1. Angle your pocket square up toward your left shoulder, it is more flattering that way as it accentuates the V shape of your body.

2. Regardless how long it took you to do a perfect fold, whether it be the four-point, the triangle, the square or the puff, your pocket square should give the illusion that it was thrust haphazardly into your pocket.  (Even though there was nothing haphazard about it).

Fact credit: The Suit, Nicholas Antongiavanni, p 157.

Image credit: usonline.apc.fr

In the early 1900s, the first silent film stars wore sunglasses to conceal incessantly irritated eyes- red from harsh lighting necessary to produce low speed film stock. It was only later that movie stars began wearing sunglasses to create or conceal an identity.

Fact Credit: Wikipedia

Image Credit: silverliningopticians.com

Image Credit: louisvuitton.com

The word “wallet” is a translation of the ancient Greek word kibisis. The ancient version of the wallet played a pivotal role in Greek Mythology. The term kibisis was used to describe the sack Perseus used to carry the slain head of the Gorgon Medusa- a mortal turned monster due to her vanity. The Greek god Hermes also used a kibisis to deliver messages from his fellow gods. Today a kibisis, or wallet, still carries valuable items sometimes used to catch dangerous women, or send powerful messages.

Fact Credit: Wikipedia & essortment.com

Image Credit: openingceremony.com

In 1933, a company by the name of Ingersoll was the first to make a Mickey Mouse watch licensed under Disney – Mickey’s hands kept the time. Ingersoll later became Timex- famous for the slogan “takes a licking and keeps on ticking”.

Fact Credit: Wikipedia

Derrick R. Cruz of Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons offers Hoyle readers insight into the creative process behind Cruz’s hauntingly beautiful art. Mr. Cruz also offers sneak peak images from his “Theft of Light” Collection.

Hoyle: What’s your workshop like?

Cruz: Its in the L.E.S. of New York City. Its my escape. Its a place full of raw materials and tools for me to tinker with until I’m able to imbue objects with what’s on my mind. A constantly evolving disaster of paper, books, bones, wood, saws, dust and a broom.

Hoyle: In regards to your work, the prodigal aspect is evident. Would you identify yourself as a black sheep at all?

Cruz: Is “prodigal” evident? I feel like you’d have to know me a little better before you can say that. Order me a good glass of scotch and I’ll show you a realtime example of prodigious tendencies. The “black sheep” part I find unavoidable, its also a positive creative catalyst for me.

Hoyle: What’s your favorite object?

Cruz: An earth-clay figurine of a Taino Indian my father and I purchased near a river in Puerto Rico. Other than that, my vacuum tube stereo.

Hoyle: What would you like to find in a shipwreck?

Cruz: Bones and letters.

Hoyle: What was your favorite book growing up?

Cruz: Damian by Herman Hesse. Before that it was Junglebook and a little illustrated book of Hiawatha that came with vinyl 45.

Hoyle: In a previous interview you reference Broyard who describes a New York culture that supports black sheep. What would you say about the power of the underdog?

Cruz: Its not a dog, its a sheep. Not an underdog, but one that needs to find an alternate road to satisfaction. Its an illusory correlation often made between success or economic status and the mind of the creative outsider. Outside the pre-drawn circle one can sometimes see connections that are not evident from the inside. This is good fodder for my work.

Hoyle: Can we give our readers a glimpse of what they can expect to see from Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons next?

Cruz: The new collections is titled “Theft of Light.” There’s a jackal running around in our midsts with the Sun in a bag.

Hoyle: More from Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons here

Photo Credit: oaknyc.com

Tie Clips are accessories that fix one’s tie to one’s shirt panel. According to Hoyle, tie clips may be gold or silver, not bejeweled. A tie clip will ensure that your tie hangs straight and remains kept out of your soup. According to Antongiavanni, you should never let the clip sit horizontally (this bisects the body). Instead, your tie clips should be angled downward slightly.

Fact Credit: The Suit, Nicholas Antongiavanni, p 161.

“Before the Industrial Revolution, hemp was a popular fiber because it is strong and grows quickly; it produces 250% more fiber than cotton … when grown on the same land.” That’s a lot of bags.

Fact Credit: Dressing The Man, Alan Flusser, p. 281; Wikipedia

Image Credit: billykirk.com

The word umbrella is derived from the Latin word umbra meaning shade or shadow. Umbrellas have been used in many shady dealings over the years:

The story of an umbrella developed by the KGB here

An umbrella developed for self defense here 

In 1901, two women attacked a policeman during a cigar factory strike on NY’s Canal Street. The girls struck an officer Flynn on the head with umbrellas repeatedly, and pulled on his coat tails until the jacket gave way and was ripped from his back. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt during the incident.

Fact Credit: Wikipedia; New York Times

Image Credit: OAK

Photo Credit: The Hill-Side

Emil Corsillo values integrity. He values the honest way selvedge indicates fabric quality – he values consistency. Emil’s aesthetic approach to utility is seen in The Hill-Side ties, decorative yet made with utilitarian fabric. According to Emil, function should come before form, or at least have equal weight.

Hoyle: On handkerchiefs…

E. Corsillo: A worker never wore a tie to work, yet a handkerchief historically was carried both by gentlemen and working men. Whereas a tie has no real function a handkerchief is the opposite: it has many functions, the smaller ones look great in a suit jacket.

Our chambray fabrics are perfect. Really simple and understated, but they also suit the denim fetishist. It’s something that denim nerds like me can get really excited about.

Hoyle: & do you carry…

E. Corsillo: I have begun to. I used to carry a paisley bandanna, but not on a regular basis. I have grown to love the chambray ones we’ve made…I have been carrying the very first sample in my back pocket every day since I picked it up from the factory.

Hoyle: On the two inch tie width…

E. Corsillo: As a basic tie in our collection it will always be that shape… this square end tie, whether in a knit or silk or wool, has always been there, never the coolest tie but never disappearing. It has remained at roughly this width too, not getting wider or skinnier with changing trends. Whenever I have seen square or “Rooster” ties, it feels like a little more modest shape of a tie.

Hoyle: On the selvedge…

E. Corsillo: The selvedge at the tip of the tie is like a little bit of honest decoration. We’re using something that’s an inherent part of the fabric’s production process as a decorative element.

Hoyle: On Denim (The Hill-Side obtains their denim from Japan)…

E. Corsillo: In the 70s and 80s most American textile companies converted to wider but more efficient looms…. the Japanese lovers of denim started doing things like buying the old textile looms so they could make jeans the way they were made in the past. In some cases they’re making them even better…This is why our fabric must be sourced from Japan; it’s made with the care and passion of a real connoisseur, and in a lot of cases there’s nowhere else in the world to get it.

Hoyle: Visit The Hill-Side website here.

Photo Credit: Military Fashion, John Mollo, 1972, p. 195