
Picture this. You walk into a smoky nightclub. You look around and see people wearing black suits, white shirts, and black ties. People are drinking whiskey. People are smoking cigars. You see a beautiful woman in a stunning red dress. Now what is the first word that comes to mind? For many people including myself, the word that comes to mind is classy. The kind of people you would expect to find in this scene are suave, rich moguls who have just the right amount of condescension. However, that picture of class is a little out of date. In Justin Timberlake’s first hit since his “bad boy” days, “Suit and Tie” shows us the essence of class. J.T. and Jay Z collaborate in this music video to show us the new, modern, classy side of music. Who better than these two to show us class? In this music video, Timberlake and Jay Z show us that class has evolved over time, and gender standards that were once associated with class, are now extinct

The first thing that we notice in “Suit and Tie” is the comparison between what appears to be the roaring twenties and today. J. Paul Getty said it best when he said, "The roaring twenties were the period of that great American prosperity which was built on shaky foundations." (Getty). Images we see in “Suit and Tie” remind us of that “period of great American prosperity”, such as the old-fashioned microphone, cigars, and flappers. These images are placed in this music video to remind us of what class looked like at that point in time. Now, many changes have been made since the roaring twenties, but the truth still holds: Wearing a suit and tie looks amazing. Even though all of us don’t smoke like chimneys, we can still achieve this level of class that is being shown to us by wearing a suit and tie. This comparison continues to reappear until Jay Z comes out on stage. As soon as he starts rapping, the imagery changes. No longer is it classy and respectable, but most of the time, we see a woman dancing very suggestively. This represents the modern day, where people aren’t measured by what they are worth, but rather, who they are with. As the definition of class changed over time, so the imagery changes over the time of the video. The imagery continues to evolve, even after Jay Z has left the stage, and the music returns to its upbeat tempo. Even though things have changed, one thing has not, the suit and tie. Everyone, both men and women are wearing suit and ties and this is the evolution of class, that it isn’t just men who deserve the title of “classy” but everyone. 

The gender standards formed over time have broken down, but in “Suit and Tie’s” depiction of the roaring twenties, they are alive again. Since this video is partially based in the roaring twenties, it is only appropriate that everything about the film changes, even the gender standards. At the beginning of the video, we see men and women in two very separate and distinct ways. For men, the standard set is one of class and dignity. The video is practically telling us that men are to wear suit and ties and drink whiskey and smoke cigars all day. For women, it is also a very different view. Women are identified by their boyfriend or husband, and that is what gives them their worth. We see in the beginning, Justin Timberlake and his girlfriend or wife, after just waking up, and while the woman is still in bed, Justin is getting a massage from a different woman, and there seems to be no issue with this whatsoever. This pattern continues throughout the film until Jay Z comes out. Then all barriers are broken down. All gender standards that have been set up are viciously torn down. Women are dancing like they wouldn’t have in the roaring twenties. Women are also wearing a suit and tie, an image which was and still is mostly associated with men. After this shift, the spotlight, which had been taken by men up until this point, is taken over by a woman. What used to be gender standards become a celebration of gender, and not how we’re different, but how we’re alike. When you think of class, you don’t think of exclusion, or judgement. You think of suavity, and inclusion. A man of class doesn’t judge others, but invites them and celebrates with them. This lesson is one of many taught by Justin Timberlake and Jay Z in “Suit and Tie”.

“Suit and Tie” has shown us that class is not what it used to be. No longer are the days of whiskey and cigars, but today’s definition of class is inclusive and not based off of genders. Some may see this as just a music video, but what better platform to bring up important issues? Music is a part of almost every life, so why not make it mean something? Class is not something that can just be defined in books, but should be defined by the general culture, and this is exactly what “Suit and Tie” does. Besides, who better to teach us about class than Justin Timberlake and Jay Z? These two might be two of the classiest men in today’s society. They have shown the public that being classy is something to aspire to, and that the once negative connotations have gone away. Justin Timberlake and Jay Z have proved that class is something that everyone can achieve.
