The sheer range of styles, colours and detailing of women’s leather jackets makes it almost impossible to condense into a short piece, but suffice it to say that the biker look probably accounts for a tiny percentage of the whole. That said, as the original leather jacket to popularise this item of outer wear, the biker jacket does deserve reverence as a style icon. And like its original wearers, the leather jacket has been on something of a journey. Suede jackets, leather jackets’ brushed cousin, were never going to be far behind, usually offering a slightly more sophisticated air to the look.

The leather jacket started its fashion life as a very functional way of keeping the wind chill off the body at high speed and offering protection against the ravages of falls and skids; modern motorcycle racers still wear leather suits for the same reasons. Leather itself has been used for thousands of years, from our cave-dwelling ancestors, through all-conquering Romans and up to the wartime pilots and rear gunners. It perhaps comes as no surprise that there’s still a sense of the primal about leather, even though it has now been refined and improved enough to become almost as soft as silk (and available in pink).

But despite its gentrification, the leather or suede jacket still has that rebellious streak running through it. Turning up at a party wearing a leather jacket over your frock says you mean business. It says you might look stunning and exquisite underneath but it’s for one night only – you’ve actually got the soul of a snake. Or it might just be a bit cold. There are always different ways to look at fashion.

While the original leathers were tough, black, padded and insulated, with time they adapted themselves to the whole range of tastes (and lack thereof). Women’s leather and suede jackets in particular covered every passing fashion phase. Followers of rock, punk, indie, hip hop, glam, country and western and 80s pop could all call upon a certain style that would instantly identify their tribe. The differences could be subtle: a narrow, tailored suede jacket would belong to someone at the chic end of the spectrum; plenty of chrome zips and you’re definitely no stranger to oil and head-banging.

The legacy of all these shifting tastes and multiple styles is a massive collection of leather and suede jackets in the vintage clothing stores, second only to jeans and denim jackets by quantity. Perhaps it’s because the jacket is really the only way of wearing leather that doesn’t make the wearer look like they’re trying too hard. Case in point: leather trousers, which are incredibly difficult to pull off in everyday situations and are best left to our trusty rock singers and movie stars. So if you’re looking for a little leather number, take a lesson from history to see what does and does not work. You might be surprised at the results – and you don’t have to look like you just dismounted from a Harley-Davidson.

Author Bio: Vintage fashion styles for both men and women are very varied. Traditional items such as leather and suede jackets for women are always in demand at vintage clothing stores. Nigel reports on women\’s vintage fashion and accessories online.

Category: Culture
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