Seersucker is a cotton fabric that was used solely for Britain's spring and summer seasons because it would keep the wearer cool during the hottest times. It was commonly referred to as "milk and sugar" because of it's resemblance to the smooth texture of milk and the bumpy (rough) texture of sugar. It's a unique weave as some threads are woven tightly together while others are not, in the end this creates a fabric that is kept away from the wearers body and facilitates heat dissipation and air circulation, also pressing of the fabric is not necessary as it bunches up on its own. Numerous items are created from seersucker such as suits, shirts, robes, and shorts; the colors are commonly white and blue but now all colors are made with the puckered stripes being white.
It was favored among gentlemen in the South because of its light colors and ability to be easily washed before the arrival of air conditioning, even now people still wear it because it is the only fabric that promote air circulation and heat dissipation in such hot climates. In the United States it was worn by poor people until the 1920's when the rich decided to wear it for "Reverse Snobbery." Most people couldn't figure out if they were rich or poor or were starting a new fashion trend. Soon it became the standard military uniform for the Marine Corps Women's Reserve, it was chosen because it provided comfort in the South as well as an easy fabric to clean.
Now it is not produced so much, it is a low-profit high cost fabric because of the slow weaving process. It's created by a slack-tension weave where the threads are wound onto two warp beams in groups of ten but sixteen if you want a narrow stripe. Stripes are always ongrain and in the warp direction, it never varies but the colors it comes in do. It is created in solids, stripes, plaids, prints, or checks (commonly known as gingham) and is usually made for dresses, suiting, athletic apparel, and curtains these days.
It's a fabric that was once part of the history of America but now it has drifted off to the unknown, well there is always someone to remember the fabrics that were once used before technology. It can still be found by certain manufacturers so if you do happen to find something created out of seersucker, give it a try if you live in a hot climate. If not then at least you can say that you saw what was all the rage in the 1920's for the rich and the poor.
It was favored among gentlemen in the South because of its light colors and ability to be easily washed before the arrival of air conditioning, even now people still wear it because it is the only fabric that promote air circulation and heat dissipation in such hot climates. In the United States it was worn by poor people until the 1920's when the rich decided to wear it for "Reverse Snobbery." Most people couldn't figure out if they were rich or poor or were starting a new fashion trend. Soon it became the standard military uniform for the Marine Corps Women's Reserve, it was chosen because it provided comfort in the South as well as an easy fabric to clean.
Now it is not produced so much, it is a low-profit high cost fabric because of the slow weaving process. It's created by a slack-tension weave where the threads are wound onto two warp beams in groups of ten but sixteen if you want a narrow stripe. Stripes are always ongrain and in the warp direction, it never varies but the colors it comes in do. It is created in solids, stripes, plaids, prints, or checks (commonly known as gingham) and is usually made for dresses, suiting, athletic apparel, and curtains these days.
It's a fabric that was once part of the history of America but now it has drifted off to the unknown, well there is always someone to remember the fabrics that were once used before technology. It can still be found by certain manufacturers so if you do happen to find something created out of seersucker, give it a try if you live in a hot climate. If not then at least you can say that you saw what was all the rage in the 1920's for the rich and the poor.