The Seersucker Jacket
An Object of Desire
With summer drawing to a close, I’m mostly thinking about what I want to be wearing this coming Fall. Those items include wool flannel trousers, suede chukkas, and lambswool shetland-style sweaters. More on those in future posts. Today, however I’m thinking about an item I’ve desired for a long time - a summer item - the seersucker jacket. Now, I know what you’re thinking - southern preppy drinking a mint julep or some northern wannabe who just looks like he’s headed to a Kentucky Derby party. Right? But that’s not what I have in mind at all. I mean, not that there’s anything inherently wrong with going to a Kentucky Derby party. A mint julep can be delicious!
The term seersucker refers to a specific type of cloth that's light, durable, and comfortable. To be considered seersucker, a fabric must be puckered (that is, it has a crinkled texture). This fabric is typically made from 100% cotton, though some tailors have introduced silk stripes.1 Seersucker fabric has been around for centuries. Its name comes from the Persian phrase shir-o-shakhar, meaning “milk and sugar” for the alternating textures. The textile is made of cotton, linen, or silk (or combinations thereof), woven on a loom with threads at different tensions.2
I reiterate my desire to wear seersucker without looking like I’m headed to a Derby party or a Mississippi law office. Below are several examples of stylish men; most of whom I’m sure you know looking like anything but stereotypical wearing their own seersucker jackets and suits.
Sid Mashburn is a man whose style I’ve admired for a long time. Sid looks great in anything he wears. He, himself is southern. He grew up in Mississippi, and has lived for the past several years in Atlanta, GA which is also the home of his flagship store. In this photo, Sid goes smart casual with a seersucker jacket (probably the Kincaid No. 1 as pictured above), a white shirt, dark tie, dark blue jeans, and tassel loafers. I too love a good pair of tassel loafers, especially in suede. And more on that in another post!
Matt Hranek of The William Brown Project is one of the most stylish guys on Instagram and probably all of Brooklyn. The suit he wears in this photo is, I believe custom made by J. Mueser. Don’t quote me on that. In the photo below (with Gerardo Cavaliere), he appears to be wearing the jacket only with white (linen?) trousers and suede loafers. There is nothing about either outfit that screams derby or even southern American. Matt’s aesthetic is continental European all the way. Would these looks be out of place in Pittsburgh? Perhaps. But I go other places too.
Jason Jules is another guy whose style I admire from afar. He is often seen modeling for Drake’s, and has even written his own book on style called Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style. Jason, who is British has a sense of style that is parts British, American Prep, and European. He’s another guy that looks great in pretty much everything I’ve seen him wear. The seersucker combined with a madras shirt and knit tie (above) look distinctly American, while the look below - traditional seersucker jacket over a navy tonal seersucker shirt and dark jeans is a little more edgy. Both looks are casual and timeless, and wouldn’t feel too out of place around here.
Guido Wongolini (which may be a pseudonym) is an Australian with impeccable taste in clothes. His social media presence was well known during the Tumblr-heavy #Menswear days ten or so years back. These days, he vanishes then reappears on Instagram posting photos from the glory days & now. His recent photos show a more relaxed style, but I appreciate what he did with seersucker a few years back. Here he wears an off white tonal seersucker over a denim shirt, and tonal navy double-breasted seersucker over what appears to be the same denim shirt. Both work extremely well in his urban Australian setting. I could see myself wearing takes on both of these for business. I already have an off white jacket in linen that I wear in a similar way. I have not taken the plunge into DB, but have thought about it. Maybe my next next jacket?
Whether worn traditionally, casually, or something in between I feel the seersucker jacket (and perhaps even a full suit) would be a great addition to my or any wardrobe. The challenge is to find something that checks all the boxes - style, fit, and price. J.Crew usually makes seersucker separates for spring. As does Spier & Mackay. Ebay or Poshmark could be great places to find a bargain but fit and condition could be an issue. I think I would prefer to purchase one in the traditional medium blue and white. I’m open to suggestions.
