Seersucker Guide – The Fabric, The Suits & Its Origins

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Learn How to Utilize Seersucker in Your Summer Looks!

For centuries, seersucker has been a characteristic fabric associated with the United States and the American South in particular. Whimsical, fun, and uniquely textured, the coolness and distinctive appearance of seersucker have made it a popular warm- and hot-weather option for stylish gentlemen across the globe, and it is regularly used to make slacks, jackets, shorts, suits, and sport shirts.

In this guide, we will cover a variety of topics relating to integrating seersucker into your summer wardrobe. We will share with you the characteristics of seersucker, its quality hallmarks, our buying guide, the history of the fabric, and much more.

So pour yourself a glass of sweet tea, or maybe a mint julep, and sit down for a spell as we detail everything you will ever need to know about seersucker!

Defining Seersucker: A Puckered Cotton Weave

The Definition and Etymology of the Word “Seersucker”

Seersucker, sometimes referred to as “railroad stripe,” is a thin fabric usually made from cotton that has been woven with a unique puckered appearance. It is often striped but can also be a solid or cheque.

Example of "Farsi" written in the Persian language

The origins of the word

Seersucker

“Seersucker” is an Anglicization of the Persian name for the cloth, which is شیر و شکر (shir eu shakar). Literally meaning “sugar and milk,” it is intended to capture the fact that seersucker is both smooth, like milk, and also prominently rumpled, because of the puckering, like a pile of sugar.

How Seersucker is Made

Photo of a weaving loom
An example of a weaving loom. [Image Credit: Victoria and Albert Museum]

Historically, seersucker was made using alternating cotton and silk or linen warp yarns. During washing, the cotton would shrink more than the silk or linen, creating the fabric’s warped texture.

Photo of Tom Petty

“Create myself down south / Impress all the women / Pretend I’m Samuel Clemens / Wear seersucker and white linens”

Tom Petty

Today, seersucker is made almost exclusively from cotton. In the modern process, individual warp yarns are pulled tighter than others in a technique known as slack-tension weaving. The alternating bands of higher and lower tension produce the fabric’s unique puckered appearance.

The History of Seersucker in Menswear

Seersucker’s Origins in Mughal India

Period illustration of Mughal rulers
Among its many contributions to sartorial history, seersucker is also attributed to the Mughal Empire. [Image Credit: Wikimedia]

The exact origins of seersucker are unknown, although it almost certainly originated in the Indian Subcontinent. In the 18th century, when European powers encountered the Mughal Empire that ruled India, the fabric was well-known and favored because it was so cooling, was durable, and could be easily washed.

The British Empire Introduces Seersucker to the West

Following the integration of India into the British Empire, seersucker became a favored fabric across the tropical British colonial holdings. Colonial officials, in particular, had entire suits cut from seersucker, and with time the fabric was adopted in Europe and North America for use in hot climates.

Seersucker is Popularized in the Southern United States

In the hot and muggy American South, in particular, seersucker proved especially popular because of its cooling effect and the fact that it was relatively durable and easy to wash. During the American Civil War, several regiments of the Confederate States of America wore seersucker uniforms, the most famous of which were Zouaves units like the Louisiana Tigers.

Cool Fabrics Are Essential in the Heat

Prior to the invention of modern conveniences like electric fans and air conditioning, cooling fabrics like seersucker were essential for daily wear, and seersucker remained an extremely popular fabric across the South for decades to come, cementing this material’s association with the region.

Image of the Haspel Co logo

The first Seersucker Mass-producer

Haspel & Co.

Seersucker was not mass-produced in the United States until shortly after 1909 when Joseph and Harry Haspel founded The Haspel Company.As part of a publicity stunt, Joseph Haspel wore a seersucker suit to a business convention in Florida, where he walked into the sea wearing it, wore it until it dried, and then appeared before his fellow businessmen, thereby showcasing the fabric’s unique characteristics. The Haspel Company continues to manufacture seersucker to this day.

Seersucker in the Early 20th Century: The Poor Man’s Suit

Photo of a garden in Charleston, South Carolina
Although popular in the Southern cities, like Charleston, South Carolina, seersucker was looked down upon in other parts of the United States.

Because of its relative durability and cooling effect, seersucker was regarded as a working fabric outside of the South. Furthermore, because the American South was often considered backward and destitute by the rest of the country, seersucker, as a material, was not held in high esteem, and suits made from it were generally denigrated as a “poor man’s suit.”

John Nance Garner, a Texas congressman who would go on to become vice president under Franklin D. Roosevelt, was once misidentified as a nobody by his constituents because, in his seersucker suit, he appeared “none too prepossessing, and in no way the physical Congressional type….

Photo of Joseph Guerney Cannon

“The weather was damned hot!”

