Closet Constructor: Mastering Madras, Summer’s Unsung Hero

Welcome to Closet Constructor, a weekly series where I (a style editor) help you (a well-meaning person who likes clothes) discover new, interesting and affordable ways to really start dressin’.

While often reverently cited as the gold standard for summer garments, it’s something of an open secret among those who spend the majority of the time touching, styling or otherwise thinking about clothing that linen is not always all it’s cracked up to be — me included.

I’m in no way suggesting the crinkly weave is at all bad. Quite the opposite. I routinely wear linen during the summer, as the fabric is legitimately lightweight, making it a sensible choice for warm weather; translates well in suiting; and evokes some visible character, a certain worn-in charm. I’m simply suggesting, that, like all materials, linen has limitations. Virtually nonexistent wicking properties, for instance, make most of linen’s benefits moot once I’ve sweat through it.

A large part of the aforementioned torch-carrying results from the lack of viable alternatives. Lightweight fabrics are few and far between, and the ones that are readily available often prove less appealing than linen. Polyester is fraught with problems, seersucker now comes prepackaged with geriatric connotations and tropical wool remains exorbitantly expensive.

There are, however, some other options you should know about. Madras — named after the southern Indian city, now Chennai, where the fabric originated — is a warm-weather solution I’m particularly fond of. Historically woven by hand from short-staple cotton, the resulting yarns are thinner and slubbier than other blends, ensuring a lightweight finish similar to linen while retaining cotton’s superior wicking properties. (Madras is carded rather than combed like traditional cotton.)

Admittedly, madras does cater to my personal style interests. The fabric has long been associated with a Take Ivy prep aesthetic, floating in and out of the menswear zeitgeist after being widely adopted by collegians in the ’60s, and the mandatory hand-dyed check or tartan patterns tends to induce thoughts of trust funds and dashing Kennedy boys.

Madras isn’t all stuffy prep and Yale clubs, though. Menswear brands and designers have reinvented what the fabric can look like, introducing modern fits and styling while respecting time-honored traditions of craftsmanship. The sartorialists over at Drake’s are singlehandedly making madras cool again with their unmatched styling and editorial. Up-and-coming London designer Nicholas Daley has injected the fabric into workwear pants and fashioned kilts from it. Even J.Press, a longtime supplier of traditional madras garms, recently released a very wavy anorak.

For those interested in branching out from linen, a heritage brand that makes high-quality madras shirting — and there are a few, from the aforementioned J.Press to Original Madras Trading Company — is the best place to start. Treat it like you would any other summer top: size up, lean into casual and don’t be afraid to leave a few buttons undone. There’s nothing wrong with leaning into the prep look, either. Huge chinos, sharp loafers, a rugby belt. Take a peek at Drake’s Instagram feed if you need more inspiration.

Does anyone else suddenly want to rinse Vampire Weekend’s self-titled album? Just me? Weird. Enjoy the weekend.

Shop the Look

Drake’s Madras D Baseball Cap

Guanábana Buckle Belt

Original Madras Trading Company Lax Short Sleeve Shirt

J.Crew x Beams Plus Relaxed-Fit Pleated Chino Pant

Yuketen Ischia Moc Loafer

Thoughts? Comments? Queries on how to pick out the perfect pair of socks? Email me your questions and concerns at psandoval@insidehook.com.