Figure 1.--

Youth culture had a wide range of affects on clothing. Here we should stress that youth culture was not monolithic. Youths varied greatly as to to the fashion statements that they wanted to make. Throughout the postwar period, there were fashions which both endorsed and cahallenged the hegemony of the established cultural values. Youth subcultures which adopted what seemed to some "extreme" fashions" often had a powerful affect on other youths--and adults. Many adults saw such fashions as a challenge to closely held cultural values. Thus children were not allowed such fashions, but teenagers proved more difficult to control.

Clothing Styles

Hepcats

The Zoot suit appeared in the early 1940s and was a mercifully short lasting fashion that appeared during World War II. I have no idea about the origin of the term "zoot" other than it was a Harlem slang expression. The American College Dictionary describes it as an "extreme" suit. The Zoot suit which wre called "drapes" consisted of an oversized jacket with excessively large lapels, heavily padded shoulders, and baggy often tapered pants which were cuffed at the ankles. The taper of the trouser could be extreme, from a 24-inch knee down to a 14-inch cuff was not uncommon. Some Zooters had made tomorder troisers with even more extreme tapers. There were also flared pants. The belt loops on the trousers were "dropped" 2 or even 3 inches from the waist. The suits were made in flashy fabrics such as sharkskin or mohair andf often in colors like pink, chartreuse, rust, or powder blue whoch to say the least stood out. Zoot suits were often worn with wide brimmed fedora hats. Another popular accessory was a keychain with a pocket knife attached. Some boys wore "Argentine ductail" haircuts, often with a considerable amount of hair tonic. The first suits appeared in Harlem, New York. The Zoot suit were worn by teenagers styling themselves "hepcats" which in the vernacular of the day meant that they liked to listen to "swing music" and "jitterbug" (dance). The Zoot suit wasespecially popular with urban blacks and Mexicans. One observer maintains that the Zoot suit was not counter cultural. It was worn by "squares" as well as white teenagers who liked the fact that it was an unaccepted to style. [Graebner, page 43] The style gained some credence when a young Frank Sinatra began wearing them. The Zoot suit fashion ended very quickly. There was a war on and the War Production Board restricted the amount of material that could be used in men's clothing. This meant that manufacturers stopped making them. Many older Americans and more conservative younger Ameicans were offended by Zoot suits. Los Angeles even had "the Zoot suit riots" in June 1943. Sailors apparently ran wild in the Mexican neigborhoods where the style had achieved some prominence. Individuals caught with Zoot suits had their pants removed and ductails wre often trimmed. While the Zoot suit was only worn for a brief period, the style lingered on in the "pegged pants" that were popular with working-class teenagers through the mid-1950's.

Prepies

Preppy styles for college bound youth appeared in the 1940s. The term comes from the prepschools affluent youths attended before entering university. By prep school we mean private secondary level schools which is different than English prep schools which are for younger children. These clothes were normally worn by middle-class white youths from comfortable if not affluent families. The preppies were derivesly called "squares" or squeaks" by the "hipsters". The boys favored vertically striped sport shirts, rather symbolizing "dependability and rectitutde" according to one observer. [Graebner, page 43] Buttondown shirts were popular as were V-neck sweaters. They were normally worn with chinos or khakis slacks. the color giving a muted military look. Jeans were not yet popular with this crowd. Loafers, especially penny loafers were the appropriate footwear.

Greacers

White working-class boys not headed to university might wear checked flannel shirts which has connotations of mannual labor, especially farming or logging, or outdoor pursuits like hintung, fishing, and camping. In the summer boys might wear a white "T"-shirt with a pack of cigarettes rolled un in the sleeve. The look included side burns and greaced-back hair. Jeans in the 1950s became increasing popular with this group although they were no normally allowed in high school. This look reached great popularity in the James Dean film Rebel Without a Cause (1955). The impact of the film was to interest middle-class boys in the look.

Shoes

Shoes for some reason often take on considerable importance in the world of fashion. What lind of footwear a child wore such as sandals, sneakers, or oxfords said a good deal about him. Like wise wether a teenager wore white bucks, saddle shoes, oxfords, loafers, boots, or a variety of other styles said a good bit about him. These fashion connotations changed over time. The humble sneakers in the 1970s assumed an importance of epic proportions. The saddle shoe which began as an athletic shoe for men was eventually worn by both boys and girls of all ages, but by the 1970s had become a largely girls shoe.

Hair Styles

Perhaps even more than clothes, the hair cut in the mid-1950s began to take on increasing importance in youth culture.

Adult Reactions

Extreme styles could cause a strong response from adults. Some offending styles could be elalborate like the Zoot suit. Even minimal steps likr wearing black or blue suede shoes with pink or chartreuse shoelaces could get a reaction. After the mid-1950s, hair styles beginning with Elvis began to be a major issue. Non-standard clothing and hair first irritated parents, but many were unable to curb such displays by the time the children were teenagers. School admniistrators began a running battle with students over clothing and hair which significantly heated up in the 1960s. One observer contends that "Parents and public officials were offended in part because certain aspects of the style described above were adopted from, or modeled after, black culture." [Graebner, page 43] Before the Civil Rights Movement changed our national mindsight, this was a matter of great concern. In the 1960s long hair seem chalenged established sexual mores, another serious sexual taboo. Internestingly one author points out, "The wearing of large, brightly colored, and elaborately designed ties was, on the other hand, an adult-sanctioned youth custom of the late 1940's and early 1950s." [Graebner, page 43]

Popular Music

The clothing styles of youth culture also entered popular music. There was of course Elvis' "Blue suede shoes". A popular refrain from a popular mid-1950s tune went "He wore tan shoes with pink shoe laces, A polka-dot vest, and man-oh man! He wore tan shoes with pink shoe laces, And a big Panama with a purple hat band!" There were many other refernces to clothing in post-war popular music.

Sources

Graebner, William. Coming of Age in Buffalo: Youth and Authority in the Postwar Era (Temple University Press, 1990). Mostly on teenagers. While he focuses on Buffalo, his interesting insights provide a wealth of information on American youth culture in general.

Created: July 19, 2002
Last updated: July 19, 2002