When I think of seersucker, I think southern, of men wearing pastel bow ties and colonial towns like Charleston, South Carolina. Adapted from the Hindi words shir o shakar, meaning "milk and sugar," seersucker was originally worn by British colonists in warm climates. The 100% cotton fabric gained popularity with gentlemen in the American south during the colonial period because of its comfort in hot and humid weather, resistance to wrinkles and ease of washing.
The architecture on this recently repainted block in Charleston reminded me of the seersucker fabric worn by so many of its inhabitants.
Here are two different seersucker patterns, made by Rogues Gallery, compared to buildings in Charleston.
Red and white;
I am pretty positive that the owners of these buildings referenced seersucker fabrics when they were picking colors.
Blue and white;
Not only do the colors remind me of seersucker, but the rough stucco resembles the texture of the cotton fabric.
Designers often reference architecture, like RRL referencing Ralph's ranch in Colorado for example, but rarely does architecture reference fashion. I don't know if it was intended or if seersucker references southern architecture but I certainly see the connection between the seersucker-clad southern gentlemen and their townhouses in Charleston.
Edge wearing an LL Bean Norwegian sweater, Rogues Gallery seersucker shorts, and Common Project Desert boots.
The people at the Food City 500 were happy. They were not concerned with impressing others or what they were doing on Monday. Here are some people I saw.
Note the cozy protected Busch Latte and the cooler packed to the rim.
This guy was one of the nicest cops I have ever met.
I would not mess with this guy's daughter nor ask him for his second cigar, in his breast pocket.
America Fuck Yeah!
NASCAR cars use bright colors to differentiate themselves from the other racers. These neons, reds, yellows and blues translate into the t-shirts worn by avid fans.
Who's looking at who?
I love his Wallabee style boots and denim overalls.
The amphitheater-like seating of the Bristol Motor Speedway opened its doors to NASCAR fans on July 21, 1961 . Although relatively small and slow (speeds hit about 120 mph on its .533 miles), the track quickly gained popularity due to its 27 degree banking, narrow turns and reputation for crashes. On Sunday the 22nd of March, I joined 159,999 other screaming, drunk and sunburnt fans to experience the sound and the furry of a southern NASCAR race: the Food City 500. The view from my seat.
Despite the excitement of watching this for three and half hours, I fell asleep only to be roused from my impromptu cat nap by a bulging stomach/crotch of a corn fed, 215-pound mother of three. Everyone was wearing earplugs.
The belly of the Bristol beast.
The wreckage after the storm. I would not be surprised if there were at least one million empties in the stadium. 1000000รท160000=6.25 beers per person. This may sound a bit preposterous to a "yuppie" yankee like myself who is used to buying $7 dollar Bud Lights at a Blazers game and who thinks drinking 6.25 beers during the course of three and half hour game seems like a lot.
However to a NASCAR fan, like this fine gentleman above, this is a way of life. Each sizable fan has the option to bring one cooler, 14" by 14", filled with beverages of their choice, into the stadium. Needless to say, I think this guy could dispatch 6.25 beers with ease. The boys post race between turns three and four.
The next morning I learned that a young man named Kyle Busch, named after the illustrious brew consumed by many an avid NASCAR fan, had won after leading the majority of the race. It was news to me. I was too busy napping, hydrating, making frequent stops to the bathroom and taking photos to follow what was happening in the race itself.
I left my job in New York in the summer of 2011 and moved into a camper. Since then, I have driven 100,000 miles around the west, surfing and camping. During the summer of 2014, I set up a home base in the Columbia River Gorge. These are some of my stories and photos.
