A Look at Motorcycle Fashion Over the Years

The birth of the modern motorcycle is often traced back to 1884 with Edward Butler’s three-wheeled Butler Petrol Cycle. However, it doesn’t take an expert to notice that the design is a little different.

At this time, motorcycle fashion was practically non-existent. For a variety of reasons, you probably wouldn’t be able to pick motorcyclists out of a crowd. That’s because at this point in history, they mostly just wore what was already in style.

By the 1920s, motorcycles were gaining more traction than they ever had before. This was when competition motorcycling became a popular pastime for people to pay attention to.

Once again, this changed the nature of motorcycle fashion once more. Now, the standard for motorcycling had something to help individuals stand out during a race. Usually, this meant a sweater made of wool specifically for the competition. These varied in color but were almost always bright hues.

There are a few reasons that motorcycle fashion didn’t develop right away. For one, the motorcycle had just come to fruition. There wasn’t a following behind the concept yet.

On the other hand, early motorcycles were much slower and less developed. This meant that motorcyclists didn’t have to dress for the risk of an accident at high speeds. At its fastest, the 1885 Daimler Reitwagen could only go 6.8 miles per hour, so there wasn’t as much of a concern for injury.

There’s a classic look that, today, we associate with motorcycles. This title belongs to the leather motorcycle jackets that have popped up again and again in popular culture.

Before switching to the leather jackets we know today, however, there was the first step into shorter, thicker jackets. In the 1920s, this place was filled with short leather jackets made with horsehide. This was thick enough to offer extra protection and give motorcyclists a bit of insulation from cold weather as well.

Still, the fashion of the time hadn’t quite reached what motorcyclists today wear. There were no heavy-duty helmets or thick leather jackets to keep motorcyclists from harm.

However, they had to start somewhere. In this case, it was their hands and feet. Rather than leaving them exposed, motorcyclists started to wear gauntlet gloves to keep their hands safe. Additionally, footwear was swapped out for long, leather boots that would also protect the calves and shins.

Today, fashion surrounding motorcycles is usually labeled as such. You can even find the perfect leather jacket for your motorcycle needs by looking up “motorcycle jackets.”

You can thank Irving Schott for this. In 1928, he became the first person to design and sell a jacket under the name “motorcycle jacket.” This jacket was known as The Perfecto and it was made with a thick layer of leather, closer to motorcycle jackets today. This would help protect the motorcyclist’s skin.

When it comes to what the standard fashion of the time was, you’ll have to look to the upper class. Of course, this isn’t just because they were remarkable trendsetters in their time.

Rather, motorcycling was prohibitively expensive to own a motorcycle at the time. So, many of the people who owned motorcycles at the time were wealthier men. At the time, motorcycles were seen less as a practical vehicles and more as a fun pastime.

During the early days of the motorcycle, the general consensus for masculine fashion was that sportswear was appropriate. Obviously, this wasn’t like our sportswear today.

Instead, the proper attire to ride a motorcycle at the time was a tweed suit. In the late 19th century, this was what was generally considered sportswear. Dressing in anything else just wasn’t appropriate and would likely face criticism for being inappropriate wear for the activity. This sounds pretty toasty in the summer!

Motorcycle fashion changed, like many things, as the needs of motorcyclists changed. As new models were introduced in the early 20th century, the motorcycle had evolved.

Now, motorcycles were starting to get faster and, thusly, more dangerous. To keep up with this, motorcyclists started to wear more protection when they went out to ride. This way, they were more protected from harm if they were to find themselves in an accident than tweed could offer.

We mentioned before that thick leather jackets weren’t quite in style yet among motorcyclists now. Yet, the style of the jacket was changing from the longer jackets common in the early days of the motorcycle.

The problem with this was that longer jackets like dusters often came with the risk of the jacket getting caught in the motorcycle. That’s why, after the First World War wound down to a close, it became more common to wear a shorter jacket that would stay clear of the wheels at all times.

Earlier, we discussed that wealthy individuals often enjoyed the experience of riding a motorcycle in the countryside. They weren’t the only ones, though.

Although, rather than enjoying their rides, the second group to use the motorcycle regularly was the military during the First World War. As is often the case with fashion, the needs and preferences of this new demographic influenced the forward progression of fashion for motorcycle riders. After all, the needs on the frontlines of WWI often took priority during this period.

As a matter of fact, by this point, the tweed of the late 1800s was pretty much out of fashion for motorcycles. Most of the people riding motorcycles were in more modern sportswear.

