Why it's time to dust off your seersucker for spring
Even the most cursory glance over a Pinterest summer weddings page will unearth some pretty universal themes; rustic tableware, pastel shades and - on the men - a heavy dose of seersucker. That is, the lightweight, slightly puckered cotton that comes with a bumpy surface texture, thanks to the fact that the fabric is designed to “bunch” in places. All of which, technical details aside, means that the material “floats” away from the body and allows a certain degree of breathability. In short, you won’t look beetroot-faced as the temperatures soar at your average summer afternoon wedding, regatta or garden party.
The issue is the degree of tweeness associated with seersucker; against an English summer backdrop, it can look achingly Wind In The Willows, or as if you’re about to welcome folks aboard a Mississippi riverboat. There’s an inherently vintage feel to seersucker in its traditional form (that is, in pale blue and white stripes), which is why it was refreshing to note a more contemporary incarnation of the fabric last summer in Milan, a sleek black suit on a pristinely stylish fashion director of a men’s style bible; no Deep South plantation owner theatrics here.
The fabric has a history as chequered as its appearance; it evolved during the British colonial era in India as a solution to the hot weather that also offered a smart appearance. The material also became synonymous with the deep south (until 2012, the US Senate held Seersucker Thursday), its roots in a quaint vision of Americana are myriad; a variation of the fabric was traditionally worn by blue collar workers. In a rather perverse role-reversal akin to Chanel adopting fishermen’s jersey fabrics to make dresses for the wealthy, it was then adopted by the preppy East Coast elite as a summer event dressing essential.
The questionable politics of which shouldn’t deter you from this tried and tested failsafe; seersucker is crinkle-free, meaning it’s brilliant to pack (think how often journeying to summer soirees calls for hauling suit bags into the back of cars or onto the train) and its shape is effortlessly easy and fluid. And you don’t have to look like a Disney Songs of the South cast member in doing so.
Tracing the trend
Early life
The material evolved during the days of the British Raj in India, the term “seersucker” was derived from the Hindi word “sirsakar”, meaning “milk and sugar” ie. the combination of a smooth and grainy texture.
Roaring 20s (and 00s)
Seersucker becomes a key component in the style codes of the Ivy League elite, most demonstrably in Baz Luhrmann’s rendering of the fable in 2013; American outfitter Brooks Brothers - label of choice for the Hamptons set - created a capsule collection with a seersucker suit as part of it.
Modern incarnations
Cult U.S fashion designer Thom Browne - known for taking the templates of traditional American uniforms and rendering them anew - created for his spring / summer 2017 collection a series of jaunty red, white and blue seersucker pieces embroidered with sharks.
