For some, the lesson in needing to look presentable to society began with a reprimand about scuffed shoes. For others, it was a warning about stray hairs, an untidy hairline, trousers that needed pressing or a last-minute stain. A parent was often ready to send you back to the mirror, unwilling to let you leave looking as though nobody at home had taken the time to care for you.

Behind these admonitions was an uneasy mixture of affection and discipline. Taking pride in one’s appearance communicated dignity, but it also reflected the demands of respectability in a world where Black people have often worked exceptionally hard for recognition routinely afforded to others.

No one needed to grow up attending church to appreciate the ethic of “Sunday Best.” Rooted in traditions of dressing for worship, the practice reflects a collective belief that appearance can express reverence for an occasion and regard for those with whom we share it.

‘Sunday Best’ exhibition at the AGO

At the opening of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s “Sunday Best: The Power & The Glory of Black Style,” the crowd understood the assignment. Attendees arrived dressed to impress, bringing sartorial flair to the celebration.

Conceived and curated by a transnational team, including AGO curator Julie Crooks and fashion historian Jason Cyrus, with Amanda Bock and Clare Sauro, “Sunday Best” brings together garments, photographs and personal effects spanning Black diasporic life from the 1880s to the present.

Displays of church fashion recall generations of Black women and the splendour of dress for Sunday worship. Elsewhere, the distinctive uniforms of the Black Panther Party are on display, a nod to the role clothing and fashion play in political organizing.

The exhibition also honours Black dandies, alongside those who have challenged........

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