Milk & Sugar: The Complete Book of Seersucker

You can’t write enough about seersucker; seriously, you can’t. And to prove it, Memphis author and attorney Bill Haltom penned a new book titled Milk & Sugar: The Complete Book of Seersucker. Included is everything you need to know about this light and southern-wore fabric. Garden & Gun writer Haskell Harris takes a peek at the author and our favorite fabric.

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This past Sunday marked the official start of seersucker season in the South if you play by the rules. And for the stripe enthusiasts out there, Milk & Sugar details everything from the textile history to the role this light fabric plays in the sports world, Hollywood, Washington D.C., and most importantly, all manner of celebrations across the region.

“Southerners love seersucker because it is part of our fashion heritage,” says Memphis, Tennessee, newspaper columnist, writer, and attorney, Haltom. “It is a part of our tradition and history of Easter Sundays, family reunions, backyard cookouts, and dressing up for work or play.”

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“The word “seersucker” is derived from the Persian words “sheer” and “shakkar,” meaning milk and sugar,” says Haltom. The puckered cotton fabric was first introduced to the United States by way of the British Colonial East Indies in the nineteenth century as a hardworking material for factory uniforms. New Orleans tailor Joseph Haspel made fashion history when he created the first suit from the textile in 1909. “The very nature of seersucker made it not only lightweight, but its combination of both a bumpy and smooth texture caused the fabric to lift away from the skin when worn. It was a cool suit, both literally and figuratively,” says Haltom.

All manner of memorable folks makes an appearance in the 200-page volume (in seersucker, of course). Notable figures include Gregory Peck, Dustin Hoffman, the Duke of Windsor, and Jimmy Stewart.

Milk & Sugar also touches on the future of seersucker. Iterations of the fabric in darker colors and patterns other than stripes are now featured. “The designers behind the Haspel brand in New Orleans and designer Sid Mashburn in Atlanta are now providing an exciting new look for seersucker. It’s not just grandfather’s suit anymore,” says Haltom.