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Definition of Zoot Suit

Zoot Suit

noun

  • Cab Calloway, who, in his Hepster's Dictionary, called the zoot suit "the ultimate in clothes. The only totally and truly American civilian suit."

    Style-conscious Harlem dancers began wearing loose-fitting clothes that accentuated their movements. Men donned baggy trousers with cuffs carefully tapered to prevent tripping; long jackets with heavily padded shoulders and wide lapels; long, glittering watch chains and hats ranging from porkpies and fedoras to broad-brimmed sombreros.

    During the 1930s, dance halls were popular venues for socializing, swing dancing and easing the economic stress of the Great Depression. Nowhere was this more true than in the uptown Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem, home of the famed Harlem Renaissance.

    The image of these so-called "zoot suits" spread quickly and was popularized by performers.
    I'm going to go dance tomorrow in Harlem, but I need to go shop for a new zoot suit.

    Last edited on Nov 06 2021. Submitted by pankakke.exe from Redding, CA, USA on Nov 06 2021.

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