The Zoot Suit was made popular by African American and Latino men in the 1940s. It was a reaction against the social norms. At a time when African American and Latino men were supposed to be subservient to whites, the Zoot Suit was a direct challenge to social order with its outrageous details. The suits had exaggerated padded shoulders and baggy pant legs that tapered at the ankle. During wartime they became less popular as restrictions were put on textiles. The featured image is a zoot suit worn by Cab Calloway in the movie Stormy Weather from 1943. The costume designer for the movie was Helen Rose who still works in Hollywood today. She began her career at 15 in Chicago designing outfits for nightclubs and dancers.
sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Rose
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http://ochmonek.wordpress.com/2007/08/23/an-ofay-beefs/
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