The History of the Leather Jacket

The topic for this post was not my idea but one my friend Genevieve gave me. I had been watching Star Wars Episode II when I decided enough was enough - my creative juices were bored and needed stimulating. So, as habit, I sat down and wondered about what I should write this evening. Genevieve had told me that submitting an essay, proposal or opinion piece to the New Yorker was something she had considered doing, and when deliberating article topics came across "The history of the leather jacket". And that, friends, is how the proceeding article came to be.

The leather jacket has been seen in mainstream media since the late 50s. Along with the proliferation of Rock n' Roll, the adolescent "bad-boy" image has been an amalgamation of: 1) the cigarette 2) brylcreem 3) tight jean pants 4) Chuck Taylor sneakers 5) the infamous black leather bomber jacket.

But what was the first instance in which the leather jacket made an appearance on screen? Was this defining moment the leading cause in the incredible boom of popularity this jacket received?

According to ssense.com, the leather jacket had become a staple after being showcased as the quintessential item worn by aviators in World War I. Prominently resulting from functionality, these leather jackets were often bulky and lined with fleece to protect the pilots from the elements.

In 1928, brothers Irving and Jack Schott created the iconic "Perfecto" style. It was cut in thick leather and featured wide lapels and hefty zippers. For this reason bikers began to don this jacket as it was sturdy enough to protect them from elements as they zipped through the freeways. In the 1930s the leather jacket made its appearance in the infamous Harley Davidson fashion line, rapidly increasing its popularity and being the first line to distribute this style of jacket.

The Perfecto was cut in thick leather, and featured wide snap-buttoned lapels and heavy zippers, making it durable enough to protect motorcyclists in the event of an accident,. It quickly became a popular choice among the biker gangs of the 1930s, and soon the Perfecto became as infamous as the bikers who wore it, gaining a reputation through brands like Harley Davidson, the jacket’s first distributor. It wasn’t long before the leather jacket, and the Perfecto style in particular, was immortalized via Hollywood’s influence. Marlon Brando’s Perfecto fromThe Wild Onebecame the ultimate symbol of bad-boy notoriety

The Perfecto was cut in thick leather, and featured wide snap-buttoned lapels and heavy zippers, making it durable enough to protect motorcyclists in the event of an accident,. It quickly became a popular choice among the biker gangs of the 1930s, and soon the Perfecto became as infamous as the bikers who wore it, gaining a reputation through brands like Harley Davidson, the jacket’s first distributor. It wasn’t long before the leather jacket, and the Perfecto style in particular, was immortalized via Hollywood’s influence. Marlon Brando’s Perfecto fromThe Wild Onebecame the ultimate symbol of bad-boy notoriety

 The Ramones rocking the Perfecto

 Hollywood began to put their hands into the Perfecto jacket cookie jar. It appeared on the backs of the most famous stars:

 Marlon Brando rockin' the Perfecto in "The Wild One"

 Tom Cruise and his skins on "Top Gun"

 As youth culture began to take hold of popular culture, and as the "Greaser" phenomenon appeared in books like S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" and the 1978 version of Grease, the jacket got a taste of the limelight and has been revered as a vital piece in your wardrobe collection ever since.

Unpaid Internships - What's the Big Idea?!

As a recent graduate from the University of Toronto, I am now standing on a precipice which looks  out over a world which extends into the vast corners of the earth: opportunity. But where do I start? With an English major and Political Science, Media Studies minors, I have acquired skills in deep thinking, critical engagement and analytical observance. I am a half-decent writer, I enjoy reading and researching. However I have had minimal contact with Microsoft Excel and other such programs which most jobs require their rookies to have mastered. Mastering these programs will not be a hindrance as I learn quickly. But what happens when the job I am aiming for requires three to five years experience in the administrative field, or in a managerial position?

Where do I get this experience??

Toronto will answer this question by suggesting the most repelling option, in my opinion, devoid of any degree of serious consideration: an unpaid internship.

You're going to tell me that I am going to come to work, to sit at my desk from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, do as I am told, produce what has been asked of me, attend the delegated meetings and make not a cent of dough.

You are wrong, economic pothole, you are wrong.

I have gathered several articles from the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail explaining what factors go into corporations' decisions to offer unpaid internships.

What it comes down to, you ask? Their own convenience.

In a quivering economy, it makes sense in the eyes of the capitalists to hire recent graduates desperate for work for free. And I quote, "The idea of unpaid intern, therefore, has never been more attractive. Free labour, light administrative obligations, and limited or no work-related liability -- money saved thus is money earned, right?"

Forgive me for scowling.

