A Tale of Two Squares

When I started making pocket squares last year, there were not many retailers pushing them like they are now.  I fell in love with them after seeing an old painting with a gentleman nonchalantly wearing a pocket square, and became adamant about bringing them back to mainstream fashion. There is something awfully convenient about them, and just think about how they completely brighten a shirt or jacket- the perfect blend of form + function.

With the influx of brands getting on board, one thing I have noticed are some retailers differentiating between "hankies" or "pocket squares". I'm befuddled; should I have started NY to Nashville Handcrafted Hankies? I am a sucker for alliteration after all.

Yet,  when I think of a hankie, I often think of someone pulling out a wadded ball of linen from their pocket, blowing their nose and shoving the ever-dirty wad back in their pocket. They might even try to wipe your face with it after all of that.  A pocket square is  the more distinguished, put-together of the two brothers. The brother who always had on a clean shirt, a tidy face, and a penchant for poetry. Or at least that's how it seems to me.

In Tennessee, take the long way home

Perhaps the thing I love the most about Nashville is actually what is just outside of Nashville. On this particular morning, I only meant to stop at a friend's house and come right home, but instead of heading back on the highway, I decided to take a new  route back.

One Tennessee back road led to another, and almost 50 miles later, I found myself at a quintessential small town general store.  The crooked wooden shelves stored oil cans next to tinned fish and twinkies, and that was my cue to start looking around. These old general stores are full of surprises, but I was still surprised to stumble upon a perfectly weathered vintage buffalo plaid shirt.

It was next to a pile of dusty but new cowboy hats--laying there ruggedly folded and ignored for far too long. Was it for sale? Well, the shopkeeper said everything was, so he 'sposed I could have it.

  Our red and black buffalo plaid pocket squares tell the story of the shirt they came from--and hopefully they will remind you to sometimes take the long way home.

Don't Put Your Brand on a Paperweight

I don't know what it is about most companies, but they really love putting their name on a paperweight. Or an envelope opener.  They always put it on a pen, and sometimes a frisbee.  

There's a better way to market your brand-- and it's by putting your company name on something beyond office supplies or junk toys. Those mass-produced, off-shored pieces of plastic tell your audience that you value  bulk pricing over quality  and generic neon green junk over time-invested tailoring to your brand.  Back away from the lanyards and hear us out.

New York to Nashville is proud to launch our brand collaboration project. We now offer brands the opportunity to have an exclusive limited-run of pocket squares. How will you use your branded, limited run? 

•  generate buzz about your company or a website relaunch
• sell in your store as custom items
• give as employee gifts
•   use in giveaways

Say no to junk branding!  

Our collaborated pocket squares feature:

• A custom pocket square label that reads New York to Nashville + (Your Brand) 
• Limited run amounts in your custom quantity
• Assistance in finding the fabric that works best for your company + message
  
• When the project is launched, we will gladly share the collaboration  with our audience
  

Contact Danielle at howdy{at}nytonashville.com for more information and to get your brand logo off a paperweight and onto a pocket square!