WELCOME to Nest by Tamara blog

WELCOME to Nest by Tamara blog
Hi- It's Tamara. I'm happy you've stopped by, and since 2010 I've been sharing my passion for interior design, history, art, entertaining, travel & fashion. I am an interior designer, textile designer and writer living and working in New York City and East Hampton, Long Island. My musings have taken me to international design, art, antique and epicurean events and I have lots to share. I'm grateful to have been listed as the #1 top design blog, blogs to watch, top design blogs and named and awarded Rising Star of Design by the IFDA NY industry organization. Please feel free to reach out to our team for an interior design consultation at NestbyTamara.com -Tamara

WHY IN DESIGN: As Summer Heats Up- A Little Bit About Seersucker

WHY IN DESIGN COLUMN:
fascination with Seersucker
As a textile designer, I'm literally obsessed with fabric.  I spent the better part of my 20 and 30s after graduating from interior design school at Parsons working as a fabric shopper.   It was certainly the best way to learn the design business here in New York City, and I quickly learned every fabric house in the D&D building.  With one glance I could tell you where the fabric was from-- some of my favorites were Cowtan & Tout; Scalamandre; Brunschwig & Fils; Hinson; Hines & Co., Schumacher but the list goes on and on.  I like chintz, printed cottons, woven fabric but one of my favorites (not used often in homes) is Seersucker which is either worn or used in the summer months for it's lightweight cool cotton and puckered design.  To me, creating a light pair of drapes in seersucker is on my list of "to do list" in design. I picture them light and drapey maybe with a tape trim cascading down the inside edge in a pale blue and white stripe.  I learned that during the Victorian Seersucker was used often in bed ticking, bedding and night clothing.  

There is nothing more stylish then a man decked out in a tailored blue and white Seersucker suit.  I read up recently on the fabric to find out where it originated.  The name of this striped and puckered beauty is Hindi meaning "milk and sugar" because of the three dimensional stripes.  When it was traded in the 1600s in India- the "milk and sugar" name came from its original tan and white striped coloring.  Later the Brits coined the phrase "seersucker" and made it popular during the Colonial era when they traveled often to the balmy Caribbean for trading goods.
Because it was plentiful and affordable here in the States it was originally used by the working class for worker's clothing, and for young boy's railroad striped overalls.  However in the 1920s through the 1950s, the college preppy Ivy League college set made it popular and wore suits with red bow ties and populated the blue colorway.  So much so, that Menswear company Brooks Brothers and the like started producing them, and soon fashion designers followed. Perfect for the more relaxed lifestyle here in the States as it doesn't require ironing and it's wash and wear- one can literally throw it in the washing machine.  
HOW IT's FABRICATED- It's created by a slack-tension weave where the threads are wound to create these narrow stripes that are in the warp direction and ongrain.  When woven the threads group together giving off a wrinkled slightly raised appearance in parts. All of this explains why this light cotton textile is perfect to use in the hot summer months as the raised design keeps the fabric off of the skin and creates a cooling effect. Linen is also a popular fabric in summer but we all know it wrinkles quite easily. Seersucker is popular for it's wearability and lack of wrinkling. 
Happy Nesting
XO Tamara