The surprising story of how the plain black suit became a symbol of masculinity, democracy, and modernity.

 

How did black suits become so ubiquitous? Why has men's business clothing been so plain for the last 250 years? How did a style adopted by the Founding Fathers to differentiate themselves from European contemporaries become the dominant style for men around the globe?

 

Suitable traces the shift from the colorful, flamboyant attire of the eighteenth century to the plain dark suit of the nineteenth century, characterizing this style evolution as a 'Sartorial Revolution.' In this book, American historian and costume designer Chloe Chapin traces the evolution of masculine style from the American Revolution through the Civil War and shows how men's suits shaped relationships of gender and power. Drawing on a wealth of visual and written sources, she shows how the plainness of suits symbolized new ideals of rationality and democracy and played a crucial role in framing the lasting identity and authority of American men. This richly illustrated book analyzes fashion history's impact on gender dynamics and emphasizes the dynamic relationships between bodies, clothing, and personal identity.

 

Suitable demonstrates the significance of fashion beyond mere appearance, illustrating the key role modern men's suits have played in shaping the modern world.

 

'In Suitable, Chloe Chapin explores the democratizing effect of black suits as white men gained suffrage and access to the halls of political power, while the whims of fashion were discarded as the superficial domain of women. Chapin's colorful prose and eye for detail will forever change how we see the pantsuit and its role in politics.'—Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Author of Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic