# Where could I get a Zoot Suit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 5, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133 "2006-02-05T20:03:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/1 "2006-02-05T20:03:10Z")
“Why would he want a Zoot Suit?” you might ask. I counter you: why _don’t_ I want one? So, where? ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/2 "2006-02-05T20:07:44Z")
[Here](http://www.zootsuitstore.com/Shopping/default.asp)? I wanna see a picture of you all fitted out in it! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/3 "2006-02-05T20:10:18Z")
You can find almost anything on [eBay](http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&shortcut=0&from=R41&query=zoot+suit&category0=&Submit=Search). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/4 "2006-02-05T20:12:02Z")
> [@Speaker for the Dead](#): > > Where could I get a Zoot Suit? With a [reet pleat](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=354739)? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/5 "2006-02-05T20:18:58Z")
Who’s that whisperin’ in the trees? It’s two sailors and they’re on leave Pipes and chains and swingin’ hands Who’s your Daddy? Yes I am! [http://www.lyricsondemand.com/onehitwonders/zootsuitriotlyrics.html[/ur]](http://www.lyricsondemand.com/onehitwonders/zootsuitriotlyrics.html%5B/ur%5D) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/6 "2006-02-05T20:25:40Z")
Sorry – [http://www.lyricsondemand.com/onehitwonders/zootsuitriotlyrics.html](http://www.lyricsondemand.com/onehitwonders/zootsuitriotlyrics.html) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/7 "2006-02-05T20:58:29Z")
Make your own: [Simplicity 4585](http://www.google.com/search?hs=sgV&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=simplicity+4585&btnG=Search). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/8 "2006-02-05T21:21:01Z")
Just don’t go startin’ no riots once you get one. If you do get one, you’ll have to post a pic. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/9 "2006-02-05T21:25:53Z")
There’s also [these guys](http://www.suavecito.com/). My favorite is [this one](http://www.suavecito.com/images/Suits/Style%20B-Color16.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/10 "2006-02-05T21:44:38Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Just don’t go startin’ no riots once you get one. > . It’s not just a lyrical metaphor [Zoot Suit Riots](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/zoot/eng_sfeature/sf_press_text_05.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/11 "2006-02-05T21:50:59Z")
> [@astro](#): > > It’s not just a lyrical metaphor > > [Zoot Suit Riots](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/zoot/eng_sfeature/sf_press_text_05.html) I remember reading about that after the song became a hit. I assumed the song’s writer was referring to it. ---
**Author:** ![Ezstrete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ea924/32.png) [@Ezstrete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezstrete)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/12 "2006-02-06T02:02:31Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I remember reading about that after the song became a hit. I assumed the song’s writer was referring to it. Be careful that when you get the suit it fills all of the qualifications----------- It must be a- Zoot suit with a drape shape and a reet pleat and a stuff cuff to be sharp enough! EZ------with apologies to C.Calloway ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/13 "2006-02-06T02:55:03Z")
The linked sites don’t quite catch the flavor of the zoot suit. The jacket must be loooong with exaggerated shoulders [like the one on the right,](http://www.elpachuco.com/pachucoindex.html) baggy pants, pegged and with cuffs, and wide lapels of shiny material being _de rigueur_ for authenticity. You simply must have a key chain, preferably doubled, that reaches below the knee and the hat with the flat brim. Then you have a zoot suit. [More examples.](http://www.badfads.com/pages/fashion/zootsuit.html) This is almost spooky. Just a few days ago I saw a young guy with baggy, pegged pants and a long key chain. My instant though was - zoot suit. He didn’t have the rest of the ensemble, cuffs on the pants, jacket and hat, but I thought to myself, “Old fashions come back as new.” ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/14 "2006-02-06T13:39:52Z")
The site I linked has decently [old fashioned](http://www.zootsuitstore.com/Shopping/Catalog/product_detail.asp?ProductCode=HSPF004) and new fashioned zoot suits, as well as ankle length chains, (even double and triple chains) hats, belts, shoes, and pocket watches. (Stacy Adams, of course.) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/15 "2006-02-06T20:38:13Z")
> [@](#): > > posted by **Speaker for the Dead** > Location: Middle Canada > > Where could I get a Zoot Suit? In middle Canada, I have no clue. Where I live (southwestern U.S.), I would suggest a clothing store or a tailor that caters to Mexican-Americans, or immigrants from Latin American countries. A word of warning: in my town, the style is most popular among Hispanic street gangs. The style often gets a very negative reaction from law-abiding Hispanics. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/16 "2006-02-07T00:06:56Z")
Finding a zoot is actually a snap compared to locating _conventionally_ tailored men’s suits in the style of the 1930s or '40s. ---
**Author:** ![glilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@glilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glilly)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-could-i-get-a-zoot-suit/343133/17 "2006-02-07T01:27:30Z")
A couple years ago there was a zoot suit section at the local Burlington Coat Factory (!). They even had nice bright purple ones.