It’s graduation season in New Orleans and the seersucker suits are out in full force. You can almost guarantee you will see seersucker as a staple attire choice at weddings and social events across the city from Easter through Labor Day. The Kentucky Derby was the perfect display of a wide variety of seersucker!
Seersucker (accompanied by a well selected bowtie) is a Southern tradition that started in 1907, when a New Orleans merchant began to search for a lighter-weight material that could withstand the summer heat in these parts, and the humidity and sweat that comes along with it. The solution was seersucker. The name means “milk and sugar” derived from the from the Persian phrase shir o shekar. This material is made by slack-tension weave. The threads are wound onto the two warp beams in groups of 10 to 16 for a narrow stripe. The stripes are always in the warp direction and ongrain. The traditional seersucker fabric is blue and white, but today, you can find it in a variety of colors. What started out as a workingman’s fabric has now become a Southern, American classic, for seersucker wasn’t considered trendy or stylish until the 20th century. Prior to then, it was the fabric of choice for factory workers and others working in hot conditions.
One of the best advantages of seersucker: it doesn’t need to be ironed! You’re welcome! It’s a practical fabric, is highly breathable, dries fairly quickly and looks great straight out of the dryer!
Our Palm Beach Seersucker Suits are back in stock! Alterations are included with purchase and we also carry all of the accessories to pull together the perfect seersucker look – bow ties, traditional neckties, cufflinks, socks, shoes and more!! Visit our Southern Men’s Shop and our professional style experts will help you get summer seersucker ready! No appointment necessary!
