19th Century "Long Tail Blue" Men's Coats (Referred To In The 19th Century Blackfaced Minstrel Song "My Long Tail Blue") Partly Explains Why There Were So Many 2025 Met Gala Fashions That Had Tails

 

Caricature of Mr John Delacour (19th century) wearing dress coat with top hat and white tie.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailcoat

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the 2025 Met Gala and presents information about the 19th century male fashion known as "the long tail blue". This post also presents information and lyrics about the 19th century minstrel song "Long Tail Blue".

I believe that the 19th century "long tail blue" men's coat which was popularized by the blackfaced minstrel song "My Long Tail Blue" was one of the main reasons why a number of the outfits that were showcased at that Gala had "tails".

The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post  
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*This post doesn't include any visuals of or identifying information about 2025 Met Gala outfits with or without tails.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/02/1844-old-time-music-minstrel-song-dandy.html for a 
related 2022 pancocojams post entitled (1844 Old Time Music, Minstrel Song) - "Dandy Jim From Caroline" (video, information, comments, & lyrics).

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2025 MET GALA
From https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/met-gala-2025-red-carpet "See Every Look From The Met Gala 2025 Red Carpet Night", May 6, 2025
"Fashion fans, the 2025 Met Gala red carpet has officially closed! Every year, the star-studded gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City gathers an impressive crowd of actors, musicians, models, designers, and more to mark the museum’s new spring Costume Institute exhibition. This year, the event celebrated “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which will be on view from May 10th to October 26th; The new showcase explores the importance of clothing and style to the formation of Black identities in the Atlantic diaspora, and will be arranged by 12 characteristics of Black dandyism.

To reflect the theme this year, the dress code for the 2025 Met Gala red carpet last night was dubbed “Tailored For You,” a sartorial mood that is “purposefully designed to provide guidance and invite creative interpretation.” Given the exhibition holds a strong focus on menswear and suiting, we saw many Met Gala looks leaned into tailoring—both in classic and sleek ways, and in a more theatrical and avant-garde manner. (The Met, after all, has a long history of the latter.)

As for who we saw hit the iconic Met steps this evening? We of course saw this year’s official (and extremely stylish) co-chairs at the event—including A$AP Rocky, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, and Lewis Hamilton. Unsurprisingly, they all made the 2025 Met Gala best dressed list along with many other dressed-to-impress attendees."...

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WHAT IS BLACK DANDYISM?
from https://www.vogue.com/article/what-is-black-dandyism Black Dandyism Explained—From Its 18th-Century Roots to Modern-Day Expressions

By Ty Gaskins, April 29, 2025

…"What Is Dandyism?

Dandyism is often described as a style, but it’s more than just aesthetics. The original dandy—most famously embodied by figures like Beau Brummell in 18th-century Britain—was a man whose primary purpose was to stand out by being impeccably groomed and dressed. Brummell, whose personal motto was “Don’t talk about your clothes, let your clothes do the talking,” revolutionized fashion by elevating personal style to an art form. He rejected the flamboyance of past aristocratic dress, favoring understated, sharp tailoring that emphasized refinement over ostentation.

For the dandy, fashion was a vehicle for both self-expression and a subtle form of rebellion against societal norms. And that rebellious streak is just as present in Black dandyism—though here, the stakes are higher. Black dandyism has always been about more than aesthetics. It has been about identity, power, and resistance. In a world where Black people have been marginalized, the dandy became a figure who defied the rigid categories of race and class that sought to confine them."...

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AN EXCERPT ABOUT BLACKFACED MINSTRELS DEPICTIONS OF REAL BLACK DANDIES IN 19TH CENTURY UNITED STATES
From https://www.thesegalcenter.org/jadt/twisting-the-dandy%3A-the-transformation-of-the-blackface-dandy-in-early-american-theatre Issue 27- 3; "Twisting the Dandy: The Transformation of the Blackface Dandy in Early American Theatre" By Benjamin Miller, November 12, 2015
..."This article will draw on minstrel studies to analyse the character of the blackface dandy in three iconic songs of early American blackface theatre, “My Long Tail Blue,” “Jim Crow,” and “Zip Coon.” Arguably, the earliest popular representations of black dandyism on the American stage contained features and characteristics designed to diminish any threat posed by real black dandies to the white working class’ imagined white superiority, and these features were quickly amplified in the following years to repress the perceived challenge posed by discourses and performances of black liberty. 

