The zoot suit was a fashion staple for young men during the 1940s. It represented a new breakout style, featuring wide shoulders and tapered legs on the pants. Zoot suits came in a variety of bright colors, and often young men and women would get suits in matching patterns. The zoot suit eventually came to represent a rebellious movement amongst minority youth during World War II.

Beginnings

In the early 1940s in the United States, young African-American men wore zoot suits to special events, such as dances or parties. The style of the suits was largely connected to jazz culture, according to PBS.

Fashion Defiance

As World War II raged on, the United States began to ration many items, including fabric. Men's suits became simpler in style in order to conserve the fabric used to make them. Zoot suits were in direct opposition to this idea, as they required more fabric for their long jackets and flashy pants. Zoot suit wearers had to find their favorite suits in an underground black market fashion, as regular tailors refused to make them.

Zoot Suit Riots

In 1943 zoot suit riots erupted all over the United States. These riots were led by predominantly African-American and Mexican-American youths, who wanted to be able to wear the zoot suits regardless of the nation's rationing policies. This pitted the zoot suiters against their patriotic white counterparts, who had adopted a simpler style of dress for the war effort.

Zoot Suit in Film

In 1981, Luis Valdez wrote and directed the film, Zoot Suit. It chronicled the history of the Zoot Suit and the riots of the 1940s.

Zoot Suit in Song

In 2001, ska band Cherry Poppin' Daddies released the album and title track called "Zoot Suit Riot." This song used a swing style to evoke the jazz roots of the Zoot Suit movements.

Source:

Smithsonian: The Zoot-Suit and Style Warfare

Zoot Suit Movie

PBS's American Experience: Zoot Suit Culture

Resource:

Zoot Suit Riot Album