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.