[...]

An Early Blackface Dandy: Long Tail Blue

The best-known performer of blackface dandyism in the period of early blackface was Dixon, born to a poor family in Richmond, Virginia, probably in 1801. Of what little is known about his early life, Cockrell describes how a circus manager noticed Dixon’s potential as a vocalist at the age of 15 and he was apprenticed to West’s traveling circus as an errand boy; also, it is likely he first used blackface as a clown in the circus.[29] Citing the various formal influences on early blackface, Lott mentions the American clown, as well as the harlequin of commedia dell’arte and the burlesque tramp, as overlapping traditions “tending more or less toward self mockery on the one hand and subversion on the other.”[30] Such diverse traditions influenced the formation of the blackface dandy character.

A proponent of the self-mockery and subversion typical of blackface clowning and commedia dell’arte, Dixon became known for his performances of the blackface song “My Long Tail Blue” as early as 1827.[31] Of Dixon’s “My Long Tail Blue” the S. Foster Damon songbook—Series of Old American Songs (1936)—states: “it remained for half a century one of the standard burnt-cork songs.”[32] Given it is rare to find versions of “My Long Tail Blue” with a post-1830 publication date (where they are provided), or in post-1840 song sheet collections, it is unlikely the popularity of “My Long Tail Blue” lasted more than a decade. Nevertheless, “My Long Tail Blue” did popularize the character of the black dandy, which certainly proved to be an enduring presence, though continually altered and adjusted to respond to white concerns and black responses and challenges, in blackface entertainment over the rest of the century. 

[...]

“My Long Tail Blue” tells the story of a black dandy who courts women and flouts authority. The narrator of the song describes his blue jacket with long tails, a mark of respectability and class. The dandy—named Blue—wears his blue jacket on Sundays, while (religiously) pursuing women. While audiences enjoyed hearing about the character’s sexual pursuits, they also wished to see the upwardly mobile dandy brought down a peg or two. The song doesn’t disappoint, describing an encounter between Blue and Jim Crow.[35] In “My Long Tail Blue,” Crow is an escaped black slave who is found courting a white girl named Sue when Blue intrudes. As Blue intervenes and Crow sneaks away, Blue is arrested and his jacket is torn in a scuffle with the authorities. Blue has his jacket mended upon his release from jail and the song concludes with him advising the audience to go and buy a jacket so they too can be like him, winning the ladies’ hearts, flouting authority, and rising up the social hierarchy. Many aspects of the performance—from the costume to the lyrics, to the advertisements and musical style—represent the first moves by a white performer to alienate the black dandy in the creation of a blackface dandy."...

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WHAT DOES 'TAILS' MEAN IN REGARDS TO FASHION?
From AI Overview
"In fashion, "tails" typically refers to the long, trailing sections at the back of a tailcoat, also known as a dress coat or evening coat. These coats are part of formal evening attire, particularly for white tie events. Tails can also refer to the long, decorative tails on certain types of morning suits.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

Formal Evening Attire:

Tails, in the most common sense, are the distinctive feature of a tailcoat, a coat worn as part of full evening dress (white tie) for formal occasions.

Morning Suits:

Some morning suits also feature long tails at the back, although their length and style may differ from the tailcoats worn for evening events.

Other Uses:

The term "tails" can also be used to describe the long, trailing parts of other garments, like shirts, where the tails are intended to be tucked into trousers."

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WHAT IS A "LONG TAIL BLUE" [FASHION TERM]?
from AI Overview [May 9, 2025]
"In fashion history, "long-tail blue" (also "long-tailed blue") refers to a swallowtail jacket worn by black dandies in the 19th century, as highlighted in Green's Dictionary of Slang. These jackets, a symbol of black dandyism, were also known as "old blue".

