Divine Rampley & Co Pocket Square

Bird Spotting

Rampley & Co produce some really lovely accessories for men. The Macclesfield-printed silk pocket squares are particularly collectable, if you're of a collecting bent. They're produced in limited quantities — like the Nelson and Wellington squares — with splendid designs.

If you have fallen out of the habit of wearing a pocket square, you must reintroduce them. They help smarten up an outfit, complement what you're wearing, and add some colour and interest. They can even serve as a substitute for a tie to say to the wider world that you haven't just thrown on the clothes you are wearing today. Even if you're doing something peculiar like wearing a t-shirt under a jacket.

A recent Rampley collaboration has been with the V&A to produce a series inspired by the V&A's archives. An absolute favourite from the collection is the Two Trinities Stained Glass Window pocket square you see here.

Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.

The squares arrive to your home in a lovely little box. And there are some nice attentive additions too. You get a thank you note signed by one of the founders — Elliot Rampley or Simon Cranston — and a complimentary pair of collar stiffeners to boot.

Listen, it doesn't take much for a company to make you feel like a valued customer. But how many fail miserably with their service? Not so with Rampley & Co. Anything that just costs money is cheap. There is a love of what they do here. Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

The pattern of the pocket square has many elements we enjoy, gang, as I will explain.

The square has the high European history and colour we appreciate, with the pattern depicting a painted glass window produced in Holland in 1629 that is now in the V&A's collection.

You have the figures of the Holy Family (the earthly trinity) in the centrepiece — so you could poke this bit out of your pocket when you attend your next church ceremony. The vicar will be very impressed indeed.

There are heraldic and botanical details around the centre to surprise and delight.

The square is a generous 16 inches, with hand rolled edges that you may choose to present.

Or you might fold the square over for a neater look.

Don't overthink the positioning. As you can see, I clearly don't.

Be thine own palace, or the world's thy jail.

With such a variety of colour and pattern, you will find this square works with many of your tie and jacket combinations.

Simply fold, tuck and expose as the mood suits to complete your outfit and rebuff the chronic disappointments of life at the same time. Be thine own palace, or the world's thy jail.

Try not to think of the pocket square as an accessory, but as integral as a pair of socks. The more you get into the habit of wearing such things, the more you realise they're a necessary part of you — whoever you might be.

Speaking of socks, Rampley are also doing some fine hosiery right now. I will investigate further.