There is nothing more iconic about a Southern lawyer than the seersucker suit. It’s the look made famous by such great fictional lawyers as Atticus Finch and Ben Matlock as well as countless generations of real lawyers through the South. Its known for its light weight breathable fabric as well as stylish charm. For years I have considered my seersucker to be the unofficial “summer tuxedo”. I always receive compliments whenever I wear the seersucker. It is a quintessential part of Southern gentleman’s wardrobe. To that end, I own two.
When I first became a lawyer I was afraid to wear the seersucker for several reasons. First, I was not raised in the South. I was born someplace north of here and moved here as an adult. Second, I was too young and had jet black hair. I was afraid that I would look like some sort of carpetbagger or fraud. Eventually my hair turned gray, my accent nasal softened and I was accepted as something of a local. On those long hot days in Georgia, it’s almost unthinkable to have to wear any other suit all day than a seersucker. However today is the last business day of the season to wear this suit.
There is a certain dress code in the South that polite company just does not violate. One rule is that you do not wear seersucker after Labor Day, the unofficial end of the summer. While there is no doubt there are still several hot days to come in the month of September, those who adhere to traditions and the code will not be dressed in seersucker.
Being the last day before a holiday weekend, today is a quiet day in the legal community. Most of the Bar has fled their offices and started the long weekend. The Cherokee County Justice Center is a virtual “ghost town” with the Ricoh distributor picking up all of the copy machines coming off lease. The only thing I had scheduled for today was to mediate a personal injury case. Normally that would warrant dressing in khakis with a sport coat, tie optional. However, I decided to go all out this morning.
I got up and put on the blue striped seersucker suit with a pink shirt, pink and blue bow tie and bright pink socks. Add a pair of white buckskin shoes along with Apple Watch with a blue ribbon watch strap and the look is complete. I mediated my case and then strutted about Canton in my suit to take care of business before the weekend. It’s time to say a fond farewell to the summer. We will close the office a few hours early and leave out to enjoy the end of the season. As for the suit, it will go to the dry cleaners this weekend and then put to the back of the closet until next summer.
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