Whenever the winter hits you, it’s time to call your life saver “A Leather Jacket”. Whether you want to go on a trip with your friends or there is a family dinner night, a leather jacket not only saves you from catching a cold but also enhances your look.
This classy and timeless wardrobe staple has been in fashion for decades. It has changed from a need to a want for many years. Now you will be wondering how.
That’s why we are here to tell you. In this article, we have discussed how the leather jacket was born and evolved over many years. Thus, keep reading to know more about it.
How Leather Jackets Evolve From Time To Time: From 1900 To Today
From a uniform to daily wear, the development of leather jackets was incredible. This outerwear has been used to symbolise badassness and coolness over the years. Originating from a functional piece for military people to the fashion icon of as genuine leather jackets, it is a necessary clothing piece in the wardrobe. Let’s have a look at how the evolution starts and where it ends.
In The 1900s: As A Military Wear
The journey started in the early 1900s; leather jackets originated as military wear. It happened when the United States Army Aviation Clothing Board came up with the idea of “flight jackets” in 1917.
As in WWI, the cockpits of fighter planes were open-air, and it was difficult for pilots to survive the weather and wind. Thus, they think about a rigid and tough fabric: leather. And they made “bomber jackets” from that. This innovation aimed to keep the pilots warm and safe even at high altitudes.
In The 1928s: As A Civilian Fashion Garment
After that, Irving Schott got inspired by military jackets and launched leather jackets for civilians. But there was a slight change in the features of the jacket. Instead of using the buttons, Irving came up with the zipper front closure jacket, as you can see on the pelle pelle jacket. He designed these leather jackets for daily wear, so the riders can comfortably lean on the bike.
Moreover, he named these jackets after his favorite cigar brand, Perfecto. And it became the biker’s favorite garment too as it was sold for only 5.50$.
In The 1950s: As A Symbol Of Rebellions
As time passed, in the 1950s, Hollywood didn’t stay behind and presented 2 movies with the characters wearing leather jackets.
The first one is “The Wild One” in the 1953s. Marlon Brando was the first actor to wear a leather jacket on the big screen. After that, it created hype because the character wearing the leather jacket symbolised badassness who could fight against evil.
Secondly, in 1955 in the movie “Rebel Without A Cause”. James Dean played the character of a bad boy wearing a leather jacket. Thus it also represents rebellious behavior.
Due to these movies, leather jackets were associated with gangsters or bad boys.
In The 1960s: As A Pop Culture Icon
When the 1950s passed, the leather jacket became more popular in the 1960s. After the American actor “Steve McQueen” who wears a leather jacket, started calling as “King of Cool”.
Moreover, it became a pop culture icon when the band “The Beatles” appeared with a leather jacket to the mainstream. People see it as a fascinating fashion staple back then.
Between 1970s to 1980s: As A Women Fashion
How can women stay behind when this piece of cloth becomes a fashion of the streets?
Between the 1970s to 1980s, it arose as women’s fashion too. Joan Jett and Blondie were the first females who wore these jackets; they both were musicians. It allows women to style this outerwear as well.
Change of The Representation
The popularity of leather jackets didn’t end here. There was a TV show, “Happy Days”, in which “Fonzie” tried to convert the representation of this outwear as the bad boy into a cool and good one.
But on the other hand, some bands didn’t back off from showing off their rebellious personalities by wearing leather jackets. Some famous names are The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, and Duran Duran.
This moment gives a shift to the image of the leather jacket. And people started wearing it casually as well.
Between 1990s to 2000s: As a Part of Culture and Fashion
In the years 1990s to 2000s, the rebel image of leather jackets ended. Due to this change, many music bands started wearing jackets like Backstreet Boys, and they became a part of culture and fashion.
Moreover, businesses started releasing their jackets, like the Dr pepper jacket, which also became a source of promotion.
Today:
From military clothing to contemporary items, these jackets have evolved so much.
Currently, you can see a lot of variations of it, like bomber jackets, varsity jackets, or biker jackets. And that’s not it; people are now also experimenting with different colors and attachments like studs, gems, and laces. Moreover, you can also add customization to it as well by incorporating patches or printing on it.
Moreover, leather jackets don’t specify any particular identity or group now. It becomes a wardrobe essential for both men and women and can be styled in many ways.
Conclusion:
With the changing world, our fashion industry changes too. But the only thing that never goes out of trend is a leather jacket. And you can also see its consistent popularity in our article.
So whether you want to stay warm in winter or style for a party, a leather jacket is always there. It’s always people’s number one choice, as it’s durable, thick, and tough. So it can be your best friend for years as well.
The journey of the history of leather jackets was so exciting, starting from a battlefield and coming to the fashion industry. It’s a long way to go, but you will be amazed if you want to see how it evolved from a button-down to a zipper one and now into many variations.
Moreover, nowadays, you can see people of all classes wearing it. From an actor to several street-going people, there is no end to it. But people also avoid it, as they still perceive it as a bad boy loo. As every person has their preferences, many fabrics try to beat leather, but they can’t overcome its luxury and class.
