For its wearers — most frequently, Black and brown men — the zoot suit also represented “a freedom over the body,” says Jillian Hernandez, author of “Aesthetics of Excess: The Art and ...

The Zoot Suit Riots remain one of the most racially charged episodes in American history, highlighting tensions between white servicemen and Mexican American youth in Los Angeles. While the riots are ...

Tensions came to a head after a fight between a number of U.S. sailors and young Mexican-American men in zoot suits. Police racially profiled individuals wearing the suits, unjustifiably beating ...

In L.A., they were particularly popular among Mexican American, Filipino and Black young men. Burton’s Smart Clothes in downtown L.A. was one of the stores that sold customized zoot suits.

On June 3, 1943, an altercation between U.S. Navy sailors and young Mexican Americans on the streets of Los Angeles led to ...

in wearing these Pachuco suits, are paying homage to the men before them who resisted assimilation. Pachucos evolved from Zoot suits who evolved from Dandys so their outfits were perfect for the ...

Estrella said the suits aren't costumes. Customers have purchased them for weddings, proms, parties, and as everyday wear. While men primarily wore zoot suits, women proudly donned the style as well.

80 years ago, young men of color were attacked for their “unpatriotic” fashion choices, leading to the Zoot Suit Riots. The repercussions can still be felt today. The zoot suit, with its ...