We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culinary

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Zoot Suit?

Niki Acker
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 17,093
Share

A zoot suit is a flamboyant style of clothing that became popular during the 1930s and 40s. At that time, it was associated with certain minority groups in the United States, such as Chicanos and African-Americans. This style of suit was also associated in popular culture with youth gangs and jazz music. Today, most people think of jazz and swing culture when they think of zoot suits.

The zoot suit is an oversized suit, with wide-legged pants gathered at the ankles, or tramas, and a long jacket with huge shoulder pads, called a carlango. The excess amounts of fabric necessary to make it made the style a sign of ostentation. This garment is typically worn for formal occasions and often accessorized with a long watch chain on the pants, pointed shoes, and a large felt hat with a feather.

This style of suit first arose in the African American jazz culture in Harlem, New York, and was soon adopted by minority communities in other American cities, notably Los Angeles. The name may derive from a Mexican-American slang pronunciation of "suit." Female versions of the suit also existed, though they are rarely seen today, some with knee-length skirts instead of tramas.

Wearing zoot suits became openly defiant after the style was formally banned in 1942 by the federal War Production Board, which deemed the suits wasteful of fabric. In 1943, the so-called Zoot Suit Riots erupted in Los Angeles, where the style was very popular among Mexican-American youths. Soldiers and sailors on leave began beating up anyone found in a this type of suit in East Los Angeles, the heart of the Latino community, though African-Americans and Filipino Americans were also among the victims. The military men also destroyed as many of the suits as they could, ripping them off the wearers and burning the clothes in the streets.

Though the zoot suiters suffered the most violence in the riots, they also incurred hundreds of arrests. Only nine sailors were arrested, all but one of which were released with no penalty. The United States military responded by ruling Los Angeles off-limits to military personnel.

In a sense, the Zoot Suit Riots cemented the popularity of the fashion as a symbol of cultural pride and a stand against racism. The first Chicano play on Broadway was Luiz Valdez' musical, Zoot Suit (1979), made into a film in 1981.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Niki Acker
By Niki Acker
"In addition to her role as a WiseGeek editor, Niki Foster is passionate about educating herself on a wide range of interesting and unusual topics to gather ideas for her own articles. A graduate of UCLA with a double major in Linguistics and Anthropology, Niki's diverse academic background and curiosity make her well-suited to create engaging content for WiseGeekreaders. "

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By anon1571 — On Jun 06, 2007

What is the difference between "Zuit" suits and "Zoot" suits?? My Fiance is Italian and wants all of his boys to wear this style suit for our wedding but, we have been searching for weeks and can only find the pimp gangster style. We want the moffioso style.

Niki Acker
Niki Acker
"In addition to her role as a WiseGeek editor, Niki Foster is passionate about educating herself on a wide range of...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-a-zoot-suit.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.