MoneyWellSpent's Southern Trad Thread

[Caustic Man]

On that note, has anyone had much success getting a tailor to remove a jacket's lining? Is it an expensive operation? Imagine there's a fair bit of work involved retaping seems

I wouldn't attempt it. Major surgery for a relatively minor problem.

 

[smittycl]

4IH or double 4IH

Thanks. I'd actually like to get better at knots for my own edification rather SF-purity but will take both I suppose.

 

[Newcomer]

FYI, Haspel - recently, I suppose - was rebooted and shifted upmarket. Their new cuts are more flattering, I guess. Also a bit more expensive.

 

[Count de Monet]

Regarding generally the discussion on the lack of fine tailoring on most seersucker suits sold, I think a couple of things should be remembered. First, the general consensus seems to be that, historically, a seersucker suit was initially a "working man's" suit made of cotton because it was cheap and plentiful down south. According to lore, it was introduced to the Northeast by college men, either northerners traveling down south and seeing them, or southern kids heading to the NE for school. Whether they were wearing it in some ironic way (1920's hipsters?) or because they simply liked it, it seemed to catch on at the Ivy's and became part of NE trad.

Second, pre-WWII, most low-med quality suits weren't sold in large department stores like now. You either had your suit made from scratch or you purchased it from a haberdasher with a real live tailor in house. It might have been a bad tailor but a real tailor nevertheless. People didn't go buy a seersucker suit at the feed store.

The point being, I think historically seersucker suits were likely all over the map as far as quality of tailoring and what could be done with the material. There were likely suits that looked like they were, in fact, bought at a feed store and there were likely kids at Princeton going to the Chris Despos of their era and getting a very fine looking seersucker suit made.

Nowadays, folks like BB or Haspel might be a nice source of something in the middle but at the end of the day if one is wearing seersucker, you need either to embrace it for what it is and have fun with it, or else don't wear it.

 

[ReubenR]

Oh, and here's a game day in late fall:

 

[sftiger]



I'll be your huckleberry:

Where are those jackets / suits from?

 

[ReubenR]

Where are those jackets / suits from?

The usual suspects: Haspel, Brooks, O'Connell, Corbin, Oxxford, ect. Any specific ones?

 

[Newcomer]



...

"[Y]ou need to embrace it for what it is and have fun with it, or else don't wear it."

I am going to pick on this for just a second. Does this viewpoint apply to a solid navy suit, or a tan fresco suit, or any other fabric? Personally, I do not view seersucker as being any different than, say, a tan linen suit. It is a summer fabric that I would feel comfortable wearing to a wedding, work, or dinner with friends. I agree with your general notion - that there were likely ranges of seersucker suits that were made. But that doesn't change the fact that now-a-days, I can count on one, maybe two hands the number of vendors who sell seersucker. And of those vendors, most of them - at least to me - are not really an option. Brooks Brothers only sells seersucker in their Madison fit - which is not a favorite of mine. Southwick stuff fits like a big bag. Haspel - well, I am not sure that I trust their recent production (they seem all over the map, and I have heard that they are having issues finding a supplier). I guess I am just bemoaning that there seems to be a finite amount of places where you can procure southern trad staples in a flattering, contemporary cut.

With that said, I just received a seersucker suit from Kent Wang, and I will post some pics when I get the chance.

At the end of the day, my complaint is more a result of the fact that good, tailored clothes are becoming increasingly difficult to find. And in my opinion, in no area is this more true than southern trad.

 

[Caustic Man]

FWIW, I consider seersucker to be somewhat akin to madras. Both are cloths that were originally utilized as inexpensive clothing for working class people. Both were usurped by tradists. Both are accepted in far more social situations in the south than in the north. I've never seen a madras suit, of course. Not sure that I'd want to.

 

[smittycl]

"[Y]ou need to embrace it for what it is and have fun with it, or else don't wear it."

I am going to pick on this for just a second. Does this viewpoint apply to a solid navy suit, or a tan fresco suit, or any other fabric? Personally, I do not view seersucker as being any different than, say, a tan linen suit. It is a summer fabric that I would feel comfortable wearing to a wedding, work, or dinner with friends. I agree with your general notion - that there were likely ranges of seersucker suits that were made. But that doesn't change the fact that now-a-days, I can count on one, maybe two hands the number of vendors who sell seersucker. And of those vendors, most of them - at least to me - are not really an option. Brooks Brothers only sells seersucker in their Madison fit - which is not a favorite of mine. Southwick stuff fits like a big bag. Haspel - well, I am not sure that I trust their recent production (they seem all over the map, and I have heard that they are having issues finding a supplier). I guess I am just bemoaning that there seems to be a finite amount of places where you can procure southern trad staples in a flattering, contemporary cut.

