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Seersucker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Seersucker is a thin, all-cotton fabric, commonly striped, used to make clothing for spring and summer wear. The word originates from the Hindi words "shir o shakkar," meaning "milk and sugar", probably from the resemblance of its smooth and rough stripes to the smooth surface of milk and bumpy texture of sugar[1].Seersucker is woven in such a way that some threads bunch together, giving the fabric a wrinkled appearance in places. This feature causes the fabric to be mostly held away from the skin when worn, facilitating improved heat dissipation and air circulation. It also means that ironing is not necessary. Seersucker was first used in the United States by the working class but was later adopted by the upper classes. The material was considered a mainstay of the summer wardrobe of Southern gentlemen, who favored the light fabric in the high heat and humidity of the American South.
Seersucker is still widely worn in the South between Easter weekend and Labor Day. It is widely considered a fashion faux pas to wear seersucker at the wrong time of the year, although in warmer climates this rule is often ignored.
Common items of clothing made from seersucker include suits, shorts, shirts and robes. The most common colors for it are white and blue, however it is produced in a wide variety of colors, usually alternating colored stripes and puckered white stripes slightly wider than pinstripes.
Seersucker is made by slack-tension weave. The yarns are wound onto the two warp beams in groups of 10 to 16 for a narrow stripe. The crinkle stripe may have slightly larger yarns to enhance the crinkle. The stripes are always in the warp direction and ongrain. Today, seersucker is produced by a limited number of manufacturers. It is a low-profit, high-cost item because of its slow weaving speed. Seersuckers are made in plain colors, stripes, plaids, checks and prints. Seersucker is used in curtains and summer suiting, dresses and sportswear.
Being comfortable and easily washed, seersucker was the choice for the summer service uniforms of the first female United States Marines. The decision was made by Captain Anne A. Lentz, one of the first female officers selected to run the Marine Corps Women's Reserve during the Second World War.
The US Senate recently had Seersucker Thursday.
NBA player Joakim Noah wore a seersucker suit to the 2007 NBA Draft.
Searsucker is best worn with a bow or string tie. MAM
