Seersucker Thursday is an annual tradition in the United States Congress where Senators dress in seersucker clothes on National Seersucker Day. This cotton-based material is traditional in the southern United States.
This tradition was started by Republican Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi in 1996 who wanted to "bring a bit of Southern charm to the Capitol" to remind the Senate of how the Senators dressed before the advent of the AC in the 1950s. The exercise was suspended in 2012 amid congressional congestion, but resumed in 2014.
Although this tradition is an annual event, it is also common to see congressional staff wearing seersucker clothes on Thursdays throughout the year.
Video Seersucker Thursday
Setting history seersucker
The Seersucker weave was introduced to southern America, perhaps through British colonial trade, sometimes in the second half of the 19th century. Cotton fabrics, originating in western India, became a distinctly American look at the beginning of the 20th century because its light weight and damaged surface make it ideal for intense moisture in summer.
Wearing seersucker suit decreases with the advent of air conditioner. In the 1950s, AC reached the Capitol, ending the need for seersucker clothing there.
Gregory Peck is famous for wearing a seersucker suit in the movie To Kill a Mockingbird, creating a cliche about how a small Southern Lawyer town is wearing the clothes demanded by later actors like Andy Griffith. The image of a young man with a butterfly and a hooded in a rower's hat is also a cliché picture of recent northeastern college graduates.
Maps Seersucker Thursday
History of Seersucker Thursday
In 1996, Senator Trent Lott decided to bring back the tradition. The goal is to show that "the Senate is not just a bunch of loud guys who wear dark clothes and - in the case of men - a red or blue tie". In 2004, Senator Dianne Feinstein decided to increase participation by encouraging female senators to follow the tradition. The following year 11 of the 14 female senators appeared on Seersucker Thursday in clothing received as a gift from Feinstein.
On June 27, 2012, Seersucker Thursday was announced to be discontinued.
On May 27, 2015, Sen. Bill Cassidy successfully advocated Seersucker's return Thursday. Cassidy commented, "This unique American mode has a famous history since 1909... Mr. Haspel says the best, 'the heat is hot, no matter what you do for a living.'"
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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