Some Context on Black Dandyism
Happy Met Gala Monday!
The Met Gala, a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, coincides with the opening of their latest exhibition, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. This exhibition centers the legacy of Black Dandyism. The theme for this year’s Met Gala is “Tailored for You”—a reference to the exhibit’s focus on menswear.
Dandyism, initially an 18th-century European movement, is both aesthetic and political—rooted in tailored menswear and defined by the assertion of a personal style that challenges societal norms, particularly the aesthetics and behaviors of traditional aristocracy.
The Black Dandy emerged in the post-Emancipation period and gained momentum during the Black intellectual movements of the 1920s—a time when much of the social, economic, and political progress made during Emancipation was being eroded by new and refined systems of oppression such as sharecropping, discriminatory and predatory lending practices, Black Codes, Jim Crow, and beyond.
Black Dandyism—characterized by sharp, well-tailored suiting, polished shoes, stylish hats, and vibrant patterns and accessories—was not just a way of dressing, but a political and social assertion of Black humanity, dignity, self-determination, liberation, and beauty in a world where anti-Blackness is the norm. Dressing has been a form of resistance for Black people for a very long time.
In the context of the dismantling of DEI efforts and Black cultural institutions, the theme feels especially political.
We plan to cover our favorite looks from the Met Gala, but for now, here’s a picture of my grandparents, Arthur and Etta Hatcher, folks that embodied Black Dandyism through their impeccable style and grace.
-Nicole
