Style,The bespoke column

The Bespokesman – by Mansel Fletcher

I am an optimist and, in the expectation that there will be continued good weather this summer, I’m about to order a seersucker suit. That the word is adapted from a Hindi phrase tells its own story about the fabric’s suitability for very hot weather. That’s presumably why gentlemen from America’s southern states so enthusiastically adopted it last century, and why it’s never been very popular in the UK.

The reasons it’s so good for hot weather are, firstly, that it’s 100% cotton (polyester mixes do exist, but are to be avoided) and, secondly, because it has a bumpy, slightly wrinkled texture it’s held away from the skin allowing some air to circulate.

However, not only do we generally lack the climate for the cloth it also suffers because ready to wear seersucker suits are usually rather shapeless, and it’s hard to make an economic argument for ordering a bespoke seersucker suit. That’s because unless you have a very reasonable tailor, the work will involve spending a lot to have some modest fabric turned into a suit that you’ll only be able to wear infrequently and in casual situations.

Make no mistake; this is an eccentric item and one wholly unsuited to business environments. Happily I know a very cheap tailor (Hong Kong’s Raja Fashions – which frequently visits the UK), and I’m not scared of eccentricity. In an era when wearing a tie in the evening has become a style statement I see no reason not to go out on a sartorial limb now and again, particularly in search of elegant comfort in hot weather.

Having found an appropriate tailor I need to decide what form the suit should take. Relatively loose fitting pleated trousers make sense in the heat, and turn-ups will help weigh them down and give the light cloth a little drape. As for the jacket I’m thinking two-button single-breasted with patch hip pockets, in recognition of the informality, but with a normal besom breast pocket.

The buttons will be in white plastic (when the suit’s only £250 fitting mother of pearl seems a bit excessive) and the fit will be quite loose, but hopefully not shapeless. The only colours I can imagine working for me are blue and white, or tan and white. Raja Fashions works quickly, so hopefully the results of their labours will be available for inspection on this site soon.

Picture captions: James Stewart; fabrics by Holland & Sherry