ZOOT SUIT – (CATCHING Zs NOT Gs)

This ‘Anti-blackout suit’ made from 3-ounce nylon was designed to be cool, durable, and easy to remove. When it was first made in 1945, an article was published with the headline ‘Improved, Light Nylon Zoot Suit Prevents Blackout when Fighter Pilots Pull High G’s in Combat‘.

 

There was a risk for pilots to blackout while flying due to rapid acceleration or deceleration as it made the blood drain from the brain into the abdomen and legs, but this suit was designed to combat this. Five internal air bladders – two over the thighs, two over the calves, and one at the abdomen – could be pressurized in proportion to the G-force encountered using a flexible tube extending from the left side of the suit.

This suit, together with other carefully curated items, is available to purchase in our online store.

Or if you prefer to pick up a copy of our second book,  The Vintage Showroom An Archive of Menswear, where we showcased a similar piece from our Archive