Lookin’ Sharp: Reflections on the Zoot Suit and Black Style

About

With its bold design and unique style, the zoot suit is woven deeply into the fabric of American history. Spend the afternoon with historian and curator Monica L. Miller (Barnard College) who will discuss the history of the iconic suit and her book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. The virtual program will highlight Library of Congress collections related to the zoot suit and explore the connections of Black style aesthetics to jazz, literature, and politics. Monica L. Miller is Chair and Professor of Africana Studies at Barnard College, Columbia University. A leading voice in Black fashion and dress studies, Miller also teaches and writes about Black literature, art, performance, and contemporary Black European culture and politics. She was the guest curator of the critically acclaimed Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, the spring 2025 Costume Institute exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and a co-author and editor of the accompanying exhibition catalog. In addition to her ongoing work on Black fashion and dress cultures, Monica is an expert on the Harlem Renaissance and contemporary Black art and artists. This virtual program is part of the 2026 series, “Fashion at the Library of Congress: The Threads that Connect Us,” which draws inspiration from the Library’s collections, celebrating American history and culture through fashion and style. Throughout 2026, the Library will hold in-person and online events exploring…

Archive

Library of Congress, in Library of Congress: talks and concerts

Licence or status

Rights statement at the Library of Congress, as the Library of Congress states it.

Credit

Library of Congress

Language

English

Country

United States

Who can watch

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