Dressed To Kill

Lecture Notes

The Leather Jacket

The leather jacket has become a staple of the modern wardrobe. It has become synonymous with effortless cool and rebellion, yet is now a widely accepted part of fashion. Originating from American and British air force pilots in the early 1900's the leather flight jacket was durable and protected the body. The Scott Brothers remodeled the jacket to be less restrictive and marketed towards motorbike riders. Sold in Harley Davidson shops for $5 the jacket quickly found a home with the biker gangs of Southern California, think Hell's Angel's etc. These gangs were filled with WW2 veterans who were disillusioned with the America. This is where the link to non conformity and rebellion started with the leather jacket. Customised with gang names the jacket became a well known symbol of bikers and a uniform for their gangs, the jacket was durable and and still very protective using thick hard leather which protected men in fights and when riding in the California deserts. 

In 1953 the film 'The Wild One' was released starring Marlon Brando. Brando plays a biker of course wearing the famous leather jacket. Brando's character resignated with hypermasculine males who identified as the outsider and the anti hero and of course adopted Brando's leather clad aesthetic. In 1955 the jacket was banned from American high schools a sign that the jacket was seen as an insighter of violence and rebellion against establishment. Other sub sections also adopted the jacket, The Black Panthers used it as a uniform to show militance among their protests, queer men challenged stereotypical gender ideals by claming the hypermasculine jacket, skin heads and punks customised and made the jacket an icon through notable names like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Joan Jett and Blondie.

The jacket had always been widely available to the working class after WW2 as surplus of jackets were sent to American thrift shops allowing the youth to claim them. Although the jacket has always been a symbol of rebellion it has now been integrated into modern life and fashion. Some may argue the idea of rebellion has now been completely lost with brands such as Gucci selling jackets for $13,000 but I still believe the jacket holds a certain image and still conjures thoughts of bad boys and bikers that given the history will never be diminished.