And Why it’s a Tradition in Washington

It’s 75 degrees and sunny in Washington, so I thought today was as good a day as any to post about a bipartisan issue. We’re not talking about healthcare policy, taxes, or anything like that. We’re talking about something that nearly everyone agrees about on its face: that’s the superiority of seersucker in the summer.

How is this a Washington issue, you might ask, if seersucker is very clearly southern?

Well, my friends, if you’ve ever been in our nation’s capital in the summer, you know that it is absolutely no place for wool suits or pencil skirts. Lightly puckered seersucker fabric is breathable and near perfect for Washington’s sweltering summer months (especially when one is hosting one of these ever-popular parties).

It’s such a mainstay that it even earned its own “holiday.”

In the late ’90s, Senator Trent Lott from Mississippi revived an old Senate tradition: “Seersucker Thursday.” He chose a Thursday in the second or third week of June to be designated “Seersucker Thursday” and encouraged members of the chamber to participate. California Senator Dianne Feinstein upped the ante a few years later, recruiting several female members to join in. Sure enough, 11 of the then-14 female senators wore their seersucker best on Seersucker Thursday.

Since then, it’s branched out to staff both on and off “the Hill” and isn’t relegated to only that Thursday. You can see this airy and breathable fabric all over the district throughout the summer.

So, when is it appropriate to wear seersucker? Happily, after Memorial Day, which is coming up! If you’re below the Mason-Dixon, after Easter is perfectly acceptable. That’s generally when horse races like the Kentucky Derby, Iroquois Steeplechase, Foxfield Spring Races, Virginia Gold Cup, Carolina Cup, and others begin. That’s the rule we always followed growing up.

If you haven’t owned any seersucker up until this point, I can’t recommend it more. It’s comfortable and goes well from garden party paired with a hat to work underneath a smart blazer to dinner al fresco with a shawl or topper.

One of my favorite brands for seersucker is Duffield Lane. They were kind enough to send me two pieces to try out and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Their Grand Dress is a classic shift that comes in all kinds of colors. I wore the navy with white trim. It also comes in pink with blue trim, blue with yellow trim, white with blue trim, and navy with pink trim.

I wore this dress all over Amelia Island, Florida a few weeks ago. It’s perfect for picnics, brunches, and all of the outdoor summer activities. I found it true to size. It runs a bit like Sail to Sable sizes do. I wore an XS.

You can find everything I packed for our weekend trip to Florida in the spring in this post.

Duffield Lane also sent me my new favorite white summer top. I layered the Ellis top in white underneath one of these sweater-blazers for touring around Reims, France and it was just perfect. It’s light and airy and the peplum style is oh-so-flattering. This is hands-down a new summer staple for me.

Sweater-blazer / Scarf (outlet score; on Poshmark here) / J.Crew pants / Tretorn’s

I wore a size small in the top as I’m a 34 bust. In addition to the chic white, this fab top also comes in blue and pink – and how fun is this too-cute scallop top?

What are your favorite seersucker staples?

This post contains affiliate links, but all are tried and true Magnolia Stripes favorites. Special thanks to Duffield Lane for gifting these pieces to me! It’s thanks to the support of brands like them that we’re able to give y’all fabulous content 24/7.