The Look That Spoke explores how Black entertainers, from minstrelsy to modern music, have used costume and personal style as acts of resistance, storytelling, and self-archiving. Spanning genres like gospel, Motown, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, the book reveals how Black style shaped American cultural identity from the margins. It reclaims costume design as a central force in legacy building, not just for the stage—but for history itself.