Joseph Guerney Cannon on why he wore a seersucker suit to meet the president

In 1903, Illinois congressman Joseph Guerney Cannon caused a minor scandal when he broke with protocol and appeared before President Theodore Roosevelt in a seersucker suit, and not the traditional black wool frock coat conventionally worn on state occasions. When asked why he had done this, Cannon replied, “The weather was damned hot!”

Photo of a Steam Locomotive Engineer wearing seersucker cap and overalls

A historical seersucker pattern

Hickory Stripe

Starting in the late 19th century and through the early 20th century, industrial workers, including train engineers and oil company laborers, began wearing overalls, jackets, and peaked caps made from a seersucker with blue indigo stripes because it was hardwearing and easy to clean. This distinctive pattern, known as Hickory Stripe or Railroad Stripe, is still popularly associated with railroad employees, and to this day, the uniform of the Union Pacific Railroad features a cap with blue and white stripes.

Seersucker in the Mid-20th Century: A Badge of Affluence

By the 1920s and '30s, seersucker was increasingly accepted as one of the hot-weather fabrics worn by men worldwide.
By the 1920s and ’30s, seersucker was increasingly accepted as one of the hot-weather fabrics. [Image Credit: Vintage Dancer]

Seersucker and the Prep Style

As the 1920s and 1930s saw the rise of intra-continental resort culture in the United States, affluent Americans from the Central and Northern states began to spend increasingly long periods of their summers in the balmy South. Compelled by the weather, they began to adopt the use of the seersucker suit.

At the same time, a cadre of Princeton dandies started a seersucker fad at their college, and the craze quickly spread to other schools. Lightweight and whimsical, the fun colors of seersucker suits soon became a hallmark of warm-and-hot weather Collegiate Style, and by extension, the Prep Style.

Learn about seersucker’s position in the Prep Style!

Duke of Windsor in Golf Attire

Seersucker is championed by the

Duke of Windsor

While residing in the Bahamas during World War II as a security measure, Edward, the Duke of Windsor, began to wear seersucker suits. Thanks to his reputation as a sartorial influencer, this endorsement by the duke caused seersucker to surge in popularity, and soon from California to the Greek Isles and the Italian Riviera to the West Indies, stylish men could be seen wearing seersucker.

Seersucker in Mid-Century America

American newspaperman Damon Runyon even went so far as to declare that seersucker, formerly associated with the poor man’s suit, had become “a badge of affluence.”

During the 1950s and 1960s, seersucker reached the height of its popularity, becoming a ubiquitous sight in the American South and in hot climates across the world. Despite its more general appeal, however, the fabric still could not shake its earliest popular connections.

The Musing Miles in Seersucker Jacket with Cap

Seersucker in

Pop Culture

Seersucker’s associations with the working class and the South were emphasized by two cultural events in mid-century America. In 1955, jazz great Mile Davis released his The Musings of Miles album, appearing on its cover in a cap and seersucker jacket to emphasize the working-class aesthetics of the scene. A few years later, Gregory Peck, in the role of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film adaption of To Kill a Mockingbird, would again indelibly associate seersucker with Southerners, appearing in such a suit during several scenes.

Modern Temperature Control Puts a Damper on Seersucker

Beginning in the 1970s, however, public and private buildings in the American South were increasingly fitted with air conditioning. As a result, hot-weather fabrics were no longer as essential as they once were. Furthermore, the proliferation of cheaper synthetic performance materials encouraged the general abandonment of seersucker as a de rigeur material in the South.

A photograph of William Faulkner

“His trousers were striped cotton seersucker, his shirt showed a badly frayed collar, and the belted jacket he had bought in New York was too small for him. A handkerchief was thrust in his sleeve English-style, as usual. His felt hat looked. . . to date from about 1915.”

A description of William Faulkner from 1951

While seersucker never totally disappeared, it did lose its place in the Southern sartorial pantheon as the reigning summer fabric, giving way in popularity to other materials.

Seersucker Today

An Iconic Summer Fabric

While no longer as popular as it once was, seersucker still enjoys a privileged and popular position in menswear. Internationally, it is viewed as a quintessentially American fabric, while in the United States, it is associated primarily with the South and with hot climates secondarily.

Photo of American congressmen wearing seersucker

The American Political tradition of

Seersucker Day

In 1996, Mississippi Senator Trent Lott organized a Seersucker Thursday on a balmy day in June to build comradery among the members of Congress in the sultry Washington heat. This tradition was held annually until 2012 when its observance became more irregular. Legislators in many Southern general assemblies are also known to wear seersucker, especially if they represent rural districts.

When the weather is hot, seersucker is popular as a day fabric for spring and summer social events at various formalities, including garden parties and weddings or special events like the St. Jude Classic Golf Tournament, now known as the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Generally speaking, seersucker tends to be more prevalent in the South, but thanks to its pedigree with the Prep Style, seersucker can still be seen across the North American continent and as a niche garment in the tropics and Europe.

