The time was ripe to go looking for a Zoot Suit once again, you know, one with a reat pleat, drape shape, stuff cuff, reave sleeve, ripe stripe and a glad plaid, but without dress’d vest this time.

Through the internet you quickly land on the site of the zootsuitstore.com.

A number of years ago I already visited this store and I decided to drop by again.

Easier said than done as this business is in

San Francisco, California, at least 10 hours flying from Amsterdam.

June 6th 2003 was the day. Far too early I stood in front of number 2366 Mission Street. A busy shopping street in a predominantly Mexican neighborhood, plenty there to keep me busy and happy (like by gaping at the shop window !) till 10 o’clock, opening time.

When I enter this store I already know that this is going to take a couple of hours. The choice in suits in every colour imaginable, shirts, shoes, hats, ties, socks and a variety of accessories is enormous. Anna, the lady assisting me, shuttles back and forth between the shop and the storeroom in the basement, where plenty more treasures are to be found !

Now it is obvious that not all available items are listed on their website, another reason for stopping by in person. Zootsuitstore.com is the internet part of Siegel’s Clothing, which in itself is part of the Great American Mercantile Co. Inc.

The president of this company, Michael A. Gardner, was present in the store and told me that 80 percent of their business is conducted through the internet. Thirty percent of all transactions is with customers outside the U.S.A., a lot of them in Europe.

The company exists since 1889 and they are still using the original zoot suit patterns of the thirties, forties and fifties.

(What’s more, they still employ some tailors who used to make the originals in those days !)

Finally my choice of the day is a combination of jacket and pants (the material of the jacket is the background of this page !) and the ‘Zoot Suit Extreme’ in the ‘gold’ colour. Naturally matching shirts, ties, socks, suspenders, a hat, a ‘triple chain’ and a pair of two-tone shoes, brown and white ones this time.

The pants have to be finished, which will take a few days. This means that I cannot dress ‘in style’ for the Ponte las Pilas where Dr. Loco will perform with his Rocking Jalapeño Band and where prizes are available for ‘El Chuco mas Suave & Linda Cholita’, a pity !

By the way, as long as the suit which you have bought here is in a presentable and wearable condition they will alter it for you for free if necessary. You will have to mail it to them, or better still, visit them in person. It was estimated that it would cost about 40 dollars to send a suit from the USA to the Netherlands, which is way cheaper than the airfare to SF !

After a few days I could pick up my stuff.

Of course a final fitting and Santos took the pictures shown here. Some comments in the street (only positive) from the passersby. They may not have seen many Dutch Zooters before !

When you want to order with Siegel’s you do well to check estimated shipping charges. Please note that in the Netherlands you will probably have to pay importduties and VAT. These charges are also calculated over the shipping charges !

All in all it was a very pleasant visit to this shop and I hope to go and visit them again in the future.

Thank you Michael, Anna and Santos (shown here) for your help and support !

A nice site I encountered with some interesting photo’s from 1943.

Zoots still rule on the corner of 24^th and Mission !

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