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I was looking
through a women's mag the other day (as is my wont!) and reading
a feature about the little black dress - or the LBD as they so succinctly
call it - and how it's always transcended fashion to become every
gal's
must-have accessory.
It got me thinking
about the leather jacket, which I guess is Rock's equivalent, a
classic item of clothing.
| "Looking
mean and magnificently moody in his beat up jacket, the blurred
Silver Beatles passing by, it looks like a second skin on him..." |
I only got around
to owning a leather myself last year when a friend bought me one
for my birthday. So now in
my mind's eye, I look as rakish as the Fonze did in TV's
'Happy Days'!
But leathers go
back further than that.
The jacket of choice
for Marlon Brando and biker gang friends in the classic 50s
flick 'The Wild One', the movie also featured the immortal line
(aimed at Brando)... "What ya rebelling against?"
- "What ya got?", he sneers in reply.
Dangerous
and menacing
 |
| The
Strokes
demonstrating the enduring appeal of 'the leather' |
It was soon embraced
by King Rockers like Elvis and Gene Vincent, and over
the years has been worn by everyone from The Beatles in Hamburg,
the Rockers during the seaside riots of the 60s, Springsteen
and 70s punks like The Ramones and The Clash, via
George 'Faith' Michael in the 80s, all the way down to The
Strokes, The Libertines and many others de nos jours.
Not everyone though
can carry it off with such aplomb - as Michael Jackson (circa
the Bad album) bore witness. Pur-lease!
For me, he looked
about as dangerous and menacing as John Inman on a dark night
and dressed up as a Hell's Angel!
Timeless
essence
 |
| A
leather-clad John Lennon,
before Brian Epstein's grooming
lessons kicked in |
My favourite iconic
rock photograph featuring the leather (and there really are so many
to choose from) would have to be Jurgen Vollmer's study of
a teenage John Lennon in a Hamburg doorway, which was used
to wonderful effect on his 'Rock n Roll' album.
Looking mean and
magnificently moody in his beat up jacket, the blurred Silver Beatles
passing by, it looks like a second skin on him. As for me, it encapsulates
everything about the leather jacket and its cool, timeless essence.
Talking of The
Fabs, my pride and joy has to be a Paul McCartney self-portrait
I own of a young, leather-wearing Macca in his Hamburg days...signed
Elvis McCartney!
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