Today, you can wear seersucker as an exceptional hot-weather fabric that, with its unique look and texture, can serve as a fun and interesting statement piece – unless you are attending a social function in Charleston, South Carolina or Savannah, Georgia, you are likely to be one of the only gentlemen in seersucker.

Learn more about all of our favorite hot-weather fabrics!

Seersucker FAQ

What is seersucker?

Seersucker is a cotton fabric, often with a striped pattern, with a distinct, puckered appearance. Historically, this texture was produced by interweaving shrinkable cotton yarns with unshrunken linen or silk yarns, but today, through slack-tension weaving, only cotton is used: individual groups of threads are woven at a higher tension than others, producing the signature puckering.

What are the best materials for making seersucker?

Today, seersucker is made almost exclusively from cotton, although in the past, linen and silk were also used. As is true with most cotton garments, the best seersucker will be made from long-staple cotton or extra-long-staple cottons like Sea Island Cotton, Egyptian Giza Cotton, and Pima Cotton.

What kinds of garments are made out of seersucker?

Seersucker is most often associated with full suits, but odd jackets and sport coats can also be made from seersucker, as well as trousers and shorts. Seersucker shirts are also fairly common, as were, historically, seersucker caps. Nowadays, there is also a market for novelty seersucker accessories, such as baseball caps, pocket squares, and even neckties and bow ties.

What is the formality of seersucker?

Traditionally, seersucker was a relatively informal fabric reserved for the summer months and worn as businesswear or social wear – it was uncommon to see it as formal events. Nowadays, however, seersucker suits, in particular, are generally considered more formal and can often be seen at hot-weather day weddings, especially in the American South. Conventionally, however, seersucker remains a day fabric and would not traditionally be worn as part of formal evening attire.

At what times of the year should I wear seersucker?

Because of its reputation for coolness, seersucker is best worn during warm and hot months. Therefore, you should feel free to wear seersucker whenever it becomes sufficiently hot to justify seersucker. In America, two traditional dates are associated with the wearing of seersucker. In the South, seersucker was traditionally worn between Easter and October 1. In the rest of the country, it was traditionally worn between Memorial Day and Labor Day. These dates, however, are simply guidelines that delineate, generally, the hottest times of the year.

At what times of the day should I wear seersucker?

Because of its generally bright palette and cooling construction, seersucker is, conventionally, a daytime fabric. While seersucker is occasionally used in more formal garments, such as dinner jackets, it is not traditionally intended for nighttime wear on formal occasions, and if you wish to maintain the traditions of Classic Style, a silk or linen dinner jacket should be worn instead.

What are common seersucker patterns and colors?

Reflecting the two tensions of yarn used in its construction, most seersucker fabrics are striped, although solid and cheque examples are also known. As a warm- and hot-weather daytime fabric, seersucker is often colored with one stripe in white and another stripe in a bright, vibrant color. Common examples include light gray, buff, light blue, bright green, orange, yellow, and pink.

Is wearing seersucker racist?

No, it is not. Seersucker is often associated with the American South generally, and because of the common popular association of the American South with racism, it is assumed that things from the South, such as seersucker suits, must also be racist. Just as the entire American South is not racist because of the presence of some racists in that region, so too is seersucker not racist simply because, historically, some people who were racist happened to wear it.

The Benefits of Wearing Seersucker

Seersucker Has a Place in Your Summer Wardrobe

Favored for decades in the sunny and muggy American South, seersucker is an excellent fabric option if you regularly experience hot and humid days. While renowned for its ability to help keep you cool, seersucker also benefits from several other positive qualities.

Cool and Refreshing

Raphael in Charleston wearing seersucker
Raphael has no trouble looking and staying cool while wearing seersucker.
White Linen Pocket Square with Navy Blue Handrolled X Stitch Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

White Handcrafted Linen Pocket Square with Light Blue Handrolled X Stitch

Ancient Madder Silk Paisley Bow Tie in Red and Buff

Fort Belvedere

Ancient Madder Silk Paisley Bow Tie in Red and Buff

Because it is lightweight, seersucker is a naturally more cooling fabric, although the extremely tight weave of the cotton restricts airflow. However, it is argued that the puckering in the fabric produces a cooling effect in other ways.

Preston wears a white lab coat

Prof. Preston Explains How seersucker

Keeps you cool

According to one theory, the ridges of the puckered surface increase airflow to the garment’s surface and create pockets of cool air between the layers while also lifting the fabric away from the skin. This creates a layer of air along the exterior of the fabric and will also facilitate air circulation along the interior. Another theory, however, posits that the seersucker absorbs sweat and then evaporates it more quickly from the exterior of the fabric because the additional surface area of the puckered texture creates more points of contact with the outside environment.

Raphael, however, has found that fabrics with more open weaves, like Fresco, are generally better at regulating body heat than seersucker.

Learn about the science of keeping cool from Prof. Preston!

Wrinkle-Obscuring

Packing knit ties for travel is wrinkle-free and easy to manage when using after.
Seersucker is a great fabric to wear when traveling because it resists wrinkling.