An article entitled, "Unpaid Internships: Avoiding exploitation and lawsuits" and written by Vikram Barhat for the Toronto Star, outlines, to a graduates favour, the ways businesses cannot continue to employ students at no cost due to regulations in the Employment Standards Act. He thoroughly explains the loopholes which businesses may use to their benefit to hire prospective employees and leave them unpaid. However, and I paraphrase here, for the majority of new-comers, the Employment Standards Act protects us and requires that providing training elicits at least minimum-wage pay.

This is the article: 
"Unpaid Internships" by Toronto Star's Vikram Barhat





To be continued...

Orwell's "1984"

I'm currently half-way through this rich politically charged novel and decided it was time to convey my thoughts. Apologies for any spoilers.

1) I am yet to grasp how it was that Orwell wrote of this dystopic realism back in 1949. Almost prophetic in nature, the content he includes which entails detailed description of highly organized society, an oligarchic approach to political control and the technological advances which suprecedes that of the 80s is mind-blowing.

2) Orwell has kept me on my toes. I have grown to resent Big Brother and their all-encompassing ideals about renouncing history and asserting hegemonic control. Winston, the protagonist, and his love relations with Julia have weaned my support and confidence. I wish them the best - whatever that may be.

3) Goldstein lives! The Brotherhood reigns! How glad I was to learn of this.

4) Anyone suspect O'Brien's waiter of disloyalty? He seems to shield any emotive response that might arise far too well. Those of the Brotherhood are free in their elations of dissent, when able to safely reveal them. This waiter seems too reserved and composed.

5) Check this out:

An Album A Year 1963-2013

Flavorwire has collated a list of the best albums released in 50 years. These albums must be listened to from start to finish. They are to be viewed as projects intended to present themselves as meticulous collections organized with furtive intent. You are not to "shuffle" arond with these pieces of work, you are to let them tell their story from beginning to end without disruption and interference.

And now, here they are.

1963: James Brown — Live at the Apollo

1964: Nina Simone — In Concert

1965: John Coltrane — A Love Supreme

1966: Bob Dylan — Blonde on Blonde

1967: Leonard Cohen — Songs of Leonard Cohen

1968: Johnny Cash — At Folsom Prison

1969: The Velvet Underground — The Velvet Underground

1970: The Stooges — Fun House

1971: Sly and the Family Stone — There’s a Riot Goin’ On

1972: Can — Ege Bamyasi

1973: Brian Eno — Here Come the Warm Jets

1974: Betty Davis — They Say I’m Different

1975: Patti Smith — Horses

1976: Ramones — Ramones

1977: David Bowie — Low

1978: X-Ray Spex — Germfree Adolescents

1979: The Clash — London Calling1980: Fela Kuti — Coffin for Head of State

1981: The Gun Club — Fire of Love

1982: Michael Jackson — Thriller

1983: Tom Waits — Swordfishtrombones

1984: This Mortal Coil — It’ll End in Tears

1985: Kate Bush — Hounds of Love

1986: Throwing Muses — Throwing Muses

1987: Prince — Sign ‘O’ the Times

1988: Sonic Youth — Daydream Nation

1989: Janet Jackson — Rhythm Nation 1814

1990: Public Enemy — Fear of a Black Planet

1991: Massive Attack —Blue Lines

1992: L7 — Bricks Are Heavy

1993: Nirvana — In Utero

1994: Nas — Illmatic

1995: Radiohead — The Bends

1996: Manic Street Preachers — Everything Must Go

1997: Spiritualized — Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space

1998: Neutral Milk Hotel — In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

1999: Mos Def — Black on Both Sides

2000: At the Drive-In — Relationship of Command

2001: Missy Elliott — Miss E… So Addictive

2002: William Basinksi — The Disintegration Loops

2003: Cat Power — You Are Free

2004: Electrelane — The Power Out

2005: Fiona Apple — Extraordinary Machine

2006: Joanna Newsom — Ys

2007: of Montreal — Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

2008: Portishead — Third

2009: Fever Ray — Fever Ray

2010: Janelle Monáe — The ArchAndroid

2011: Lost Animal — Lost Animal — Ex-Tropical

2012: Swans — The Seer

2013 (thus far): Standish/Carlyon — Deleted Scenes


FLAVORWIRE - 50 ALBUMS

Good day, chaps

Although unsure about where this blog will take me, my goal is to provide you with a myriad of stories - both fictional and not, photos of things and people I admire, a retelling of my personal experiences, book reviews and other such uncategorised things.

Hopefully this array of information will rouse your imagination and get your creative juices flowing. As for me, I will be developing my writing skills and maintaining a record of my ideas, dreams and interests.

Enjoy