Seersucker Day at the Capitol gets date, new co-chair

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) is getting ready to try on a new role as part of a Capitol Hill fashion tradition — he’s one of the co-chairs of National Seersucker Day.

The Georgia Democrat will join Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) as co-chair of the June 13 event, Cassidy’s office announced Thursday. 

Warnock is stepping into the stripe-filled position that for 10 years was helmed by former Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who died last year at 90.

Cassidy said in a statement that while Feinstein “will be missed this year,” he looked forward to “carrying on this good-spirited tradition” with his new co-chair. 

“More than just a fashion statement, National Seersucker Day is a wonderful, bipartisan tradition with Southern roots that helps unite Americans through our shared love of chic and comfortable summer clothing,” Warnock said.

The day inspired by the warm weather look was started by then-Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) in 1996. Lawmakers took a break from seersuckers in 2012 and 2013, before Cassidy and Feinstein brought the garments, and the congressional tradition, back out of the closet in 2014.