Because of its puckered construction, not only is it more difficult to see the wrinkles in seersucker, the fabric itself is actually more difficult to wrinkle. Therefore, seersucker can be a great fabric to wear when you are traveling and will not have regular access to an iron or steamer.

Visually Unique

In addition to whatever patterns or colors you may have on your seersucker garment, the interesting texture of the seersucker itself is a fun and engaging way to add unexpected visual interest. Textures, rather than colors or patterns, are generally more sedate, giving you the leeway to still utilize bolder accessories without having to worry about becoming overwhelming while wearing seersucker.

Fun Statement Piece

Photo of seersucker jacket worn with gray trousers
A seersucker jacket worn with gray trousers, a white shirt, and a bold lilac tie and pocket square.

Thanks to its long and interesting history, associated with everyone from Southern planters to jazz musicians and politicians to mint julep dandies, seersucker garments have a particular charm and sporting grace that inject considerable personality into your look. While often associated with Southerners, you do not have to be from the South to enjoy the benefits of seersucker as a delightful statement piece.

Assessing Seersucker Quality

1
Sea Island cotton is a particularly difficult fiber to grow and then spin into yarn.

100% Natural Fibers

Natural, long-staple cotton, especially extra-long-staples, is the best possible material for seersucker. Avoid synthetic materials because they conduct airflow poorly and can feel clammy and unpleasant on your skin.

2
Seersucker is another fantastic summer fabric.

Prominent Ridges

High-quality seersucker will have deep, prominent ridges as part of its puckering. Shallow ridges are often a sign of inferior, cheaply-made fabric.

3
Navy melton wool is the most popular choice for peacoat fabrics

Thicker Fabric

The best seersucker will be relatively thick because of the depth of the ridges and puckering. Thinner fabrics are flimsy and, in addition to being less durable, will also be lank and less structured on your skin.

4
To ensure maximum breathability consider a half-lined, quarter lined, or unlined jacket.

Unlined

Quality seersucker, because of its thickness, does not need to be lined. Cheaper seersucker is usually lined only to bulk up the fabric and provide additional structure to the otherwise flimsy garment.

5
Seersucker Fabric

Irregular Warp

When inspecting seersucker, look closely at the warp. If the pattern is irregular, it is likely made using the genuine slack-tension weave process. If the warp is highly regular, it may be an imitation of the process.

6
J. Hilburn Shirt Button Wrinkles

Wrinkle Resistant

High-quality seersucker will naturally mask and resist wrinkles. If you crumple the seersucker in your hand and it leaves prominent wrinkles, it is not well-made.

Common Seersucker Patterns and Colors

Patterns

To reflect the two different tensions of warp yarn used in the production process, most seersucker fabrics are white with stripes in a different color. However, you can also find solid seersucker and, occasionally, checks and plaids.

Traditionally, the stripes are relatively slim, measuring approximately 2 -3mm or 1/10″ wide. Wider stripes can be up to 5 mm or 1/5″ in thickness. Generally speaking, the thicker the stripe, the bolder the look of the garment.

Colors

Seersucker in Different Colors & Patterns
Examples of the many colorful varities of seersucker.

As mentioned, most seersucker garments feature a white stripe with a stripe of a different color. Because seersucker is worn in warmer months, these colors tend to be bright or pastels. Light or medium blue and white is by far the most popular pairing, but you can also find stripes with light gray, buff, green, magenta, orange, pink, and yellow.

Solid seersucker garments are usually rendered in shades of blue, like light or navy, various hues of green, and some pastels, like pink or yellow, although solid seersucker is, as mentioned, relatively rare.

Learn the secrets to color and pattern matching in warm weather!

Seersucker Garments

Jackets

An illustration of men wearing summer ensembles of various formalities
Seersucker jackets are one of the most unique warm-weather jackets you can wear.

One of the most popular ways to wear seersucker, jackets, either as part of a suit or as an odd jacket like a sport coat, take advantage of the unique visual weight of seersucker as part of the central mass of your body to add unexpected color and texture.

Jacket Details

Most seersucker suits today are single-breasted with either two or three buttons; they usually come without a vest or waistcoat. This style choice makes perfect sense because you want as few insulating layers as possible in the summer heat.

Following the styling cues typical of menswear jackets today, most ready-to-wear seersucker jackets have a center vent, notched lapels, and flap pockets.

These details, however, do not take full advantage of the more casual, laidback look typical of seersucker jackets. While the peaked lapels are perfectly acceptable, unlike peaked lapels, which are simply too formal, flap pockets are traditionally associated with businesswear and not social attire like jackets in seersucker. Patch pockets, on the other hand, are better suited to the character of the garment and look great with the natural drape of the fabric.

Similarly, a center jacket vent, with its origins in horseback riding, is not usually associated with seersucker, and so side vents, which are more flattering to the wearer and conducive to a wider range of motions, are generally a better choice.

