Bomber jackets have been a popular and fashionable piece of clothing for many decades now. In fact it is amazing how fashions have changed so dramatically even in the past 100 years and yet the leather bomber jacket has remained enormously popular since they were first made back in the 1920s.
       Initially they were made for pilots in the British and American Air Forces and were known as flight jackets.

       After the Second World War the leather jackets grew in popularity as people across the world looked to copy the fashions of their Hollywood heroes.
       Many movies were made after 1945 about the war with some great stars portraying the brave soldiers and pilots in their bomber jackets.
       Some of the great names of the silver screen were seen in the A-2 flight jacket including John Wayne, Gregory Peck and Clark Gable.

Steve McQueen’s Jacket

       Arguably one of the most familiar images featuring a leather bomber jacket in movie history is that of Steve McQueen in the 1963 war film The Great Escape.
       Of course McQueen will be remembered for the motorcycling scenes in the film, although he wasn’t wearing the bomber jacket for the chase scene as he attempted to jump the wire fence. Motorcycles and leather jackets are seen in other films too with the cultural icon from the 1950s, James Dean remembered for these in his all too short movie career.

       Movies in the middle decades of the 20th century had perhaps a more significant influence on people than they do these days.
       Matinee idols influenced the way people behaved to some extent with smoking glamorised by movie stars, but the style of dress was also copied including the leather bomber jacket.
       Whilst the cinema is still very popular, people have more choices entertainment these days and of course the television is much more influential.

TV Bomber Jackets

      As more people started owning TV sets from the 1950s onwards, so the influence of this medium has increased.
      Bomber jackets have featured over the years in TV shows with possibly the most famous being in the 1970s American TV series Happy Days. Henry Winkler played the cool character The Fonz and wore a leather jacket based on the A-2 worn by pilots in the early part of World War II.

      Strangely enough the American Air Force had stopped issuing A-2 flight jackets since 1943. So maybe the influence of Hollywood movies as well as TV shows such as Happy Days and the A-Team encouraged the U.S Air Force to bring back the jackets in 1988 after much lobbying by pilots.
       There is no doubt the brave pilots of the Second World War influenced many American and British movie directors.

      Movies and television shows will continue to feature their stars wearing bomber jackets. Whether they do or not though, a leather bomber jacket will continue to be popular with men and women across the globe.
      Their style as well as comfort and warmth will ensure they are an enduring piece of fashion wear.

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