The other day I saw a guy wearing what I believe could best be described as a zoot suit. This was in downtown Chicago, in the middle of the day on Monday, in a professional building. The suit was similar to this one, only a little flashier (if that is possible!) The suit was a light yellow plaid, the jacket hung down to his knees, the vest hung well below his waist and had a rounded neckline, the pants were extremely baggy over yellow snakeskin shoes, the shirt was yellow and white, and the entire ensemble was topped with a light yellow hat. I occasionally see guys on the street wearing similarly flashy, color-coordinated sits.
I was trying to figure out why someone would dress like that. Do they feel they derive some advantage in a professional or social situation? Do they wish to appeal to certain parties who find that look attractive? Or is that just really what they wish to see when they look in a mirror?
If this guy has a yellow outfit, ought I assume his closet also contains suits in other colors of the rainbow? Or is this more likely his only suit - or his only “flashy” suit?
It struck me that dressing that way involves no inconsequential effort and expense. And it certainly makes an individual stand out. I guess I don’t have an objection to folks dressing to express their personality. And I’m sure that whatever his target audience is, it doesn’t include me. But in my mind it is difficult to think that folks dressed like this resemble anything other than a clown or a pimp.
Sometimes you wanna look sharp and stand out. Zoot suits do that. Despite the latter-day associations with pimpdom, zoot suits have a history of sartorially stickin’ it to the man. I just found this article while digging through Wikipedia on the subject and am reading it; it appears like it might shed some interesting light on the subject.
If the pants were baggy all the way to the ankle, it wasn’t a zoot suit. Just a very flashy suit. Zoots have pegged pants with tight cuffs, it’s part of what makes for such a specific silhouette.
Now, I do know guys who wear very colorful, flashy suits like the one you describe. Why? Because they like the style and think it looks good on them. Isn’t that pretty much why anyone wears anything that doesn’t have some specific, practical purpose?
Yeah, I figured it wasn’t a classic zoot, but was having trouble googling images of just plain flashy suits.
I assume you are right, that it says nothing other than he likes that style. Which I guess could be said for any “unusual” attire anyone chooses. But many styles - I’m thinking punks, goths, ghetto - also signify either a subculture or an attitude. I was wondering if “flashy suit” did as well.
Was he a black guy? For some reason, I only see the really flashy suits on black guys. (My boyfriend wears very notable suits, but not, you know, yellow. He knows he can’t carry it.) Possibly because a dark skin tone can take a lot of bright colors.
Well, the guys I know who wear really flashy suits (and this is a small sample size - uh, two, I think) are young black guys who want to show off that they’re making a decent amount of cash by wearing clothes that are obviously not just off the rack. Sort of a colorful take on a mafia/gangster style suit taken to extremes. Neither would wear that kind of suit to work, by the way - strictly club/going out gear.
The Canonical Zoot Suit is also popular with (mostly) young Chicanos. They’re worn for weddings, quinceanearas & lowrider events. And may be rented.
The Zoot Suit Store seems to be going for the Stylish Young Black Guy demographic–and most of their suits aren’t really all that “zoot.” Some of the colors would definitely make the melanin-deficient look long dead. But hipsters have long known how to cross the color line; Elvis sure did. Who wouldn’t look good in this?
The guy in the OP was probably headed for an occasion that suited his outfit. In my excursions to Exotic Downtown Houston, where a few businesses have still avoided Business Casual, I’ve noticed that African-American men tend to dress extremely well. That is, following thë “rules” without looking like undertakers. Or their clients.
A couple years ago, I was at a Cowboy Junkies concert (folksie country/blues) hosted at an aboretum and there was some white dude wandering about dressed as though he was running hooch for Al Capone. I’m not sure what percentage of the Cowboy Junkies fanbase dresses in 1920’s gangster-wear but I’m guessing it’s a distinct minority.
Actually, I am surprised more guys don’t wear them.
I mean, if you have to wear a suit, this one at least seems comfortable and fun!
In a regular suit, you don’t exactly feel like doing cartwheels and jumpin’ and jivin’ around. In a zoot suit, it just begs to have you take a run and slide along a slick marble floor on your knees.
Very rarely see them, but when I do, it makes me smile.
Of course, I would look silly in one - but then again, sometimes it is fun to look silly and I can imagine at a wild, fun wedding it would be a cool thing to wear.
Hmm…all the groomsmen in zoot suits - now THAT would be a picture!
Wide shoulders, tight waist, long lean silhouette. . . what’s not to love? Although I probably would pass by a guy in yellow plaid, I love the suit you linked to.
After looking at the great pictures in this thread I am going to buy a zoot suit. No since I’m a white guy my color choice isn’t going to be too crazy. I need to get a new suit since I’ve lost about 150 lbs since I bought my last one and my sister’s wedding is coming up at the end of August.
Ya, I was looking at that too. I’m thinking about going to one of the tailors in town and trying to get one custom made. I showed a couple of the pics to some guys I work with and they were thinking it might be too flashy for a wedding that I’m not the star of (hell for that matter I’m not even in the wedding party).
Possibly, but I’ve (mostly) given up wearing clothes ironically. I just like that sort-of early-20th century style (though I don’t usually go for stuff that THATS flashy). Besides, there really isn’t all that much really nice looking stuff for men to wear anyway.