William dons a well-fitting double-breasted seersucker jacket

Should your seersucker jacket be

Double-breasted?

In an effort to show off a new and unexpected style, some men wear three-piece or double-breasted seersucker jackets. While this look is perfectly fine, it is not in keeping with Classic conventions, and if you easily overheat, you should definitely stick with the single-breasted seersucker jacket without a vest, as the extra layers could be stiffling.

How to Style It

Photo of seersucker jacket worn with gray trousers
A seersucker jacket worn with gray trousers, a white shirt, and a bold lilac tie and pocket square.

Seersucker jackets have considerable versatility. They can work as part of a suit or as an odd jacket and look great paired with most other hot-weather fabrics. Unless you want a very bold look, however, you should not wear seersucker jackets with seersucker trousers unless they are made from the exact same fabric, or one of the articles is white. You should also never wear a seersucker shirt with a seersucker jacket unless you are going for a very particular and somewhat outlandish look.

When traveling, a lightweight seersucker suit in combination with a sport coat allows for various combinations and broad versatility with minimal weight.

Shirts

Seersucker shirts were popularized during the mid-20th century, especially as part of a Preppy or Collegiate look. Cool, comfortable, and fun, seersucker shirts offer great styling potential as part of a casual ensemble and are a charming, unexpected alternative to more conventional summer shirts like polos or henleys.

How to Style It

Photo of man wearing seersucker shirt with ascot
A white seersucker shirt worn with a vintage green ascot for a breezy summer look.

In general, seersucker shirts should be worn only with very casual jackets and never with a seersucker jacket – the texture overload would simply be too much. Seersucker shirts also look great with trousers or shorts in summer-weight fabrics like linen or chino, but again, do not attempt to pair seersucker with seersucker.

Trousers and Shorts

Seersucker trousers are a great option if you want to incorporate an unexpected texture into your look without appearing flashing. Seersucker trousers can be either pleated or flat-front, but almost all examples have plain hems rather than cuffs, as the latter tends to appear overly bulky.

In keeping with their summery and casual spirit, shorts are commonly made from seersucker. A great option for those seeking to cultivate an athletic and youthful appearance, seersucker shorts should conform to the styling cues typical of Classic shorts.

How to Style It

Raphael wearing a Lacoste polo shirt paired with blue and white checked seersucker shorts, pair of Sperry boat shoes and vibrant blue with white laces and tan accents.
Raphael wearing a Lacoste polo shirt paired with blue and white checked seersucker shorts, pair of Sperry boat shoes and vibrant blue with white laces and tan accents.

Seersucker trousers can be worn with a wide variety of shirts and jackets in many fabrics. Raphael, for instance, wears seersucker trousers even more often than he wears seersucker suits because the trousers, when worn with a summer sport coat or blazer, tone down the overall look, appearing less flashy but still distinctly summery.

Photo of a dinner jacket made from seersucker

Can you wear seersucker as

Formal Wear?

During the height of its popularity in the 1960s, seersucker fabric was used for an increasing variety of garments, including formal evening wear. While considered something of a novelty, you can, if you desire, wear a seersucker dinner jacket, provided that it is in keeping with the formality of your event. Seersucker could be ideal, for instance, at a Creative Black Tie soiree.

How to Style Seersucker

What to Wear with Seersucker Suits, Jackets, and Trousers

Illustration of a scene of men wearing various summer ensembles
Seersucker is just one of the many fabrics that can be utilized in warm and hot-weather looks.

When crafting an outfit around a seersucker suit or combinational, take advantage of the following suggestions to assemble a diverse warm- and hot-weather wardrobe that will easily carry you through many occasions in the spring and summer.

Shirts

Seersucker pairs well with most shirts, but an open-weave summer fabric will have the greatest impact and be best suited to the weather. White is a versatile color that is easy to pair, and Raphael usually prefers this option, but light blue, pink, or other pastel tones can also look very dashing.

Cotton is, of course, a summer sample, but you can also opt for linen or linen blends. Be mindful of how exuberant the color and detailing of the shirt is, however, because too many accents may become overloading, as seersucker is already bolder than other fabrics.

Neckwear

Summery Bow Ties for seersucker in Linen, Madras and Silk by Fort Belvedere
These summery bow ties pair perfectly with seersucker.

In keeping with style conventions associated with the American South, bow ties are popularly worn with seersucker in a dapper look reminiscent of the excitement of the Kentucky Derby. Because plain silk bow ties can appear flat when compared with the texture of seersucker, consider blends in linen, cotton, and silk for a more dynamic effect.

The Best Summery Bow Ties from Fort Belvedere!

