Fashion icons like Dapper Dan, Janelle Monáe, and the late André Leon Talley are celebrated for their distinctive sartorial styles—bold splashes of color, luxurious fabrics, playful constructions, and capes. Yet, fashion savants and historians agree that a common thread weaves their tailored looks together: dandyism. This style movement, rich in history, will be front and center at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute spring exhibit, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which kicks off with the Met Gala, the biggest night in fashion.
Inspired by Monica Miller’s book “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity,” the exhibit focuses on Black style, particularly menswear from the 18th century to the present day, with dandyism as a unifying theme. This exploration reveals how dandyism has evolved from a symbol of aristocratic leisure to a powerful form of self-expression and resistance.
What is Dandyism?
Dandyism originally described the aristocratic style and leisurely pursuits of figures like Beau Brummell in Regency England. Over time, it has been recontextualized to embody liberation and resistance through exuberant self-expression. This evolution began with the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Miller notes that in the 18th century, young Black servants in England were forced to wear gold, brass, or silver collars with padlocks, along with fine livery—uniforms that signaled their owners’ wealth.
“They wanted the enslaved person to stand out almost as if they were a luxury item,” explains Jonathan Square, an assistant professor at Parsons School of Design and an adviser on the Met exhibit. Enslaved individuals arrived in America with few belongings, often treasuring small precious objects. Miller writes, “This is as true for those who were deliberately dressed in silks and turbans, whose challenge was to inhabit the clothing in their own way, as for those who were more humbly attired.” Stripped of their identities, enslaved people often added their own flair to their tailored Sunday best looks for church or holidays, using clothing as a means of remembrance and distinction.
Post-Emancipation, Black Americans began to reclaim their autonomy, paving the way for the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement that would redefine Black identity and style.
Dandyism Enters a New Era with the Harlem Renaissance
During the Great Migration, Black Americans fled the South for cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. From the 1920s to the 1930s, Harlem became a vibrant hub for Black cultural expression. Figures like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong reshaped American culture and challenged prevailing prejudices. The Harlem Renaissance infused fashion with a soul, according to Brandice Daniel, founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row, which connects designers of color with retailers and brand opportunities.
“It was this birthplace of a visual identity that spoke to what we now call Black excellence,” she states. The era encouraged Black Americans to live and dress boldly, pushing past societal confines to make themselves visible. Women adorned themselves in furs and beaded dresses, while men experimented with tailored fabrics, pristine fedora hats, two-toned oxfords, and billowing silhouettes. Tara Donaldson, co-author of “Black In Fashion: 100 Years Of Style, Influence, and Culture,” notes, “Many of us have a photo of our grandfather decked out in suiting, but it’s also the stance and the kind of posture and the assertion of presence.”
W.E.B. Du Bois, a pivotal figure of the era, understood the power of self-fashioning. At the 1900 Paris Exposition, he mounted a photographic exhibit showcasing Black Americans’ contributions to combat stereotypes. Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, emphasizes that this self-fashioning was a way of reclaiming self-respect denied by a society that aggressively marginalized Black individuals.
A Key, Enduring Look: The Zoot Suit
One style that emerged from the Harlem Renaissance, directly linked to dandyism, was the zoot suit. Defined by high-waisted draped pants and oversized jackets with exaggerated shoulders and large lapels, the zoot suit was subversive simply by taking up space. During World War II, fabric rations made owning a zoot suit—a garment that required excessive fabric—an act of protest. “It’s meant to be a provocation,” Square explains. “But also, it’s a form of protection, covering a part of your body, sort of saying, ‘You don’t have access to this.’”
The zoot suit was quickly adopted by Mexican American and Filipino American men in Los Angeles, leading to the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943, where servicemen and police officers attacked Black, Mexican, and Filipino men. Today, the zoot suit lives on in the gender-fluid designs of contemporary designers like Willy Chavarria.
Dandyism Transcends Gender
Dandyism is not limited to men. Following World War I, women began to break down fashion’s gender norms. Blues singer and entertainer Gladys Bentley epitomized this shift with her tuxedo and top hat, showcasing how women in the Harlem Renaissance blurred gender lines. Janelle Monáe, who is part of this year’s Met Gala host committee, exemplifies modern dandyism with her tailored, playful looks. Monáe’s distinct style—characterized by oversized hats, whimsically tailored suits, and ornate bow ties—embodies the essence of dandyism.
As Monáe and the star-studded guest list arrive in their glamorous “Tailored for You” looks, the Met Gala will serve as a celebration of the dandy legacy. “Black people, Black men are finally getting their flowers for being true style icons,” says designer Ev Bravado, co-founder of Who Decides War. “It is amazing to see the ancestral work being put on display.”
