Misunderstood Fabric #1: Seersucker

 

A staple of the Kentucky Derby, seersucker has long been seen as a springtime fabric. But once the race is over, the ticket stubs are torn up and the mint juleps have all been quaffed, gents tend to put their seersucker back in the closet for another year. 

To us, though, seersucker truly comes into its own as a summer fabric. Lightweight and breathable with lots of natural stretch, the puckers in seersucker keep most of the fabric away from your skin, creating micro air pockets that allow you to cool. When woven with other fibers like silk it can make the fabric even cooler and faster drying. Trust us, it takes just one overly long outdoor summer wedding, one of those ones where they write their own vows, to realize the joy of a seersucker suit.

 And despite what you see at the Derby, you don’t have to dress like a Southern gentleman to put on and pull off seersucker. While the traditional white and blue stripes are certainly the most well known combination, seersucker can come in a host of different colors in solids and plaids. If traditional seersucker is too casual, black and gray stripes give you a suit that looks great at the office or a night out on the town. You can even unleash your inner James Bond with a black-on-black seersucker tuxedo jacket (satin peak lapel optional) for an elevated formal look that keeps you cool at the baccarat table, seducing a double agent or in the heat of a climactic shoot-out with SPECTRE henchmen. 

With its natural wrinkle, seersucker is the perfect traveling fabric. It looks just as good straight from the cleaners, right out of the suitcase, or after a 10-hour flight. And unlike more delicate summer materials, it’s easy to clean; shorts and pants should be able to be machine-washed and air tumble-dried, while unlined jackets will need an additional cool ironing to help flatten out the lapel and hemlines afterward. 

We’re putting the final touches on a collection of shirts for shorter guys that will look great in seersucker, with jeans and everything in between. Sign up here to be the first to know when we launch our Fall collection or follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

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