Shantung Silk Striped Two Tone Bow Tie Bronze Orange, Green, Cream

Exclusively from Fort Belvedere

Shantung Silk Striped Two Tone Bow Tie Orange

Wool Challis Bow Tie in Burgundy Red with Yellow Polka Dots and Pointed Ends - Fort Belvedere

Exclusively from Fort Belvedere

Wool Challis Bow Tie in Burgundy with Polka Dots

Ancient Madder Silk Bow Tie in Buff and Red Micropattern

Exclusively from Fort Belvedere

Ancient Madder Silk Bow Tie in Buff and Red Micropattern

If you prefer to wear a necktie with your seersucker outfit, go for something summery and a bit more unusual, such as a linen tie or a knit tie. Madras is a wonderful pattern, and if you want to go with stripes, make sure they are wide to create a contrast to the fine stripe of the fabric. Solid pink, red, or navy ties may also look good, as do polka dots or even club ties, but just make sure not to overdo it!

An illustration of a man in a creme suit relaxing under an awning

Determining the proper time to wear

Seersucker

As a lightweight fabric, seersucker is best worn during warm and hot months. Therefore, you should feel free to wear seersucker whenever it becomes sufficiently hot to justify seersucker. In America, two traditional dates are associated with the wearing of seersucker. In the South, seersucker was traditionally worn between Easter and October 1. In the rest of the country, it was traditionally worn between Memorial Day and Labor Day. These dates, however, are simply guidelines that delineate, generally, the hottest times of the year.

Fort Belvedere Neckties Perfectly Suited for Summer

Knit Tie in Solid Olive Green Silk - Fort Belvedere

Exclusively from Fort Belvedere

Knit Tie in Solid Olive Green

Wool Challis Tie in Turquoise with Gray, Orange, Navy and Yellow Pattern - Fort Belvedere

Exclusively from Fort Belvedere

Wool Challis Tie in Turquoise

Knit Tie in Solid Pale Yellow Silk

Exclusively from Fort Belvedere

Knit Tie in Solid Pale Yellow

With his seersucker, Raphael almost always wears either linen ties or knit ties because they look classic yet unique and very dapper.

See if summer ascots would pair with your seersucker!

Shoes

Traditionally, seersucker suits were worn with white buckskin oxfords. This classic look is timeless but can also appear somewhat dramatic according to contemporary menswear, so be aware that you will definitely stand out. White bucks can be toned down considerably with the use of harmonious shoelace colors, which also provide a simple way to subtly change up your seersucker-and-bucks look every time you wear it.

For a more sedate look, consider brown or tan shoes, especially those made from suede. Oxfords, derbies or loafers are all equally as well suited.

Alternatively, for an even bolder look, spectators may be a great option. Be very mindful, however, of how the colors of the spectators interact with the other colors in your ensemble. A beige seersucker looks great with tan-and-brown spectators, whereas a blue-and-white seersucker looks terrible with a black-and-white spectator because black is too harsh and insufficiently casual for seersucker. For the same reason, plain black shoes should be avoided as well.

If you want to go really casual with your seersucker pants or shorts, boat shoes are a good companion. In that case, be sure to wear an equally casual belt, like one with a madras pattern.

Madras Belt and a seersucker outfit
A madras belt looks great with casual seersucker attire!

Pocket Squares

Photo of a seersucker jacket worn with warm weather accessories
A three-roll-two seersucker jacket worn with a burnt orange silk pocket square by Fort Belvedere.

Much of the advice mentioned in the above section on neckwear applies here. Pocket squares in interesting blends that have prominent textures, like cotton and linen or wool and silk, will be the most visually interesting. In keeping with the seasonality and casual nature of seersucker, feel free to experiment with dramatic colors and patterns, but do not overdo it by piling in too many loud options.

Rust Orange Linen Pocket Square with Dark Blue Handrolled Cross X Stitch - Fort Belvedere

Exclusively from Fort Belvedere

Rust Orange Linen Pocket Square with Dark Blue Handrolled Cross X Stitch

Silk Pocket Square in Light Blue with Small and Large Paisley - Fort Belvedere

Exclusively from Fort Belvedere

Silk Pocket Square in Light Blue with Small and Large Paisley

Reversible Madder Silk Pocket Square in Violet Purple with Orange Pheasant and Ochre Paisley

Exclusively from Fort Belvedere

Reversible Madder Silk Pocket Square in Violet Purple with Orange Pheasant and Ochre Paisley

To add visual interest while maintaining a sedate atmosphere, you can employ pocket square folds to great effect.

Learn 8 stylish pocket square folds with ease!

Boutonnieres

Four different Fort Belvedere boutonnieres
Find these beautiful boutonnieres and many more at the Fort Belvedere shop!

Traditionally, seersucker jackets were almost always worn with a flower, or boutonniere, in the lapel. This dash of vivid color often appears especially pleasing against the bright backdrop of a striped seersucker jacket.

During the summertime, you might be tempted to pick a wildflower for yourself, but be aware that during this season, pollen can easily stain your clothes while the heat causes the flower to promptly wilt.

Therefore, it may behoove you to instead select an artificial flower.