With that said, I just received a seersucker suit from Kent Wang, and I will post some pics when I get the chance.

At the end of the day, my complaint is more a result of the fact that good, tailored clothes are becoming increasingly difficult to find. And in my opinion, in no area is this more true than southern trad.

I agree with your analysis on makers. I was surprised to see Oxxfford with one (albeit on eBay). BB Madison fit is awful unless you're an NFL lineman. No idea on Haspel quality although for something I would wear only when it's unbearably hot it might not matter so much. Your MTM idea is probably best. Curious to see/read about it!

 

[Count de Monet]

"[Y]ou need to embrace it for what it is and have fun with it, or else don't wear it."

I am going to pick on this for just a second. Does this viewpoint apply to a solid navy suit, or a tan fresco suit, or any other fabric? Personally, I do not view seersucker as being any different than, say, a tan linen suit. It is a summer fabric that I would feel comfortable wearing to a wedding, work, or dinner with friends. I agree with your general notion - that there were likely ranges of seersucker suits that were made. But that doesn't change the fact that now-a-days, I can count on one, maybe two hands the number of vendors who sell seersucker. And of those vendors, most of them - at least to me - are not really an option. Brooks Brothers only sells seersucker in their Madison fit - which is not a favorite of mine. Southwick stuff fits like a big bag. Haspel - well, I am not sure that I trust their recent production (they seem all over the map, and I have heard that they are having issues finding a supplier). I guess I am just bemoaning that there seems to be a finite amount of places where you can procure southern trad staples in a flattering, contemporary cut.

With that said, I just received a seersucker suit from Kent Wang, and I will post some pics when I get the chance.

At the end of the day, my complaint is more a result of the fact that good, tailored clothes are becoming increasingly difficult to find. And in my opinion, in no area is this more true than southern trad.

I don't disagree with anything you said. I'll join you in the bemoaning choir. I simply meant if one wants to wear seersucker, there are certain inherent "challenges" over which you have little or no control and one either grins and bears it or opts out of the game, a la @Caustic Man 's wife. In that respect, I suppose it is not unlike linen, though of course it is much easier to find well tailored linen.

And lest there be any doubt, I'm not picking on CM's spouse because my wife is of the same mind.

 

[smittycl]

FWIW, I consider seersucker to be somewhat akin to madras. Both are cloths that were originally utilized as inexpensive clothing for working class people. Both were usurped by tradists. Both are accepted in far more social situations in the south than in the north. I've never seen a madras suit, of course. Not sure that I'd want to.

The madras-dude in that video you posted earlier looked like a villain from the 60's Batman TV show. Smash! Pow! Gasp!

AAS wears Madras a lot but I have no interest in it.

 

[Caustic Man]

I'm not picking on CM's spouse because my wife is of the same mind.

It's fine, she was in the Army and can hang with the best of us.

AAS wears Madras a lot but I have no interest in it.

To be honest, part of the reason madras appeals to me is because it bothers so many people.

 

[Count de Monet]



The madras-dude in that video you posted earlier looked like a villain from the 60's Batman TV show. Smash! Pow! Gasp!

AAS wears Madras a lot but I have no interest in it.

If you ever think you might want to dip your toe in the water, start with some madras swim trunks.

Then wear them on a few errands on your way to the pool.

Then buy a pair of actual shorts.

The final step is then getting a full blown pair of FU trousers or jacket.

I'm stuck at level 2 however.

 

[smittycl]



If you ever think you might want to dip your toe in the water, start with some madras swim trunks.

Then wear them on a few errands on your way to the pool.

Then buy a pair of actual shorts.

The final step is then getting a full blown pair of FU trousers or jacket.

I'm stuck at level 2 however.

I like bright, solid linen as FU stuff. This is where BB comes in handy. Great place for linen shirts and pants. Mix bright light blue pants with pink shirt. Madras shorts are cool as are funky swim trunks. Black Fleece made some excellent FU pants, both Summer and winter.