Saturday, May 29, 2010

WHAT GOES WITH SEERSUCKER?

Q.
"Does this green and white seersucker [jacket] go with these baggy white pants? And is it okay to wear a shirt and tie with seersucker?"
- John, NYC

A.
Yes. Seersucker jackets always look good with white slacks, as well as tan/khaki, and even well-fitting jeans -- and the pants you are wearing in the picture are just fine and will look more spruced up once you're wearing your shoes and have the whole outfit pulled together.

SHOE CHOICE?
I know this wasn't part of John's question, but I think it is worth mentioning.

The most classic choice of shoe for this summery men's outfit would be a white (or even light tan) buck or brogue. But it can also look dashing with a light brown brogue/wingtip or a summery two-tone spectator (in this case, I would go brown and white over black and white...but, unfortunately, it's not like most of us have access to a trust fund, so whichever you have will usually do the trick).

The white brogues above are the revered Burwood made by Church's of England. Not cheap, but worth every penny (I have a pair in blue and white. Yep, they're making them for ladies now, too!)

A shoe like the above spectator would also look smashing paired with a seersucker suit 
or jacket and slacks. 

And, of course, a traditional white buck a la Paul Stuart (like the one above) is always a classic 
and a must-have in any snappy man's summer wardrobe. If you're looking for a more affordable alternative, J. Crew also carries light beige (or "canvas" colored bucks for under $150)

SEERSUCKER AND TIES?
Seersucker jackets look absolutely charming paired with a shirt and tie. The most classic combination is a white button down shirt with a striped tie or bowtie (big bold stripes that are markedly wider than the seersucker stripes). Great color combinations would be red and navy, navy and yellow, navy and gold, orange and navy, green and navy. Brooks Brothers carries a range of collegiate stripe ties and bowties that make a perfect pairing for seersucker. Here are some examples:



                                                         See how nice it looks in action?

OR SANS TIE: 
On the flipside, a seersucker jacket can also be worn in a dashing manner without any tie at all. A simple button down shirt worn with the collar unbuttoned and no tie looks simply handsome and allows the wearer a little more freedom to experiment with the shirt color -- in addition to crisp, classic white, one could go with light blue, yellow, or even pink.

And this 'no tie' version of a seersucker jacket outfit could be worn with khakis, light colored linen trousers, well-tailored jeans, or even bermuda shorts and stylish deck shoes or saddle shoes.

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