In this classic navy and yellow combination, the Purple Field Scabious Boutonniere adds a pop of color to the muted tie, shirt, and jacket.

The benefits of an

Artificial Flower

When it comes to menswear, artificial flowers have a number of advantages: they never wilt, won’t stain your clothes, and can be perfectly sized and colored. Of course, only a well-made boutonniere will appear natural.

Headwear

All manner of summer-appropriate brimmed hats, usually made from straw, will appear very elegant with a seersucker suit or combination. A Panama should be worn on more casual occasions, and a boater on more formal.

Sunglasses

Although a summer look, seersucker does not pair well with overly sporty sunglasses, such as highly reflective Oakleys. Similarly, many metal-framed, high-luster glasses appear too modern for this more traditional garment. Therefore, classic sunglasses with brown or tortoise frames will harmonize the best.

Learn what makes an essential pair of Classic sunglasses!

Seersucker Buying Guide

Due to its relatively time-intensive production process, quality seersucker is a high-cost, low-return fabric. Therefore, many modern makers will rely on inferior production methods, be compelled to charge a higher markup, or avoid the material entirely.

As a result, well-made seersucker can be somewhat difficult to find. Below, please find our selection of seersucker manufacturers at various price points.

BrandSeersucker Suit Cost (2023)
Hockerty$369
Haspel$425
Bonobos$475
Brooks Brothers$498
Suit Supply$649
Todd Snyder$750
Proper Cloth$795
Ben Silver$900
Ralph Lauren$999

Conclusion

Raphael wearing a seersucker suit while out and about during his Charleston trip with Teresa.
Where will you show off your seersucker?

With the advice found in this guide, we hope that you’ve discovered that seersucker can be as sweet as sugar and as refreshing as milk! Whether you’re strolling along a promenade in Charleston or attending a classy beachside summer wedding, we know that what you’ve learned today will help you craft exceptional outfits that take full advantage of all that seersucker has to offer.

Let us know in the comments how you like to style your seersucker!

Reader Comments

  1. The puckering would allow for more air-flow through the fabric by virtue of increased surface area. The maximum amount of air is per square inch of fabric, and there are more square inches of fabric per square inch of skin with seersucker.

    1. Dear Stirling, thanks for attempting to explain. However, seersucker is generally extremely tightly woven and I experience hardly any airflow. A Fresco creates much more airflow in my opinion. To me, your theory seems plausible for pc coolers or for the amount of skin, but I am not sure whether a larger surface makes for more airflow. Much rather, larger holes would create more airflow, wouldn’t they?

      1. Think of it like an HVAC filter: they’re corrugated. Because of the corrugation you can fit about 12 square feet of filter into six square feet of frame. The maximum airflow of the filter material can be expressed in cubic feet of air per minute per square foot. Basically, By cramming twice as much filter into the frame so that it does not overlap — which would reducing airflow — the number of holes in the fabric is doubled.

        While seersucker might be very tightly woven, there are a lot of small holes because of the increased surface area. Come to think of it, the puckering probably holds the fabric away from the lining or skin, as the case may be, which would also facilitate airflow by virtue of aloowing it to flow freely around the fabric not only on the outside, but the inside as well.

        1. Thanks Stirling for trying so hard. While it may be correct in theory, I would love to test a plain fabric in the same fabric against the seersucker against a fresco and see what fabric comes out on top. Right now, I would say the fresco. I do have two similar fabrics – one is seersucker, the other is not – but they are just similar and so a comparison is difficult.
          Btw, lining in seersucker pants would be counter productive imo.

        2. Now I want to do a scientific test of various suiting fabrics… that could make a good article.

          Lining seersucker pants: I do think that would be madness. Jackets usually are lined, though.

        3. Sven,
          I think that the reason for the cooler feel of seersucker is not because of air flow, but the increase of the evaporative surface area that seersucker provides. With increased fabric area caused by the dimples in the fabric, there is more surface area for sweat to evaporate from the clothing, which allows for a faster release of water into the air from the body, resulting in a cooler feel on the skin. Even though we are not aware of it, our skin is constantly releasing water into the air. Thus, with more surface area in seersucker, the body is cooler because the moisture stays for a shorter time on the skin resulting in a cooler feel at the skin.
          You’re also right that lining in pants would be counter productive, since it would provide another layer of insulation, and would also slow movement of water vapor from the skin to the air outside the clothing. Adding to that is that many men’s pants lining materials have a higher polyester content, and thus tend to be less breathable than other fibers.

        4. Kim, I have heard that argument before, and it sounds plausible in theory but in practice I have never noticed it or felt cooler because of it. Thanks for bringing it up though.

  2. I can attest to the absolute comfort and good looks of Seersucker. Appropriate for the office particularly in the South. Mine is from Haspel and the cut is perfect. Looks great with a Madras Bow Tie or Navy Polka Dot long tie. Great article.

