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Leather Jackets in 1905

Dinerman

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In the 1800s, leather jackets saw use mainly as protective garments. They were worn by lumbermen and by dockworkers, but had not entered the realm of "fashion". Many period descriptions of them described them as cold and cumbersome and their tailoring as being of poor quality. For outerwear, wool was decidedly the norm. Early motorists favored cotton and linen for dust protection, and rubber garments against the wind and rain. Motorcyclists still predominantly wore tweed and whipcord. Although leather jackets like these gained favor with the automobile crowd, they were still specialized garments, not streetwear. The leather jacket wouldn't come into widespread popularity and acceptance until the 1920s.

The New York leather man in 1885. Though not typical, this is the sort of image of crudely made, patchwork leather garments the ads below conjure.


As the 20th century dawned, leather jackets started appearing more frequently on the market. Here are some early examples, from 1905. They were made by Oscar Henriques and Company, 21 Citygade, Copenhagen, Denmark, were made of kidskin leather, and were imported and sold by Sak's Fifth Avenue in New York City.

This plate describes reasons why the leather jacket had not caught on previously on the American market, describing American tanned leathers as "hard" and "stiff", and the quality of American leather tailoring as low grade. While some of this is almost certainly exaggeration for the sake of selling more of these Danish-made leather jackets, other sources confirm these descriptions.


Another plate, also disparaging the quality of the American leather jacket industry. The waist length double breasted styling is similar to what would become the "aviator" or "motorcycle" jacket by the 1930s.


Another short style which appears to be an ancestor of the modern motorcycle jacket. This was designed to be worn as a sleeved waistcoat, underneath other clothing. The high buttoning double breasted style (without sleeves), was known as a "Russian Vest"


The Russian Vest
 
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Dinerman

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Full length coats were also produced.

Note the description of American-made coats, that individual pieces were small, and colors patchy.


 

Dinerman

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American manufacturers also were in on the game, producing similarly designed garments. These ads are from "Our Own Mfg. Co." and also date from 1905.



 

Stanley Doble

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Leather coats, jackets and breeches were common wear of the working class in the 19th century and earlier. In Shakespeare's time the leather jerkin or sleeveless jacket was a high fashion garment. I don't suppose there was ever a time leather clothes were not worn by somebody.

Albert Einstein's favorite outfit was a turtleneck sweater, leather jacket and dungarees. This was the uniform of the student radical in his youth, borrowed from the working class of the 1890s.

Mayhew's "London Labor and the London Poor" speaks of leather breeches being a popular item in the used clothing trade because "they will wear forever and look elegant after that". This was in the early to mid 1850s.
 
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Stearmen

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It was WWI aviators that captured the emagination of the public, and catapulted leather into the fashion world. This lasted right up to WWII. Then, The Wild One came out, and only thugs wore leather jackets. Fortunately, flying movies of the 80s, and the whole Harley RUB thing has brought them back.
 

Fastuni

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Thanks for the scans and effort Dinerman!

Another short style which appears to be an ancestor of the modern motorcycle jacket. This was designed to be worn as a sleeved waistcoat,
underneath other clothing.

The sleeved waistcoat was a jacket in it's own right - "waistcoat" refers to the cut of the body. At least by the 1920's it was worn as a sportive short jacket... of course one could wear a coat or over-jacket on top of it. Maybe this was different in the first decade of the 20th century. Do you by chance have evidence of these garments to be worn as waistcoats under another jacket?
 

Buco

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Fantastic read, thanks dinerman.

I had a jacket recently that was very similar in style to one of those in the pictures. I had it down as 1930s, suppose it possibly could have been even earlier

 

Fanch

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Very interesting tutorial. I have been hooked on leather jackets ever since I was issued my US Navy G-1 in 1967, which by the way fit perfectly, with the exception of sleeves that were too short (stork arms). ;):D
 

Metatron

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Thanks for the post dinerman.

'While the leather isn't of the very highest grade' I've never seen such honesty in an advertisement before.
Also: $100? Must have been a high premium at the time.
 

rocketeer

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It was WWI aviators that captured the emagination of the public, and catapulted leather into the fashion world. This lasted right up to WWII. Then, The Wild One came out, and only thugs wore leather jackets. Fortunately, flying movies of the 80s, and the whole Harley RUB thing has brought them back.
Harley RUB? Had to look that up. Guessing Wild Hogs comes to mind. Very similar to what us sports bike riders refer to as 'All the Gear, No idea'
Some great coats there, mostly suited to pre WWI bikes and cars etc.
I dont have a pic but a guy in the south of England rides a retro Flying Merkal wearing similar garments and tall boots.
 

Dinerman

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Thanks for the scans and effort Dinerman!



The sleeved waistcoat was a jacket in it's own right - "waistcoat" refers to the cut of the body. At least by the 1920's it was worn as a sportive short jacket... of course one could wear a coat or over-jacket on top of it. Maybe this was different in the first decade of the 20th century. Do you by chance have evidence of these garments to be worn as waistcoats under another jacket?

Another ad from 1908 for the same model of sleeved leather waistcoat reads "for wear under fur or cloth coats". An ad from 1905 from the same maker for the single breasted version of that waistcoat reads, "Prudence suggests a (leather) waistcoat for winter service under a coat of fur, leather or cloth, since in a careless moment one is apt to throw off the outer garment and suffer the penalty." The ad I have posted reads, "For those who cannot reconcile themselves to a garment of leather for conventional reasons, yet demand the absolute protection which it affords, this waistcoat suggests itself".
 

Dinerman

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Fantastic read, thanks dinerman.

I had a jacket recently that was very similar in style to one of those in the pictures. I had it down as 1930s, suppose it possibly could have been even earlier

It's possible. That European style remained essentially unchanged from the late 1800s through until the 1950s.
 

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