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My VINTAGE ZOOT SUIT – c. 1940

Widebrim

I'll Lock Up
Wasn't it first a style primarily worn by minorities, until middle American teens got ahold of it (some things never change....)?


Although it's not certain who exactly invented the zoot suit (there are three main claimants), the style came out of the Harlem jazz scene of the late-1930s. From there, it drifted over to the West Coast, and caught on with Pachucos, with whom it really became a sign of rebellion. It later caught on in a limited way with White teens, and some sellers even tried to push it onto older men (Little Abner wore a zoot suit for a few panels).

Zootsuit2.jpg

European American zoot-suiters, Washington, D.C., 1942.
 
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resortes805

Call Me a Cab
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So I was planning on bidding on this suit, but alas I am pretty broke this month. Seller posted it as a 1920s suit; but it looks like a 1940s zoot suit to me.
56A5EDFEB8CD4150828448BCAD117923.jpg

CD9AB3085F5046859423B00D41D2D669.jpg
 
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Orange County, CA
Although it's not certain who exactly invented the zoot suit (there are three main claimants), the style came out of the Harlem jazz scene of the late-1930s. From there, it drifted over to the West Coast, and caught on with Pachucos, with whom it really became a sign of rebellion. It later caught on in a limited way with White teens, and some sellers even tried to push it onto older men (Little Abner wore a zoot suit for a few panels).

Zootsuit2.jpg


European American zoot-suiters, Washington, D.C., 1942.

I recall reading somewhere that the zoot suit originated in Atlanta in 1939.

YETI said:
Wasn't there a Laurel and Hardy flick where they sported zoots?

Yes, it was called Jitterbugs

8e_3.jpg


f1_3.jpg
 
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Guttersnipe

One Too Many
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San Francisco, CA
Zootsuit2.jpg

European American zoot-suiters, Washington, D.C., 1942.

I've always seen this picture ID'd as being taken in LA, during the "zoot suit riots", and the Caucasian guys as GIs trying on drapes taken off of zooters for the ammusement of their buddies. Note the fellow on the left's GI buzz cut and what appears to be a Army issue khaki shirt underneath the jacket.
 
Last edited:

resortes805

Call Me a Cab
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It looks like a costume for a production (Lil' Abner?), I really doubt anyone sported that on the streets of Harlem.
 

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