In Person: The Hilfiger Trim Fit Seersucker

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…