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May We Madras?

There are no rules anymore, at least on paper. Yet do we still raise an eyebrow when someone wears white before Memorial Day and/or after Labor Day? I do, but I’m also still offended when men keep their baseball caps on inside restaurants that offer multi-course meals. As protagonist Mattie Ross said at the end of the Coen brothers True Grit (2010), “Keep your seat, trash!” Yet we’re not here to discuss outmoded etiquette, today’s topic is one of menswear's more divisive textiles, madras. wearing the same madras for each piece of clothing.


Madras draws as many opinions and remarks as it does eyeballs. Still produced today by companies such as Original Madras Trading Company, the color combinations, tones, and ability to mix madras in the same garment are endless. Even more prized are surviving vintage examples, namely because the fabric was often used for “play” clothing and hasn’t survived as plentifully as other materials. I’ve seen half-wrecked seersucker examples more sturdy than some mid century madras.


There’s no real consensus on exactly when in the season to start wearing madras. Like seersucker, the date comes earlier in warmer climes. Some madras garments are lined, mostly the patchwork variety to protect its seams, which can also restrict wear when the temperature starts rising. Climate change will invariably change all outfit conditions, however it’s usually in June that we can start seeing these colorful plaid flowers bloom without reproach.


Even more so than most patterned fabrics, madras is a woven material that can be worn minimally or maximally to great effect. Madras sport coats can capture the Mad Men of it all and we’ve all admired a pair of “go to hell” pants once or twice. Shorts are somehow less brash, keeping in seasonal form. Madras short-sleeved shirts are some of the few that look comfortable without looking crappy, including Aloha and guayabera shirts. Isn’t it funny how clothes look best when they’re produced in their culture of origin? Don’t worry, you can always throw on a cotton sweater if it suddenly feels too “flashy.” Ties, hats, and belts are also a lovely pop for the hesitant.


The true rarity is a madras suit. My cursory Internet search only produces a few at first glance, and it’s easy to understand why. The right shades, cut, accessories and a certain something are necessary to ensure that the suit won’t look costumey, or possibly even clownish. The term “preppy cosplay” comes to mind. I own a few madras dresses, but the overall effect is not the same because the dresses remain casual, not tailored or overwrought. I’m careful to let the dress be the anchor, complemented by accessories and yes, makeup.


Others take it in a different direction, wearing the same madras for each piece of clothing This is truly an advanced move that takes not only deftness but confidence that’s usually beyond a beginner’s skill set. For when one finds and puts on the right madras, it really does stoke an inner sunlight, and suddenly produces a craving for gin and tonics whether the wearer enjoys them or not. Or maybe that’s just my genetic memory of colonialism. Either way, when the temperature rises, bring those colors out– they’re supposed to fade.


From the author’s personal collection.

 

Z.G. Burnett

Z.G. Burnett is a New England-based writer who specializes in history, fashion, and material culture. She is a contributing editor for Antiques and the Arts Weekly, and her work has appeared in Ivy Style and The Vintage Woman Magazine. Burnett is currently editing her first book,The Preppy Witch Primer. Find more at www.zgburnett.com.


Image credit: Annie Minicuci Photography.



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