Zoot Suits: The History and Controversy of the Flashy Men’s Attire

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Blue Rondo a la Turk, Aug 1981. Source: (Photo by: Graham Smith/PYMCA/UIG via Getty Images)

For several decades, the zoot suit was a flashy, jazzy style trend for men. The popular suit wasn’t trendy with all segments of the population. In fact, it was the preferred men’s suit for minority groups such as African-Americans, Latinos, and Italian Americans, who wore the high-waisted, baggy trousers and wide-lapelled suit coats as a way to identify them as members of these groups. Here are some facts you probably didn’t know about the history of zoot suits