Why Men’s Leather Jackets Never Go Out of Style
While the concept of fashion changes with every passing year, and especially with every passing generation, men’s leather jackets have something unique about them. Decades have passed since leather jackets have been worn in a particular style, yet interestingly they are as fashionable and loved today as they were decades ago. Here are some possible reasons for it.
Reasons Jackets never go out of style for Men?
Below are some of the given reasons.
They always have been useful:
Throughout our history, we had many fashion statements that were good only for aesthetics but had no practical benefit. This goes from various types of clothing to mustache or hairstyles. On the other hand, men’s leather jackets although have been really fashionable, it was beneficial for the people. The most common case is keeping them warm in winters.
This puts in the concept of what we call “utilitarianism”. It is basically the idea in which people look for the maximum benefit, or in this case something that holds maximum benefit for the maximum number of people. Jackets have been a utilitarian piece of clothing.
It is not as if only one type of people wore it, and thought it looked cool. The society wore and benefited from it collectively, so it was not just a trend, but became a part of our lifestyle. Much like how drinking water is important for us, although there are a thousand different kinds of beverages.
Men’s leather jackets have nothing controversial about them:
This is another important factor that distinguished men’s leather jackets to other kinds of fashion statements. When a new style or fashion statement is introduced, it is only a select group of people that readily follow it. These are the kind of people who want to try something new; want to taste the beauty of unexplored aesthetics, or want to see themselves differently to others.
- When it comes to their fashion, they have to force it within society.
- Not only they have to justify their style, they have to convince people what they are doing is something everyone should try.
- This is why we see two kinds of fashion statements in history, those that were successful and became widespread, and others that started and died with these revolutionaries.
However, the existence of leather jackets as a fashion statement had a paradigm shift. More than seeing it as something that is contrary to conservative, people saw it as something that will protect them from the harshness of winter; pretty much how bikers found leather jackets as the best material to use when riding. It was more of a commodity than just a revolutionary statement even since its inception.
It became something owned by the society:
Every fashion statement that existed in the past, and even now, had a particular pattern to it. It was mostly the people of the higher classes or much fame that would try something new. Depending on the reaction and the very nature of the fabric of society, it would become a common fashion statement in the society, but only amongst the higher classes. The poor were usually not able to afford those fashion statements at such a stage in their development or were utterly unconcerned.
However, as the fashion got out of style within those classes, their prices would go down and it would be turn for the poor or lower middle class to make it their fashion statement. However, if we consider the men’s leather jackets, just a pattern has not been followed.
Men’s leather jackets never had classist implications to them. It came as a thing worn by all, which never made it “cool” or “unique”. When something does not hold such a special status, it has no reason to die down. It becomes an integral part of society, and everyone wears this piece of fashion with the same intensity.
It is worn by people of all ages:
One other important thing we need to understand about fashion is the fact that it gets common within just one age group. For example, children have one pattern of fashion that exists only within the same group of children. The same goes for teenagers, adults and the elderly. Though the fashion statement may transfer from one age group to another, it would not simultaneously exist in all of them altogether.
However, this was not the case with men’s leather jackets. Leather jackets were (as are today) as enthusiastically by young men as they were worn by children, teenagers, or even old people (interestingly). Since it existed throughout the age groups, it never found an opportunity to die down.
Young boys saw leather jackets as a fashion statement. As they grew up to be teens, it was also a style within the teenagers, so they continued wearing this piece of clothing. Such circumstances kept existing until those groups of young boys ended up in old age. Such a fluid pattern keeps existing and young boys today will have the same experience all the way to their old age.
It has become a classic:
Classics are something highly regarded within the society as inherently beautiful and aesthetic. Men’s formal suits and women’s formal skirts are an example of it. However, another example that is of much concern to us is also the men’s leather jackets.
Our society at one point in time, for reasons unknown, decided that starting today the men’s leather jackets are a classic. While I truly do not understand what makes a fashion statement a classic, it was something that was decided by our society’s collective consciousness.
It could be that because men’s leather jackets had no classing implication to them to that extent, and that it was material not too expensive to afford, society accepted it as a fundamental part of it, that has served humanity throughout history.
Final Thoughts
While the fashion trends today have become even more radical and will continue to revolutionize as years pass by, men’s leather jackets will still remain a regarded fashion statement. However, that would be another case if global warming reaches a point where winters are eradicated from planet earth.