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Okay, so you wanna look cool. In order to do so, you could take up smoking, get a tattoo, pierce a body part — or, you could forgo those somewhat permanent (and potentially damaging to your health) options and just buy a leather jacket.
Since their inception, leather jackets have been signifiers of cool. Originally sported by aviators and military members in the 1900s, the leather jacket has come to be associated with some of the coolest people and pop culture moments: the Punk movement, Marlon Brando in The Wild One, actual bikers, Brad Pitt in Fight Club, and most recently, Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems — the list goes on. But despite populating popular culture for what seems like forever, why is the number of men wearing leather jackets so small in actuality? Despite being frequently touted as an essential item every guy should own, the real-life men donning them are few-and-far-between. Again, why?
My personal theory is that men, yes you, are afraid to wear them. As ridiculous as that may sound, with such bastions of coolness to live up to (I mean, we’re talking about Marlon Brando and Brad Pitt, people) it’s understandable why one might be hesitant to try it themselves. For all that fall into the camp of the reticent: don’t fear the leather jacket. While you may think they’re only reserved for fictional characters portrayed by extremely attractive actors, it’s completely feasible for any regular ol’ Joe to wear one and not look like an impostor. It’s just all about finding the leather jacket that’s right for you.
You’re probably inclined to think of biker jackets as being your only option for leather outerwear, but there’s plenty of iterations of the style, as evidenced below. If you’re at a loss for how to style one, it’s best to remember that simplicity is key: a white tee, jeans, pretty much any shoes and whatever leather jacket matches most with your sartorial preferences, and you’ll look like one of those enviable people who can look stylish without trying — and most importantly, you’ll look cool.
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