Tommy Hilfiger Trim Fit Seersucker Suit Jacket & Matching Pant – $330
These should drop to the low $200s during the next one day sale, and they were just going for under $200 during the Macy’s Men’s Private Sale last week. Ships free and returns free in store.
Even though they’re on opposite ends of the suit style spectrum, owning a seersucker suit is a little like owning a tux. It’s a luxury that most can’t justify purchasing, even if an affordable one comes their way. You can get by without for sure, but own one and use it once, and you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it.
Seersucker has been around forever. It’s cotton that’s woven in a way that gives the fabric a bumpy texture. Sort of like a slub, but with more method and order to the madness. The purpose of the bumps is to keep the fabric raised from your skin, allowing airflow, and thus, a suit that you can actually feel somewhat cool in during the dead of summer. You’ll usually see it in a blue & white, green & white, or tan & white striped pattern, with the white stripes carrying the bumpiness load. The flat colored stripes act as the main airflow channels, and suited circulation takes place.
The fastest way to limit a seersucker suit’s cooling ability is to weight it down with a heavy lining. That’s not the case with Hilfiger’s Trim fit seersucker suit separates. They’re lightly lined and the pants are ultra light as well. Let’s say a heavy tweed or flannel suit is like a thick down comforter. A heavier than normal chino suit would be a blanket. This suit is a sheet.
The color is right on. It’s blue, which is traditional, but it’s a less eye gouging, almost faded blue stripe. The base is slightly off white, and that keeps the contrast more subtle. Button stance is fine and the sleeve buttons are non functional. Side vents on the jacket. You’ll want to size down if you’re in between. The opposite is true for BR’s “Tailored” jackets. Those are tight enough that tweeners should size up. This one, size down. Know that the pant waist fits very trim (enough so that a 32 felt like a 31).
There’s some off the rack contour at the jacket’s waist, but the real slim guys will need extra tailoring. True to Hilfiger form, the shoulder pads are a little thick. They’re not awful, but they are more traditional and strong. If they could just reduce those things by say, 25% it’d be perfect. Not a deal breaker when the fabric is this good, the suit feels this cool, and it drops to the low $200s or even $190 during larger sales.
What’s your take on seersucker? Too costumey? Awesome in the summer? Leave it in the comments…
Hey! Off the raconteur.
Also worth noting that Indochino has a $299 custom-fit seersucker offering, not sure if they’re still in stock.
Place me squarely in the want-it-but-can’t-justify-it camp.
and the bonobos seersuckers come out to around 320 if you use a 20% coupon.
Can you lessen shoulder pads? My understanding is suit shoulder surgery is too expensive and risky to really justify.
Fantastic photo.
For a while I felt that if I wore a seersucker suit, I’d end up talking like Foghorn Leghorn. But with suits like this, I’m slowly starting to come around and get the feeling that I can buy a seersucker suit without an overbearing need to order mint juleps.
What tie are you wearing with the suit Joe? Also, would this suit work for a wedding? I need a summer suit for a wedding in July, would I be better off just purchasing a cotton suit that I could use year round?
Is there a rule on footwear with seersucker? I am NOT down with saddle shoes!
I have the Bonobos seersucker, and I struggle with finding an occasion to wear it and with shoe choice. The tan Mike Konos loafers that Joe has on here sometimes are good (they’re versatile summer shoes generally). I also find that the chocolate Amoks from AE that were recently on sale also look good with it. I could probably also go with my AE Strands, but those are a bit hot for summer wear. Anybody else have seersucker shoe choices?
Just rocked a Haspel seersucker for a summer wedding and it was great. I love my seersucker, it kept me cool when my friends were sweating bullets and I always get looks or comments about it because almost no one wears seersucker in DC. With a 100% cotton shirt, you can’t go wrong. And for shoes I wear these light brown Cole Haan wingtips or taupe suede oxfords but I wore the 1901 red driving loafers for a casual look and I loved it.
Love seersucker….
Shoes: most brown shoes (loafers, oxfords) will do fine; but, the two most traditional shoe types to wear are white bucks or spectators..
I’m a transplant to the deep south, so I felt a bit weird getting a seersucker suit — until I realized that they are incredibly comfortable and the fabric deals very well with the heat. Unfortunately, I wasn’t thinking about lining when I got the J Crew Ludlow Seersucker suit. It’s a great suit: comfortable, seems well constructed, and looks incredibly sharp (the grayish-blue is a subdued color), but I do wish they hadn’t lined the jacket. As for shoes, I wear loafers, leather and suede oxfords, and boat shoes with the suit. Depending on your location, you can wear it about anywhere. The first time you wear it to work you’ll get comments, and then after that it’s just a part of your rotation. I wear it all the time now.
My bucks don’t look right with it, but it looks great with some light brown wingtips or, on in an odd moment, a polo shirt and deck shoes – blue Sperry’s in my case.
Great look! I dont think its costumey, its a wonderful suit.
It’s a knit I picked up at Urban Outfitters of all places (made in the USA too) awhile back: http://dappered.com/2011/09/fall-style-essentials-%E2%80%93-2011/ I don’t think they ever made it online.
For the cotton suit… y’know, it all depends on where you’re at. Some places, a wedding in July, is just friggin’ brutal if it’s outside. Torturous. But a cotton or linen/wool suit is much more versatile
curious to know if the pockets flare out like other Tommy pants do
Like it.. The color is so classic.. 🙂 Unique design! I’m just imagining if all men are wearing that suit,, Oh,, PERFECT! Detailed contoured… Amazing…. I’ts a two button suit right? I can hardly see… All in all… I really love it!!!!