Lending iconic style to a gal’s warm-weather wardrobe, madras is a perennial must-have — and not just for Preppy Handbook devotees. Whether you’re rocking it as a subtle accent on a fedora or head-to-toe in a sultry summer sundress, the fabric is cool and sexy for summer’s hottest moments.
And just so you’re, ahem, prepped when your friends compliment your madras moment this season, here’s our quick-reference guide.
Origin: The fabric gets its name from its birthplace, Madras, India (which is now Chennai). Hot and humid year-round with a high population density, is it any surprise that the city gave birth to a fabric revered for its breathability and moisture-wicking properties?
Anatomy: Traditionally hand-loomed and vegetable dyed, this cotton fabric is woven in a variety of patterns — most often plaid, stripes or checks. In a true madras, front and back are indistinguishable.
Bleeding Madras: The traditional organic vegetable dyes used to create madras would bleed and fade with washing, giving the fabric a soft, broken-in look that was in sharp contrast to traditional tartans and ginghams. Today most madras is colorfast, but garments are often deliberately washed and distressed in the production stage to achieve the authentic bleeding madras look and feel.
Patchwork Madras: Sewing patches of madras fabric together produces—you guessed it—patchwork madras. Instead of being wasted, leftover scraps were sewn together to create this hand-worked take on a classic.
Style: Madras became a preppy staple for both men and women in the 1960s (search the LIFE Magazine archives to see coeds in pressed pedal pushers or crisp madras buttondowns.) Nowadays, the fabric is among the most versatile for the summer season—at home in preppy looks, sure, but also in sexy dresses, fashion-forward blouses and other flirty summer looks.