Introduction

I have a confession to make. Don’t worry, it’s nowhere near as bad as admitting I’m a menswear junkie but it’s still something that I need to get off my chest. This edition of spring/summer essential fabrics isn’t going to be on madras, as promised, but on seersucker… I know, I’m sorry. I can imagine how gutted you all are but there’s a simple explanation for this: I’m all about seersucker at the moment. Don’t get me wrong, I love madras too – it was my go-to last summer – but with the new breed of seersucker that is being released I’ve begun turning to this fabric more and more as the warm weather makes its slow approach. Remember: if you are to stand a chance of beating the sweat this summer, then you need to start thinking about seasonal dressing. Once the sun puts his hat on, it means thinking not only smarter but lighter too. Do away with those thick, heavy weaves such as tweed, corduroy and wool and start looking into pieces that feature open weaves and are lightweight in nature. In part one we discussed the benefits of linen, so let’s move on to its far more interesting cousin.

Seersucker Fabric

We might as well start with what seersucker is: “The material was popular during the British Colonial period in warmer countries such as India. Its slack-tension weave makes some threads collect together, creating the wrinkled, puckered appearance that is a signature characteristic of seersucker. It’s made entirely from cotton and, due to the puckering, hangs away from the skin – allowing that all important breeze and heat circulation to take place during the summer months.” Source: Wikipedia It traditionally comes in stripes or checks but the new breed of seersucker that was showcased on the runways for SS13 (and is now slowly surfacing in stores) is available in solids too. This is ideal for anyone looking to make their first seersucker purchase, as the traditional blue and white stripe is a bold statement for even the most fashion-conscious of men. So, without any more geeky fabric talk, here are the key seersucker items you should be looking to integrate into your summer wardrobe this year…