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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Introduction to leather jackets

Leather jackets have gained iconic status. They are generally gray, black or brown in color. A leather jacket can be styled in many different ways and be associated with various lifestyles, professions and people. Leather jackets are a common feature among bikers, people in the army, navy and air force, policemen and outlaws.

History of the leather jacket

Leather jackets first gained popularity in the 1950s, when they were worn by two of the movies’ most dazzling portrayals of machismo, by Marlon Brando as Johnny Strabler in 'The Wild One' and 'Rebel Without a Cause'. The leather jacket was later worn by other actors, and it became a famous pop icon. The leather jacket once more won a place of honor when it was donned by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 'The Terminator'. Arnold's character supposedly stole the jacket from a Hell's Angel.

A-2 Leather jacket

Most of the A-2 leather jackets made before the war and during wartime were made of horsehide although there were some constructed of goatskin as was the Navy's G-1 jacket. There could have also been some jackets made from cowhide or steerhide. Most of these hides were either chrome tanned and or vegetable tanned.

The theme of leather jackets

Leather jackets are not necessarily meant only for special occasion wear; they can stand up to the rigors of everyday life, as well as serve as evening wear. This type of clothing has achieved an iconic status in the 20th century, thanks largely to the movies. It has become associated with various subcultures over the course of the last century. For instance, leather jackets have often been associated with bikers, pilots, punks and police officers.

CONCLUSION

Depending on the quality, leather jackets usually last long. They are easy to maintain and seldom need to be professionally cleaned, but when required, cleaning should be done by a professional, since with each cleaning, leather loses a bit of its dye and needs to be refinished.