Steezy Seersucker Summers — Almost two years ago, I saw the top photo of Popeye editor-in-chief, Takahiro Kinoshita, come across my dashboard and instantly I wanted a seersucker suit of my own.
Cut almost too fashion forward (I suspect by Thom Browne), the jacket’s short length and shorter-still two-inch cuffs exposing bare ankles looked somehow restrained by the simple white club-collar shirt and black silk knit tie and penny loafers.
Seersucker suits aren’t anything new. Beloved by Ivy and trad purists, you can still find the suit sold by the usual purveyors of such clothing. But those suits always struck me as a bit too frumpy, with legs a bit too wide, jackets often undarted into a sack and cut a bit too long — placing them safely into traditional territory. They often look like they demand to be worn with nothing other than white bucks and a bowtie, which I think makes them harder to wear if you’re not in the South or perhaps along the East Coast.
And I could never think of a good reason for me to own one, despite liking the idea of owning one. After all, how many garden parties, outdoor summer weddings, Southern courtrooms and Congressional Seersucker Thursdays would I find myself attending?
Regardless, I keep coming back to this particular seersucker suit and the idea and execution of it seems more modern and perhaps wearable in an urban setting. I’d change a few things: make it three buttons, add patch pockets and have the interior construction suited for travel.
Ideally, the suit would be one you could wear on a trip and also wear as separates. Just pack a navy rugby polo, cadet blue Bermuda shorts, faded denim, a chambray or linen shirt and white canvas sneakers and you’d have a combination of outfits for a summer trip.
But a third summer will now pass and no seersucker suit hangs in my closet. Perhaps next summer.