Modern, at the time, for sportswear was knickers. These were knee-length bottoms that most men wore during this era during many sports activities. These were often paired with the long boots that we discussed earlier to offer ample protection to the lower part of the legs as well.

Shortly after these helmets came into use among British dispatch riders, that same protection was offered to all riders. In the 1960s, the first one hit the shelves.

This was a helmet designed by Roy Richter of Bell Auto Parts. This was also cork-lined but served as the first full-face helmet. This means that it didn’t just protect the top of the head but offered to provide more protection to the entire skull. This was a big step forward in safety.

Gauntlet gloves were especially handy for protecting the rider’s hands. After all, the style itself was inspired by the gauntlets worn in combat centuries before.

As time passed, the gauntlet glove was replaced with a shorter, cropped glove. These riding gloves still offered a lot of protection to motorcyclist’s hands while reducing some of the bulk of a gauntlet glove. This is an example of how streamlining designs and adding functionality have become important in motorcycle fashion.

Brando brought to life the model of a motorcycle outfit that would inspire generations to come. Not only would Brando rock a leather jacket, but he’d also show off a whole outfit to match.

This is where the motorcycle outfit that was so popular amongst everyone from musicians to motorcyclists to teens came from. With a Perfecto leather jacket, boots, and a pair of blue jeans, the iconic look was set into history. It became an outfit synonymous with rebellion.

The waterproof cotton wasn’t the only recognizing feature of the J. Barbour & Sons jacket. The designers also took what a motorcyclist might carry in mind.

This included a set of four pockets in the jacket. On the upper left side of the design, there was a particularly large pocket. This was made to help motorcyclists carry their maps in a pocket made to fit their size. This way, everything they’d need to navigate was handy.

The boots that became so popular among bikers at the time were engineer boots. These offer far more protection than the average footwear motorcyclists relied on before.

They should offer that protection too! Before they became a staple to motorcycle lovers, they were already in practical protective use. This included helping to protect steam railway engine workers known as firemen or, fittingly, engineers. Lacking laces and using very little stitching, these boots were ready to handle anything the wearers threw at them.

Like we said, from here, motorcycle fashion managed to work its way into the mainstream. Now, you could see your favorite rock stars and punk musician in the leather getup.

In fact, The Wild One had such an effect that it suffered the consequences. The movie was temporarily banned in parts of not only the United States but in the UK as well. Censors at the time feared that it would add to a growing concern about young rebellion and delinquency but that only solidified the movie’s standing.

As we said, musicians weren’t far behind on jumping on board with motorcycle fashion. Oddly enough, even the most counterculture punk bands helped bring the style into the mainstream.

One of the bands most easily recognized for their Perfecto leather jackets is The Ramones. As they started to take off in the 1970s, they opted for a uniform look to go with their matching stage names. So, if you enjoy the intersection of punk and motorcycle fashion, you can thank quintessential punk bands like the Ramones.

One concept about motorcycle fashion that we haven’t touched on yet is the full-body, single-piece leather suit that motorcyclists wear. These offer overall protection to motorcyclists.

This was a style, often referred to as “racing leathers,” that was also developed in the 1950s. It was a style first seen worn by Geoff Duke. The racer didn’t have the safety benefits in mind when he wore these for the first time, though. Rather, the horsehide leather was meant to work as a streamlining effort.

Steve McQueen was another actor that was noted for his suave demeanor. However, he also dabbled in racing as well – including racing motorcycles.

He even participated in the 1964 International Six Day Trial. Held in East Germany, McQueen and the entire team wore original motorcycle suits as designed by Barbour. As for a lasting impact, Barbour launched an entire Steve McQueen Collection to honor the actor decades later in 2015. The collection includes more than just motorcycle fashion, though.

Leather jackets and racing suits are essentials in motorcycle fashion but they’re far from the total array of options. For instance, leather vests have become a staple over time.

Leather vests initially began to rise in fashion in the 1960s. These were fairly aesthetic in purpose. After all, they don’t offer the same coverage as a jacket or racing suit. While modern designs of these garments exist, they fall outside the standard design of protective wear.

If you’re shopping for motorcycle gear today, full-face helmets have become the standard. Yet, they’ve been heavily upgraded since their days of yore.

Cork and tin are no longer the go-to items to make a motorcycle helmet although it’s still generally a recipe with two main components. The inside of the helmet is soft to make it comfortable to wear thanks to expanded polystyrene or EPS foam. The outside of the helmet is the hard shell made of fiberglass, Kevlar, or polycarbonate plastic, most commonly.

As it concerns fashion as a whole in the 1980s, people tend to either love it or hate it. The same is true for motorcycle fashion which went through a quintessential 80s phase.

