Perhaps no other suiting fabric has the power to evoke Summer the way that seersucker does. Offered in many colors, seersucker looks great on men of all ages. Though it is a fabric that has a long history, its popularity remains surprisingly resilient even today. However, more than any other warm weather garment, I've often found myself pausing in front of seersucker jackets and suits as I take them out of the closet. In spite of its popularity, wearing this humble cotton fabric calls for a certain amount of self-awareness regarding the time and place when it might be worn. I don't think there's any other suit that can cross the line into period-costume as fast and as mercilessly as a seersucker suit. Hence, my caution when approaching these garments in the closet during the summer. Though seersucker comes in all manner of colors today, in the past, seersucker suits were usually offered in blue, grey or brown (tan) by traditional clothiers such as Brooks Brothers and J. Press. My seersucker suit in blue (above) came from Huntington Clothiers more years ago than I'd care to think about.
These days, however, I rarely wear it as a suit, choosing instead to wear the jacket alone, paired with lighter weight trousers and khakis. Alternatively, the seersucker trousers from the suit are occasionally worn simply with a solid white button-down or perhaps a polo shirt. It's funny, but seersucker fabric done up as shorts or casual shirts, rarely seems to have this sort of problem at all. I have a pair of blue seersucker Bermuda shorts that are great - about the only thing they need to accompany them is a bit of sun and a refreshing beverage.
Most traditional men's clothiers have offered seersucker suits and jackets as a summertime staple for years. This is interesting as there are cooler fabrics around. Maybe it's me, but seersucker can become pretty steamy when the weather is warm. I've found that shirts made from thinner fabrics such as end-on-end madras and broadcloth seem to help here in keeping me cooler. I've included several J. Press, Brooks Brothers and Cable Car Clothiers catalogs from over the years because they offer a bit of perspective on this fabric that is so symbolic of summer.
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Brooks Brothers Spring & Summer 1962. It's interesting that Books Brothers offered separate odd jackets and trousers along with suits. I also have a blue Brooks Brothers seersucker odd jacket purchased about eight years ago that has three patch pockets much like the one in the catalog above. It's that patch breast pocket that seems to differentiate the odd jacket from the suit coat.
J. Press Spring & Summer 1979. Seersucker and its thinner siblings, hairline cord, and seercord. J. Press continued to offer poly/cotton blends along with all cotton seersucker suits. Hairline cord suits used to be pretty easy to find, but they're a bit harder to find today.
Brooks Brothers Summer 1981. This is truly an amazing catalog page. Like the 1979 J. Press catalog above, this page features seersucker, pincord and a lightweight cord. The catalog reads as follows:C. Crisp pincord woven of wash -and-wear polyester-and-cotton is featured in this classic Summer suit. Made on our 3-button model in grey, blue or brown.
D. All-cotton seersucker suits have long been warm weather favorites due to their traditional appearance and unusual comfort. We offer them this season in stripings of blue or grey with white.
E. A most attractive lightweight cotton cloth is featured in our exclusive 3-button suits with patch pockets and welted edges. In white cord on ground colorings of brown, blue or grey.
These suits very definitely remind me of the 1980s, though I know a guy who still wears a blue and white suit like the one on the bottom with effortless ease. Like the 1979 J. Press catalog above, the wide variety of seersucker and its related striped suits probably attests to sheer numbers of men who wore these suits. Summer used to mean bending the dress code a bit, within certain parameters, but not chucking the entire code away, as often seems to be the case today.
J. Press Spring & Summer 1997. Seersucker offered in both blue and grey stripes. A few pages later in the same catalog, J. Press also offered a sport coat much along the same lines as the suit coat.
Sadly, I do not have a Huntington catalog, so the jacket itself will have to do. This jacket has patch and flap pockets and came with a half lining. It's aged very well and has been pretty hard wearing.
Huntington Clothiers made a pretty darned good jacket with great attention to detail. I'm glad that I've been able to hang on to this, and that I can still wear it.
One of the features of Huntington jackets that endeared them to many were the hook vents on most of their sport coats. J. Press is about the only place that still offers this feature today.
Seersucker is, for me, is about simplicity. I might wear it with a thin end-on-end broadcloth shirt, a plain knit navy tie and lighter weight khakis.
I have found that seersucker and a white shirt also works well with club ties and quiet regimental ties.
Of course, seersucker finds itself quite at home with madras as well. Nothing says "Summertime" more positively than seersucker and a dash of madras. Just what I needed for this summer luncheon and a bit of chilled dessert.
