he was frustrated at how most linen and cotton handkerchiefs were too large to use as a neatly folded, low-profile pocket square. They also required a bit of guesswork to fold the right width and were of rather low quality fabric for the price. I've always suspected there's a higher-than-necessary markup on pocket squares from name brands, even considering many will use hand-stitched edges. After all, they're just a 12"-15" square of fabric.

To this end, John decided to create a pocket square size and shape that would make it easy to achieve the desirable, neatly-folded edge worn by such sartorial icons as James Bond. Whether you call it a square fold, TV fold, presidential fold, or straight fold, it's a look that's been pretty popular for over a decade now, in no small part inspired by Mad Men having its main character sport one, per fashions in the 1960s, and Daniel Craig ushering in its return to 007 the very next year. It makes sense for it to be popular again, since the minimalist trends of the late 2000s to present mirror those of the 1960s.

Other projects inspired by the fictional spy include patterns for English spread collars and cocktail cuffs, which he is looking at offering to the public. These came about as the result of taking a British shirtmaking course; one could bring them to their seamstresses and tailors or sew it themselves. I had asked him about replacing collars and cuffs on some older shirts of mine that were beginning to show a lot of wear in those places. However, he admitted the work necessary to do so was getting a little too much, since providing pocket squares with great customer service was already enough of a time sink!

Folded and ready to go.

He also revealed a bit of movie magic to me in our conversation: The reason Bond's pocket squares appear so neatly folded consistently in Spectre was because they weren't actually pocket squares, just edges of cloth sewn to a stiff burlap insert or even sewn into the pocket itself. I'd first heard about this trick watching his interview with David Zaritsky of The Bond Experience, where he said that some movies use a cardboard insert with a sewn edge of fabric. The burlap sounds more flexible for stunts and a little less low-class! Either way, it makes me feel better that my pocket squares almost never stayed folded as perfectly. Especially the ones in Quantum of Solace, which follow the slant of the breast pockets so well that they must have been faked too. (Aside from when he removes it after getting speckled with blood.)

Unfolded.

John has recently debuted a new product, the "002". The name not only avoids lawsuits from EON, but refers to the fact that it only requires two folds to achieve -- once down the middle vertically, once down the middle horizontally. This is meant exclusively for square folds, unlike the original which is wide enough to also be puffed. Once I am able to obtain a set of these, I'll review it here as well.

The pocket square he sent me was of 100% fine cotton broadcloth in white. Also available is linen and 140s Sea Island cotton (which is the preferred grade of cotton for both James Bond and his creator, Ian Fleming). In my experience, broadcloth makes for a rather crisp looking pocket square and isn't practical for puff folds. Linen or linen/cotton blend is probably the way to go if seeking a somewhat softer look or more versatility in how one uses their pocket square. I personally prefer the irregular look of linen with its slubbed texture, since it makes a simple solid pocket square look more interesting up close. Silk is not available due to the special nature of these pocket squares. While you can use the original for puff folds, its primary duty is to make attractive square folds that work in most breast pockets. Silk pocket squares should not be used for square (or angled) folds since they will never stay in place very well.

Nice presentation out of the envelope.

The pocket square comes attractively packaged in a small card, pre-folded and ready to go. The folds weren't quite as perfectly lined up as I wanted. Being a perfectionist, I gave it a bit of a steam press and folded it in thirds, then half, again. Though it's based on an average of breast pocket depths and widths, it's just that: An average. You may still need to adjust it slightly to fit, as I did with my jackets. It was still pretty easy to use. I was able to insert it into my breast pockets without the use of a shoe horn, though I still use that old trick sometimes to avoid creasing the fabric along the top. Only one of my suits gave me any particular trouble with sticking out too much from the breast pocket, and this could be rectified by pressing the bottom until it's the right length. It's worth noting that I typically don't fold my squares (on average 12" wide) the way these are meant to be folded, with the folded edge showing along the breast pocket. I usually get mine to a size where the folded edge is facing off to the left, just because I find it easier to adjust. Here, since it is sized pretty well for a breast pocket, that is not necessary. But I don't think it would be desirable either since the edges are merely serged -- not rolled or folded in. This also limits how one could puff it since showing the corners, as some like to do when puffing their pocket squares, might look a bit off. I think these pocket squares would look like more of a premium product if John could finish the edges a little more neatly. It's not a deal breaker, though, and could make them less affordable than they are. (They currently start at $12.00 each and go up to $20.00 for the Sea Island version.)

A satisfying, perfectly folded pocket square.

Overall, I give good marks to this product. It's affordable, does the job well, and fills an untapped market niche for people who want an easy way to achieve the folded pocket square... well, square look. As mentioned earlier, I would like it even more if it had hand rolled, hand stitched folded, or at least machine stitched folded edges. But considering I wear it more often than any of my other white pocket squares right now, I think that speaks for itself.

Nouveau Vintage was provided product free of charge in exchange for a review. Every consideration, including full retail price versus quality and origin, has been made for the sake of fairness.