Les Zazous

Image from One Hundred Years of Menswear

The Zazous were a rebellious, French youth culture during Nazi occupied France. They rebelled against the Nazi regime by wearing zoot suit like outfits. They wore long jackets with padded shoulders, skinny ties with high, stiff collars, held in place with a tie pin and high waisted wide trousers, cut short at the ankle to display bright coloured or white socks, topped by thick soled suede shoes or brogues. Long flamboyant quiffs and thick rimmed dark glasses. They listened to be-bop, swing and jazz and used American slang. The name is believed to have come from the Cab Calloway song Zah Zuh Zah.

They also wore the Jewish six pointed star with 'Zazou' or 'swing' written on it as a protest to the Jews being singled out by the Nazis. However Nazi sympathizers started carrying hair clippers with them to cut off the hair of the Zazous. At this point they were driven underground and started playing records in cellars, holding secret dances. These gatherings, where people danced just to records are considered to be the first night clubs or discotheques.