    1. Thanks Herr Doktor, do you have a picture of your outfit that you can send to us?

  3. Interesting as always … and thank you for incorporating the origins of the term, as we’d discussed.

    1. Yes, thank you Sajeel! If you have more details, let me know and I add them crediting you.

  4. Oh … the rest you’ve covererd most ably :-)

    Meanwhile I’ll carry on with my quest for a suitable length of fabric

  5. My esteemed colleagues,

    Can’t we all just share an iced tea and get along?!

  6. ” Amerika, du hast es besser.” ( ‘America, you are better off.’, J.W. von Goethe )

    Who couldn’t agree more living in a country where a suit of aforementioned fabric is hardly available :-( ?

  7. By the way: the outfit with the greenish grey fresco coat combined with seersucker pants looks excellent.

  8. I think that seersucker materials make for good casual suiting, don’t like it for formal occasions. I personally like the green!

    1. Green is great indeed Lendyl, and I agree with you that it is not suited for formal occasions.

    1. Actually I recall S/S being all the rage in the American Midwest during the 1970’s. Few things are more uncomfortable than a Chicago summer, and those that wore it ( more typically females ) raved about it!

      But I’ll agree, if you’ll notice, seldom will they show it on a football build model. For me it looked like I should be passing out cotton candy at a carnival. If television “adds ten pounds”, w/ S/S ( think 20? ) I’ll stick to Linen if it’s all the same.

  9. Asa Brit I always think of seersucker as quintessentially American. I had not realised it was regarded as a poor man’s cloth in the early part of the last century. I had imagined it as the summer garb of partners in white shoe firms back in the day.
    An interesting article.

  10. Great article, I find the seersucker suit is for a man with style or flair, I love them, not I am the only one I know that wears them,perfect for they type of guys that read your Gazette. Now, I would like to see a article on the linen suit, I love them this time of year, but again, I am the only one I know who wears one. They can be a little unstructured, but I think a man of style can pull it off.

  11. I bought seersucker sport coat in Princeton several years ago and wore it summer after summer, until a dinner companion spilled her coffee on it (permanent stain) I’ve never seen the coats or suits sold here on the West Coast, but I do have several quality seersucker sport shirts from Brooks Brothers and Lands End. They are superb for long distance driving or day-long summer events because of their quick-drying and wrinkle free nature. I suggest paying a bit more to get real seersucker, as there are several low quality so-called seersuckers with only a minimum of crimping.
    Great article, Sven – makes me consider contacting Ben Silver for an order!

  12. I had Johnathan Behr in Los Angles make one for me in classic blue and white. He does them completely unlined but still with bar tacked shoulder pads, so the structure is there but it is light as a shirt and quite cool. It’s true the fabric is tightly woven but a combination of light color, very light weight, zero lining and open jacket allow you to stay protected from sun and yet a breeze can still reach you. I wore this with my straw fedora to an all-day even at the Huntington Library last year in 90°~100° weather. The rest of my group was in shorts and tee shirts, lathering on sunscreen and sweating while I was cool as a cucumber without sticky goop on my skin to clog pores. When I stopped at a restaurant for lunch recently, the older waitress remarked that she hadn’t seen a man wearing seersucker in ages. I got excellent service. ;-)

  13. I was told that the puckering of the seersucker fabric raised the fabric off the surface of the skin, even when damp from humidity, etc. This allowed for air to circulate and helped wick away the moisture so one felt cooler and drier than one would wearing a suit in a more traditional fabric.

    There is also a certain kind of wool suiting fabric that is almost the thinness of tissue paper. My great uncle wore it in summer; while everyone else wilted, he always looked crisp, composed and unwrinkled. When seen in certain lights, one could see light through the fabric. I noticed this when he wore a very deep charcoal grey suit, obviously unlined, one summer and the strong sunlight could be seen at a distance through his trouser leg. I wish I had asked him what the fabric was called and where to get it…

  14. Is there any jacket cloth which is less heavy and cooler than seersucker besides linen?

    Does seersucker shrink?

  15. I have a green seersucker blazer, and am wondering what color slacks and shirt to wear with it. Any thoughts?

  16. Where can I buy fabric/material, to have a seersucker suit made? I live in Charlotte, NC.

  17. I find the very inexpensive seersucker suits from Joseph A Bank to be an acceptable compromise between quality and cost.

  18. I like seersucker long-sleeve shirts in as formal as possible colors and patterns including solids like white and and blues, blue stripes, , etc AND especially THIN strips. They really look great. Un-button the collar and roll up of your sleeves and women will faint! ( I wont’t even buy a shirt if the strips are wider than 2-3 mm.
    In cooler weather a long sleeve tee of any ilk and color just looks and feels exceptional. I like Patagonia long sleeve capilene under the shirt. When the shirt is really to old and raggto wear in public, it feels great stuffed under an d old sweatshirt or fleece sweater.
    Short sleeve seersucker reminds of young children in kindergarten covered with spilled food or drool so I don’t like short sleeve seer sucker..

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