For one, the simple black leather jacket that motorcyclists donned took on a variety of Day-Glo colors. These were often heavily decorated too with seam designs, zippers, studs, and more. This came from a desire to emulate racers at the time as well as match with the rest of the 1980s aesthetic.

If there’s one thing that’s worth emphasizing, it’s that fashion doesn’t exist on a linear timeline. Time and time again, we’ve seen styles fall out only to pop back up a few decades later.

For motorcycle fashion, this happened in the 2000s as vintage items became more popular. To keep up with the demand, designers like Schott and Belstaff started to make modern renditions of vintage products. This has included modern re-releases of the Trialmaster and the Perfecto.

As we said, there is more to modern motorcycle fashion than just aesthetics. As a matter of fact, the beauty of the design is only part of what modern designers concern themselves with.

Anymore, modern motorcycle design is intended primarily to protect riders. For example, you’re likely to see full coverage clothes that offer additional protection to traditionally vulnerable areas. This could include reinforcing your joints and your back, as an example.

Like many other aspects of fashion, a big part of what makes motorcycle fashion so successful was the help of celebrities. The motorcycle jacket became much more popular once Marlon Brando donned one.

He did so in 1953 in the movie The Wild One. This was another model of The Perfecto designed by Schott. This one was referred to as model 618 that happened to actually debut a few years before the movie. It was very close to the 1940s model 613 but lacked the traditional stars and snaps.

The fact that motorcycle fashion hasn’t stayed focused solely on fashion is telling in the laws surrounding the industry. There’s a sizable focus on keeping riders safe as well as looking good.

This is even seen in the laws surrounding motorcycle wear. Naturally, the laws surrounding this tend to vary depending on where you are. In Europe, if you’re looking for actually protective motorcycle gear, you’ll want to look for a CE mark of approval.

When it comes to motorcycle wear, the style hasn’t been left out of the rapid-fire innovation of recent years. There are even some styles that insert a certain amount of tech.

One such example of this includes motorcycle jackets that feature airbags. This way, if you were to get into an accident, the airbags in the jacket would deploy to help protect you. It’s a pretty intuitive idea for a vehicle that doesn’t have the same protection as a car.

One part of motorcycle fashion that we haven’t touched on as much yet is helmets. Today, you often see motorcyclists that wear all-encompassing and safe helmets.

It wasn’t always this way, though. Back when motorcycles were in their early days and safety wasn’t as much of a concern, you wouldn’t see these helmets. In the early 20th century, it was far more common for motorcyclists to sport flat caps. It wasn’t until later that safer, more secure helmets were introduced.

When it comes to early motorcycle fashion, the reason behind it wasn’t usually safety. So, what prompted the trend of flat caps that would later be replaced by helmets?

The answer is actually rather simple and still slightly practical. While the cap wouldn’t protect you if you fell or had an accident, it was meant to help keep your hair in place. This way, you wouldn’t suffer from disheveled hair when you got off your motorcycle.

The innovations of modern motorcycle helmets are, like many things, thanks to an enhanced focus on safety. Today, it’s uncommon to see a motorcyclist without a helmet.

Again, like many other aspects of protective wear and fashion intersecting, this happened as motorcycles became more efficient. After all, a high-speed crash today necessitates a helmet in a way that early motorcycles did not. On top of that, there has been a variety of safety improvements in general since then.

Unfortunately, with helmets as with many other concepts, it took a tragic incident to highlight the need for additional safety regulations. This time, it was the death of T.E. Lawrence in 1935 that prompted the change.

Shortly after the time of his death in a motorcycle accident, the dispatch riders in World War II adopted crash helmets. These were typically made from either tin or cork to add extra protection to this traditionally exposed area. It was the beginnings of the motorcycle helmet we’ve seen today.

Another facet of today’s motorcycle helmets has a common feature of many aspects of motorcycle fashion. There are plenty of extra features for motorcyclists to take advantage of.

For example, today’s full-face helmets may include retractable visors, audio capabilities, tools to help eliminate blind spots while you drive, and more. There are even some concepts in the works like adding AR capabilities or the ability for a helmet to detect an accident and call for help if needed.

When it comes down to motorcycle fashion over the years, it’s changed drastically. Long past the days of just wearing general sportswear, the method behind motorcycle fashion has changed.

The biggest change is the practice of incorporating safety into motorcycle design. As motorcycles are improved upon and especially since they have gotten faster, it’s important to have an emphasis on safety as well. That’s why motorcycle fashion has evolved into a fashionable and functional practice all at once.