DIY: Pocket Squares

After spending hours and hours and hours searching for ties for the guys, I knew that finding pocket squares to match was going to be impossible.  So, armed with my trusty coupons, I took a trip to Joann Fabrics with the ties, trying to find some fabric that would not only match the colors in the ties, but would also hold shape for the way pocket squares are supposed to be folded.

As a reminder, here are the ties that I purchased for the guys:

Screenshots via Bealls Florida / Rooster Large Neon Plaid Tie

I had originally thought that a silk would work well, since that's the traditional fabric for pocket squares, but the colors that they had didn't match.

SO, I checked out the Special Occasion fabrics, and found some taffeta that looked as though it would work.  It was stiff enough that it would hold shape, and it came in a variety of colors that would match the ties.

As I went though the collection, the green was spot on with the ties, and the orange was too, but the yellow didn't match.  I started to look at other fabrics to see if there was anything else that matched, but there wasn't anything close to the colors that I needed.

I decided that since the yellow was for FI, that it was alright if he had a different color pocket square, since he is the groom.  As you can see from the picture above, the tie isn't completely yellow, so I decided that the white fabric would work perfectly for FI's pocket square.

I bought a half yard of the green, orange, and the white taffeta, and got to use my coupon too.  Now all I had to do is make the squares.  That was simple and quick too, since all I did was cut out a 16" square, and then hem the edges to make the fabric not shed.

Pinned pocket square / Personal Picture

Here is a photo from the photographers of the finished products:

Pocket Squares / Matt Ferrara Photography

Did you make your pocket squares for the guys in your bridal party?  What do you think about my creations?

So Much for Shopping

Well, shopping for the men's attire this weekend didn't happen, unfortunately, so we will have to keep an eye out for the next BOGO sale at Men's Wearhouse and make sure we go. Not sure how many more of those will happen before the wedding, but we definitely want to take advantage of those.

In the meantime, however, I think I finally found the men's ties.  I have been shopping online for months now, looking for ties, and have not been successful in finding anything.

The thing is, I wanted the ties to match for 3 different people: Groom, BM/GM, and my dad. And by match, I don't mean that they will all be in the same color. I mean that I want the ties to be all the same pattern, but different colors.

I decided a while ago that FI was going to wear yellow, since that is his favorite color.  To match my MOH/BM, the BM/GM would wear green ties, and then my dad would wear orange, since that is my favorite color, and a color my mom looks great in (more on her dress in a few weeks - we haven't exactly gotten that one figured out yet).

So, I searched and searched and searched.  And then I searched some more, becuase the problem I was having was that I could find the same tie in two of the colors I wanted, but there was always one missing.

Like this:

Image via Nordstrom / Woven Silk Tie

Image via Nordstrom / Woven Silk Tie

Available in orange and yellow, but not green. 

This is what I have been finding for months, until now.

I finally found a tie that comes in the colors that I need, so I ordered them.

Screenshots via Bealls Florida / Rooster Large Neon Plaid Tie

The colors look really bright on the computer, but I can return the ties if we don't like them. I'm just waiting on them to come in now.  And, I am also waiting on the swatch from the BM Dress designers, so I can compare the greens. I doubt that they are going to match perfectly, but I think that as long as they don't clash too much, that we'll stick with these.

I think they're kind of funky and cool.  What are your thoughts?  Are you color coordinating your groom and groomsmen? And, is it weird that I want my dad to match even though he's not technically a part of the wedding party?