Seersucker in Charleston SC

When I think of seersucker, I think southern, of men wearing pastel bow ties and colonial towns like Charleston, South Carolina. Adapted from the Hindi words shir o shakar, meaning "milk and sugar," seersucker was originally worn by British colonists in warm climates. The 100% cotton fabric gained popularity with gentlemen in the American south during the colonial period because of its comfort in hot and humid weather, resistance to wrinkles and ease of washing.

The architecture on this recently repainted block in Charleston reminded me of the seersucker fabric worn by so many of its inhabitants.

Here are two different seersucker patterns, made by Rogues Gallery, compared to buildings in Charleston.

Red and white;

I am pretty positive that the owners of these buildings referenced seersucker fabrics when they were picking colors.

Blue and white;

Not only do the colors remind me of seersucker, but the rough stucco resembles the texture of the cotton fabric.

Designers often reference architecture, like RRL referencing Ralph's ranch in Colorado for example, but rarely does architecture reference fashion. I don't know if it was intended or if seersucker references southern architecture but I certainly see the connection between the seersucker-clad southern gentlemen and their townhouses in Charleston.