Madras... too much?

[David Conwill]

I've been lusting for a summer suit lately. I like seersucker, but I'm in the midwest after all and will probably just buy tan cotton sooner or later. But this caught my eye today on the Brooks Brothers website:

I kinda like it, but I've no idea where one would wear it. On the other hand, it looks far less "ice cream man" than the traditional blue-stripe seersucker I keep encountering.

-Dave

 

[DerMann]

I think it looks marvellous as well, definitely a nice break from the standard blue striped seer sucker. Funny thing is that most people say that I look like I'm wearing pyjama pants when I do choose to wear seersucker trousers (don't actually have a jacket yet, but Landsend had a sale on seersucker trousers - $14 a pair with free tailoring).

I would just wear it on a hot summer's day. Fabrics like that always remind me of straw boaters and Victorian promenades.

Very nice find, though.

 

[dhermann1]

Madras!

Bleeding Madras! Summer 1962! English leather! Low white canvas sneakers without socks! Girls with bouffant hairdos! Gene Pitney! Neil Sedaka!
Whew. You just catapulted me into a time warp there.
When Madras first burst on the scene, the dyes weren't colorfast, so each time you washed it, the colors ran into each other. The more they "bled" the cooler it looked. Great stuff, Madras. MIGHTY preppy. Mighty mighty preppy. But just great for looking casually suave in the summer. You can wear a Madras blazer, or try a blue blazer with Madras slacks. Or Bermudas or just a plain short sleeved shirt. Sadly, they fixed the bleeding problem years ago, so the colors are fast.
IIRC, Madras was invented in India in the 19th century as a way of imitating the Scottish tartan patterns. As with many innovations, it became a thing in itself. I recall seeing an article showing the cloth being woven and washed and dried in the open sun in India.
Oooohh! How about a thread "Show us your Madras!" I have one thread bare slightly ripped shirt that I might immortalize electronically.

 

[Tomasso]

I've no idea where one would wear it.

Country club, yacht club, garden party,..............

 

[Bugsy]

I had a madras jacket, a bit more muted than the one the picture, and I wore it all the time. It was very comfortable and very vesatile. They can be dressed up or down.

 

[thunderw21]

I like it. A bit loud? Heck yes, and it's great. You could do a lot with that jacket. It would make a great summer look. I can see a boater going well with it.

 

[Jerekson]

It's funny how distinct a line can be drawn in the mind between two closely-related things.

Personally, I've sworn to never so much as touch a striped seersucker suit, but I would totally wear the jacket pictured above.

[huh] lol

 

[Tomasso]

I've sworn to never so much as touch a striped seersucker suit

And I've sworn to have at least two SS suits in my wardrobe at all times. [huh]

 

[carebear]

I just need to get some appropriate pants (other than jeans) to go with my seersucker jacket. Nothing seems to look "right".

I noticed land's end had SS trousers.

Oh, I'd wear the hell out of that jacket. C'mon stimulus check.

 

[Creeping Past]

I kinda like it, but I've no idea where one would wear it.

Just wear it like you mean it and it'll work, whether in the midwest, Alsaska or central London!

 

[CharlesB]

I just need to get some appropriate pants (other than jeans) to go with my seersucker jacket. Nothing seems to look "right".

I noticed land's end had SS trousers.

Oh, I'd wear the hell out of that jacket. C'mon stimulus check.

try either a pair of khakis or a pair of while linen trousers with the seersucker jacket

 

[carebear]

Tan Khakis look odd with the white and blue. Maybe it's just me.

...it's probably just me.


I need the white linen in any event. I was also thinking a light grey?

Light blue seems too '70s somehow.

But I'm willing to accept being wrong about that as well.

 

[DerMann]

I think if the khaki is too dark, then it'll ruin it. However a very light shade of khaki would do fine, in my opinion.

Light khaki/white looks very good with seer sucker.

I think I agree with you, light blue with striped blue would just seem tacky. As for grey, it would have to be very light grey.

 

[Josephine]

Just wear it like you mean it and it'll work, whether in the midwest, Alsaska or central London!

As The Doctor says: "Just walk around like you own the place; it works for me."

 

[David Conwill]

I actually realized after I posted this that I do (or did) in fact own a Madras plaid sport coat. Unfortunately, I'm not sure where it is. My wife may have forced me to give it away shortly after we first got married.

And she calls me conservative.

-Dave

 

[KittyT]

I don't like it - it's very clown-ish.

For a nice summer suit, I'd choose linen. I mean, if I were a guy and wore suits, that is.

 

[rmrdaddy]

I would definitely rock that madras!
I see that worn at one of the parties that Gatsby threw out on West Egg...

We go to the Maker's Mark Mile every year at Keeneland, and some folks do go all out. I think I'm going to add to that crowd next year...I like that seersucker jacket/white linens look too...

 

[KObalto]

Pin cord

try either a pair of khakis or a pair of while linen trousers with the seersucker jacket

Isn't this, as well as the suits in Tomasso's collection actually pin cord, not seersucker? Pin cord doesn't pucker the way seersucker does and makes for a cleaner look. I've got one that's part of my regular summer suit rotation.

 

[Cracker]

I was in Brooks Brothers this weekend, and they had what looked like a madras suit. I don't know for sure if it was madras, but it was a summer weight plaid 2-button suit in a pattern similar to the jacket in this pic. It was fantastic. Unfortunately, I can't find it on the BB website.