Is this essential for me? Really?
Back in January, Esquire informed us that a black “moto
jacket” is one of the 15 essentials for 2017. Esquire Essentials
I don’t own one due to my continuous pondering if one would
really fit in my wardrobe. The lack of logical connection between me and the look
of the wild open road is founded in that I’m not wild, nor am I all that open,
and though we share the base element of Carbon, I am not a road.
I like the look of the retro leather jacket, as does just
about every period in men’s’ fashion in the past 50 years. The bad boy look
will not die. Even the attempt in the 80’s and 90’s to give a baggy look or
adding brightly tinted patches did not claim the end of the black leather
jacket.
Do chicks actually dig this look when worn by obviously “not
so bad boys”? The real question I ask is: does there exist the appropriate style of black
leather jacket for us “bad accountant” types?
This past week marks the 16th year since the death
of the leather jacket legend Joey Ramone.
A “Ramon-ee” I am not, but if black leather is in my future I
going to look for cleaner styles. This one on James Franco is sleek and sharp.
It has a cut of a moto style, again fit is crucial, without all the zippers
that lead to nowhere. I’d avoid attempting to dress it up like Downey does
below, as the cleaner version is not a dramatic enough divergence from the
shirt and tie to create any irony.
Of course, Esquire realizes I am not in the minority of men
when contemplating leather. Last fall, 7 expense options were laid out here. Esquire Moto Jackets
Another uber-decadent option is the leather top coat. This style
simultaneously says “look at me”, “don’t fuck with me” and “yes, I might be a
Nazi”.
