The story of the modern suit begins with tight pants, as men’s legs became markers of class, civility, and sexuality.
Curious about the LEG-acy of the early modern suit? You've stumbled on the right post. 🦵
This new article in JSTOR Daily explains how fitted breeches and visible calves played an important role in shaping ideas about masculinity, class, and social belonging. The early modern suit developed alongside seventeenth- and eighteenth-century expectations about how men should appear in public, including how much of the body could be seen and how that body should be read by others.
Visible legs were closely tied to ideals of strength and grace. Well-shaped calves suggested physical capability and skill in dancing, both of which carried social implications. Pale, smooth silhouettes echoed classical art and reinforced ideas about refinement that were deeply shaped by race and empire.
If you’d like to see where the argument gets its legs, the article links directly to scholarly material on JSTOR.