Here's a more detailed look:

Black Dandies:

Black dandies were men who embraced a style of dress that mimicked or even surpassed the fashion of wealthy white men. They used clothing as a way to assert their status and challenge societal expectations.

Swallowtail Jacket:

The swallowtail jacket, also known as a tailcoat, was a formal coat with a long, pointed tail at the back.

Historical Significance:

"Long-tail blue" was a term used to describe the specific type of swallowtail jacket worn by black dandies, highlighting their unique and stylish approach to fashion.

Minstrel Shows:

The character "Long Tail Blue" was also a figure in antebellum minstrel shows, representing a black dandy.

Modern Usage:

While the term "long-tail blue" is primarily a historical reference, it's still used in some contexts to describe swallowtail jackets or the overall concept of black dandyism.

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A LIST OF THE PRINTED USE OF THE TERM "LONG TERM BLUE"
Pancocojams Editor's Note: 
*I consider "the n word" to be a derogatory referent and present it in this post with amended spelling. That word is fully spelled out in these online sources. 

From https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/osulu7a Green’s Dictionary of Slang
"Search Entries

long-tail blue n.

also long-tailed blue

1. (also old blue) a swallowtail jacket, worn by black dandies.

1827 [US] George Washington Dixon [song title] My Long-Tail Blue.

1839 [UK] ‘Uncle Sam’s Peculiarities’ in Bentley’s Misc. 270: What a long-tailed blue dis ni-ga* hab to be sure.

1841 [Ire] ‘The Long Tail Blue’ Dublin Comic Songster 25: I wears a jacket all the week, / And a Sunday my long tail blue.

1844 [US] ‘Jonathan Slick’ High Life in N.Y. I 196: I bundled up old blue, and the pepper and salt trousers.

1851 [US] ‘London Vocalists’ in Jolly Comic Songster 237: Dame Durden had five serving maids, with The long tail’d blue, sirs.

1860  London City Press 18 Feb. 5/5: [His] attire [...] consisting of a long-tail blue coat, knee breeches [...] and a yellow neckerchief.

1867 [UK]  J. Greenwood Unsentimental Journeys 189: The various bands of Ethiopian ‘serenaders,’ many of whom, divested of their business as wool and ‘long-tail blues,’ mixed with the crowd.

1884 [US]  (con. c.1840) ‘Mark Twain’ Huckleberry Finn 161: He had an old long-tailed blue jeans coat with slick brass buttons flung over his arm.

1922 [US] ‘To Win A Yellow Girl’ in T.W. Talley Negro Folk Rhymes 102: You ‘borrow’ Mosser’s Beaver hat, / An’ slip on his Long-tailed Blue.

2001 [US]  (ref. to early 19C) N. Tosches Where Dead Voices Gather (ms.) 11: The long-tail blue was the swallowtail jacket emblematic of the wardrobe of urban black dandies — zip coons — of the early nineteenth century.

2. the black dandy that wore such a coat.

1839 [UK] ‘Uncle Sam’s Peculiarities’ in Bentley’s Misc. 265: A dandy ni-ger*, technically termed a ‘long-tailed blue,’ dancing Jim Crow’s pattern dance.

1844  Uncle Sam Peculiarities II 170: A dandy ni-ger*, technically termed a ‘long-tailed blue,’ [is] dancing Jim Crow’s pattern dance [DA].

1867 [US] Atlantic Monthly Nov. 610/2: ‘Clar de Kitchen’ soon appeared as a companion piece, followed speedily by ‘Lucy Long.’ [...] ‘Long-Tail Blue,’ and so on [DA].

1872  [US]  Schele De Vere Americanisms 153: [The song] Jim Crow [...] was quickly followed by several other songs of the same kind, such as Zip Coon, Longtailed Blue, Ole Virginny nebber tire, Settin’ on a Rail, etc.

