W

hat pairs perfectly with boat shoes and straw hats? Seersucker. Seersucker is a 

classic fabric used to make clothing to create your spring and summer wardrobe. 

The thin cotton fabric is puckered in a striped pattern, creating a wrinkled texture. 

Seersucker originates from the Persian words sheer and shakar, meaning “milk 

and sugar” as the fabric replicates the smooth texture of milk and the rough texture of sugar. 

Now when we think of seersucker it conjures up images of garden parties and summer brunches, 

but seersucker is definitely not the new kid on the block. Seersucker was worn in Britain’s 

warm weather colonies like British India throughout the British colonial period. You might also 

be shocked to find out that Pottery Barn did not invent the idea of seersucker bedding. The 

lightweight fabric was the perfect choice for mattresses, pillow cases and nightshirts during the hot 

summers in the Southern US and Britain’s overseas colonies from the mid Victorian era until 20th 

century. The white puckered part of the stripe stays away from the skin keeping you naturally cool. 

Traditionally found in white with pale blue or dark blue stripes, the fabric has evolved and can 

now be found in a variety of colors to match every mood. This versatile material can be used for 

clothing, accessories, and home items as well. 

story by

 

Courtney Murray

Summer in Seersucker

June 2017   |   31  

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5/23/17   11:01 AM