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

What is he wearing?

Ever catch your reflection in a shop window or mirror and ask yourself WTW am I wearing?

It never used to happen. I am a creature of routine, my daily work around the manse wardrobe has become a cliche including Bill's Khakis, a well worn Oxford shirt, and topsiders. Throw on a navy blazer and it's a California Tux. Nothing too outre for working around the yard.

In February I wrote about a pair of Gurkha shorts I purchased which were large enough for 2. Trews for 2 is not a style I hope to live to see catch on.

Yesterday, on my way to the barn, the day windy, I caught an eyeful of my usual getup reflected in a window. I must have been wearing sail pants, as the extra width of the pant legs wrapped around to the front. Trew legs for 2 on me, ah the shame of it.



I'm a believer in the quaint notion that a gentleman's clothes should fit. No dunlop, no pants hanging around your thighs, no unsightly exposed belly shirts. My list of sartorial excess is well known.



So now that I've had to endure the same sights innocent women and children have had to deal with I have decided to refreshen my wardrobe. I've tossed the pleats, gone directly to BB's for the Thom Browne work in the yard, help with the sandbagging, stand up straight big boy suit collection. Think the argyle sweater would go with my new short and jacket set?



toad