Frat Essentials: Seersucker
13 years ago

Being a Gentleman of the South, there are two things that instantly come to mind when the month of August is mentioned. First, there are the sweet southern belles who have nothing to do but radiate under the Dixieland sun, sporting the smallest piece of fabric excuse for a bikini laden in men riding polo horses. Then, of course, there is the very thing that makes those back-home honeys dress down to their unmentionables: The August Heat.

Let’s face it; it’s hot as balls in August. Whether your having a Bayou Broil in Baton Rouge, Slamming Soco in South Carolina, or fertilizing the lawn of the Frat Castle in hopes of it growing just a few more inches before the “Associate Member” lawn care crew arrives in the fall, the heat and humidity of the summer months can take a real toll on a man if he is not wearing the proper attire. Fortunately for us, there is seersucker.

 

Now, if you simply know seersucker as that crinkly blue and white striped fabric all of those short-shorts are made of, you’ve stumbled across the wrong column, GDI. As anyone south of the Mason Dixon would tell you, seersucker is the one material that is light enough to beat the southern heat, yet durable enough to handle the humidity induced perspiration of even the largest token fat fraternity brother. And oh yeah, if you dress head to toe in the shit, you’ll look AND stay as cool as my favorite cheap bourbon’s mascot.

Seersucker should be a staple of any proper man’s closet during the summer months. Not only does it keep you cool during those off-the-cuff afternoon drinking endeavors, but it also has a classic aura about it. Seersucker is not an essential merely because of its function, its much more than that. It’s the very material my father’s shorts were made of when he was raging in the 80’s. It’s the fabric my grandfather’s blazer was woven from for his outdoor wedding in June. Hell, my great-grandfather wore the shit. It’s a fucking tradition.

 

So Gentleman, next time you feel that August sun beating down on you harder than a wooden paddle to a pledge’s ass, adorn your seersucker shorts, sip that whiskey ginger, chase some southern tail, and keep the spirit of tradition alive and raging. Your father would be proud of you.

  2. fratyliteonthefratio

    Not to detract from a great article, but it’s not an exclusively southern tradition. We wear it later in New England but we love it all the same–great sailing and great homage.

    13 years ago at 8:02 am
    2. rainbowsociety

      ^are you completely blind? let me guess, you think topsiders are a southern thing too.

      13 years ago at 4:29 pm
    5. ShooterMcGavin

      ^ My thoughts exactly. Stop standing up for the North and go sit down to pee.

      13 years ago at 8:03 am
    2. Dave_Fratthews

      1) Holy fuck, your name is broGkush.

      2) We aren’t the only fraternity to use the term “associate member” so you can’t just assume he’s one of us.

      13 years ago at 11:06 am
    3. broGkush682

      1) Damn right it is
      2) Oops
      When I read the comment, the voices in my head were brothers nicknamed Porkchop and DSL and it made me laugh harder than I should have just by reading comments on a comment.

      13 years ago at 9:54 pm
  7. canadafratstoo

    Seersucker gets worn up here in Canada too. But its hard to come by because real Fratters are hard to come by.

    13 years ago at 3:39 pm
    3. Broby Petrino

      Jesus, I have the misfortune of meeting some greeks from Canada this summer… Their chapters are tied to cities instead of schools. Worst thing ever.

      13 years ago at 12:13 pm
    5. Kappa G in Lilly P

      It varies by campus, but the good (and typically fratty) greek systems in Canada ARE tied to their schools whereas the low-tier systems are tied to their cities. It’s entirely dependent on the prestige of the school and the class of the students who represent it.

      13 years ago at 12:13 am