“Seersucker” is a lightweight woven fabric with alternating bumpy and smooth surfaces. The textural contrast is the source of the name, which comes from the Persian words “shir o shekar,” meaning “milk and sugar.” The Diamond Seersucker stitch, though neither woven nor Persian, mimics the texture of the original fabric. Xerxes I was king of Persia during the Achaemenid dynasty (5th century BCE). He is believed to be the same as the Biblical King Ahasuerus who took Esther as his queen. His namesake vest has a masculine seersucker pattern and a subtle, flattering tapered silhouette. Would Xerxes have worn a vest like this while lounging around Shushan the Castle? Probably not - but it’s fun to imagine that he did.

Photos show size M worked in Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted, colorway “Fresh Moss.” Patterns are provided in both written and charted form. Choose the size closest to actual chest measurement; the vest is designed to be worn with approx. 3-5” / 7-13 cm of positive ease.