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THE  OLD TIME AMERICAN MUSIC TUNE & SONG "LONG TAIL BLUE"

Example #1: Long Tail Blue 

Long Tail Blue,  Nov 6, 2014

Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises,  

Long Tail Blue · John Snipes

Black Banjo Songsters of North Carolina and Virginia

℗ 1998 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Released on: 1998-02-17

Auto-generated by YouTube

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Example #2- Long Tail Blue

Chris Prieto,   Sep 11, 2016

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COMMENTS ABOUT THE SONG "MY LONG TAIL BLUE" (INCLUDING LYRICS)
These comments are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

(As a reminder, the "n word" is given with amended spelling in this pancocojams post but is fully spelled out in these comment and in these lyrics).

SOURCE #1

Google results AI (information about the song “Long Tail Blue”)

"Long Tail Blue" is an old, and potentially controversial, minstrel song, typically attributed to George Washington Dixon. It's often associated with the blackface minstrel tradition and depicts a stereotypical "dandy" character. The song's lyrics, which begin, "I've come to town to see you all, I ask you how d'ye do?", reference a fashionable long-tail blue coat, a fashion item that was popular at the time. While sometimes cited as the origin of the popular "Blue-Tail Fly" (or "Jimmy Crack Corn"), which is a different song with a similar title.

Key points about "Long Tail Blue":

Origin:

Often attributed to George Washington Dixon, who claimed to have written it, though others may have performed it previously.

Minstrel Tradition:

The song fits within the broader context of blackface minstrelsy, a form of entertainment that was widely criticized for its racist depictions of African Americans.

"Dandy" Character:

The song features a character who is trying to fit into Northern white society, a common trope in minstrelsy.

Controversy:

The song's association with racism and minstrelsy makes it a subject of ongoing debate and discussion.

Not to be Confused with "Blue-Tail Fly":

While they share a title element, they are different songs with different narratives.
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Read the definitions of “dandy” and “Black dandy” to add to or correct the statement under the above “Dandy Character” sub-title

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SOURCE #2
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=69384

Subject: Lyr Add: LONG TAIL BLUE
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 May 04 - 09:01 PM

"This old minstrel lyric of little merit has caused much confusion, because it was mentioned in Billy Barlow lyrics, and is sometimes confused with the later "Blue Tail Fly-Jimmy Crack Corn" songs.

A part of one version was posted in thread 52057 (Long-Tailed Roustabout) and mentioned in thread 18602 (Jimmy Crack Corn).

Long-Tailed Roustabout: Long-Tailed Roustabout

Jimmy Crack Corn: Jimmy Crack Corn

According to The Traditional Ballad Index, it has been attributed, with ? mark, to George Washington Dixon, 1827.

Roud 1287.

The version given here is from sheet music in the Levy Collection, where it appears in a collection called "The Crow Quadrilles," 1837, Nunns, Philadelphia, and in sheet music published by J. L. Hewitt, NY, G. Willig Jr., Baltimore, and Atwills Music Sales (all without date).

The Willig copy has an attached note, "My Long Tail Blue, Sung by Mr. Dixon, 1834." That is the one given here.

Lyr. Add: Long Tail Blue

(As sung by Mr. W. E. Pennington)

I've come to town to see you all,
I ask you how d'ye do?
I'll sing a song, not very long,
About my long tail blue.

Chorus:

Oh! for the long tail blue.
Oh! for the long tail blue.
I'll sing a song not very long
about my long tail blue.

Some N-gers* they have but one coat,
But you see I've got two;
I wears a jacket all the week,
And Sunday my long tail blue.

Jim Crow is courting a white gall,
And yaller folks call her Sue;
I guess she back'd a ni-ger* out,
And swung my long tail blue.

As I was gwoin up Market Street,
I holler'd arter Sue,
The watchman came and took me up,
And spilte my long tail blue.

 
I took it to a tailor's shop,
To see what he could do;
He took a needle and some thread,
And mended my long tail blue.

If you want to win the Ladie's hearts,
I'll tell you what to do;
Go to a tip-top tailor's shop,
And buy a long tail blue.

 

Spelling preserved."

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