Seersucker at Stein Mart

To my mind, a late Easter calls for men to wear seersucker, and for the first time in a decade, I awoke Sunday morning without benefit of a traditional blue/white seersucker suit. Bubba, the iconic white, horizontally striped number slept soundly in the closet awaiting its season. I am simply without.

My plan was to visit Perlis while in NOLA, but rains, volume unseen since Noah, kept me closer to downtown. Instead, I visited Rubensteins. If you haven't been there I suggest a walk through. Rubensteins provides a level of service unheard of in your community. I am convinced, a gentlemen of means, could soundly rely upon Rubensteins staff to regularly refresh his wardrobe, sight unseen. Once they get the cut of your jib, there will be no need to call ahead with your wants, somehow they'll know what and when and have it ready to ship.

I'm between sizes, and likely to be for a while, that's why I'm hesitant to replace my missing suit. I did look though, and have this suggestion for you guys unfamiliar with seersucker, or uncertain if you can pull it off. Seersucker looks good on anyone confident to wear it.

Stealing from one of ADG's post last fall, I went to Stein Mart to see Flusser's summer offerings. I am reluctant to pay a lot for a suit that won't get much wear. That puts my favorite seersucker, BB's, out of reach, for now. Stein Mart is offering good looking Flusser seersucker seperates, $60 for the jacket, $30 for pants. Tell 'em ADG sent ya.

Spring has sprung, rejoice.

Toad

Two bits of reassurance

We are each our own worst critics, and my horizontal seersucker suit had been quietly festering, until yesterday. You must thoroughly understand that I love the suit. I know that for I have named it, which is always a good sign. I'm not beyond telling Mrs. T that I'm taking Bubba out for the evening, when asked what I plan to wear. Bubba and I await a lifetime of fabulous memories.

Whatever apprehension I had evaporated when I saw the photo below, swiped from tumblr. This dude trumps and looks fantastic. I love the pocket.



On the plus side, while trying to find the name of the Brit tailors who purposefully tailor horizontal corduroy suiting (Cordarounds) I can across this tidbit from The Guardian and from Cosmos. According to learned, scientific study (of a sort) it's horizontal stripes that make the wearer appear thinner, not vertical. So there.

I promise this is the last word on Bubba for quite some time, for I have tamed the beast.

Toad

While at the mall

This weekend while you stop at Sears to pick up the tune up kit for your lawnmower, take a peek into the Lands End shop and look up these shirts.

The shirt above is traditional cut ,standard short or long sleeve, seersucker sold in real sizes (not s-m-l). $40.00


The second, much sharper looking, again sold in real sizes but is a tailored cut, so it ain't happening here. Forty five bucks.

Your mission, should you chose to accept this assignment, is to report back. The on-line reviews are mixed.

Toad

it takes a very rich man...

Several weeks ago I was seeking the source for the quote "only very rich men wear seersucker clothes." As so frequently happens, fate stepped in in the guise of The Elegantologist who led a post with that quote, attributed to Damon Runyon.

In the late 19th century US, seersucker was a poor mans cloth. Found mostly in the south, it began as a cheap, lightweight substitute for silk. In 1909 Haspel began making seersucker suits in New Orleans. By the mid 1920's fashionable northern college students picked up on it. Runyon went on to write " that his new habit for wearing seersucker was "causing much confusion among my friends. They cannot decide whether I'm broke of just setting a new vogue."

Brooks Brothers introduction of light cotton summer suiting, including seersucker, lent the suit it's patrician image. The idea being, only the rich could afford to look disheveled. Brooks still vends a great off the rack seersucker suit.

What prompted this history lesson was a trip through EBAY. BB's Black Fleece headboy Thom Browne has designed a seersucker suit for the new millennium. An yes it takes a very rich man, gone soft in the head to wear it. Shown above,$3200 retail, pre worn for your convenience $1450. I merely report the news, I have no hand in this sale.

Toad

I stake my claim on Perlis

Ladies and Gentlemen, I stake my claim to being the first adult to arrive at Perlis Clothiers, 6070 Magazine Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, on foot, after having taken public transportation, since the introduction of the air conditioned automobile. You may contact Guinness for confirmation.

I, on the other hand confirm my order for a Guinness.

I mentioned to Mrs. T. at brunch that I was going out for the afternoon. She was welcome to come, but I hoped she had other plans.

So under the threat of severe storms and heavy hail, I hopped the St. Charles streetcar from the edge of the French Quarter to my intended stop at Webster and hoofed the 6 or 8 blocks to Magazine. Have I mentioned it was warm? Humid is understood, it is NO after all. Mercifully, the storms and hail held off.

Perlis is the place where the local Preppies live. I had a ball. Usual brands, with a most knowledgeable and helpful staff. I went for the white suit experience. One of the few places in the US where a man could pull this stunt off with a straight face. They probably had 100 running feet of racks of white linen suits.

It wasn't till later that I remembered what this reminded me of.

Ever take your sons, or perhaps recall your own experience, to that place where little boys get their First Communion suits? Just like that only for big boys. Sizes well into the 60's, just in case Sidney Greenstreet happened by.

What amazed me most of all was that the store was packed. Tuesday afternoon, heavy storms predicted. All I could figure was that must be the pre-Easter crowd, or it's just that good.

New suit arrived yesterday. Fits perfectly, and its just white enough to attract every mote of dirt, dog paw or wayward drip within 25 feet. Next week, I'm ordering the elusive gray/white seersucker suit.

Toad