Fashion Update

First off I want to say sorry for being MIA last week. Work has been crazy with the big opening but I am back and ready to write! Secondly I want to say thanks to those of you who have been telling people about the blog project. I am excited to get a few of those guest bloggers in here for opinions and thoughts other than my own. Should be exciting!

On to tonight’s topic of fashion. Last week I noticed an interesting fashion trend that seemed to not discriminate against who wore it. I asked those around me to confirm that they were seeing the same thing I was. Sure enough they were and apparently I missed the memo that it has been in style for a while. What is this fashion trend you ask about? It is seersucker; you know that blue and white striped suit I am talking about. If you don’t, here is a picture for you.  The more I looked the more I noticed men and women both wearing it. Some were in full suits, others in shorts and some had fitted jackets and some of it actually looked good. I said some, not all! Then yesterday this trend was completely confirmed for me. I opened my current issue of Southern Living and the very first article is entitled “Best of the South”. Anyone want to take a guess what the short article was on? That’s right – seersucker! Now that I have learned about this fashion trend I am even more interested to find out where it came from.

The story of seersucker turns out to be quite interesting. Apparently back before air conditioning was available in Washington the senators from the south felt it was important to still look proper. In 1907 a New Orleans clothier designed an all cotton blue and white striped fabric into suits for these men. It was called seersucker from the Persian words milk and honey. The method in which it is thread together gives it the wrinkled looked, allows it to stay away from the body and doesn’t require ironing. Trent Lott decided to bring seersucker back to the Senate in the 90s and started a trend that is still followed today by both the men and women of the senate, seersucker Thursday observed in June. In addition to the Senate, it was also common for nurses to wear during World War II and also by the first female United States Marines as their summer service uniforms.

Personally I still don’t love seersucker as a fashion trend but I have much more of an appreciation for the southern heritage the fashion comes from.That is something I can support!

Sources:

http://www.senate.gov/
http://www.wikipedia.org/