Sartor Retardus

with a completely boring, navy-blue, polyester-wool blend black-buttoned blazer, an extremely boring nearly monochromatic tie, a tedious pair of pants, a nondescript belt and an utterly unimaginative shirt -- preferably cotton/polyster blend -- a pocket-square has a faint chance to work. If the blazer has brass buttons, the tie has any character at all, the pants are pleated or made from nice fabric, even if the shirt has shell buttons, it is already too much. The message has to be "everything about my wardrobe says that I am a beaten man, but -- look! -- I have some nice silk in pocket! maybe there is hope!"