Born out of the legend of Wild West cowboys, leather pants made a solid comeback with the bikers of the 70s and 80s in the U.S. Everyone remembers the leather pants that equipped the band of teens seeking revolution in the movie Grease. It would get a bad reputation after a series of violent raids by groups of men, perched atop their Harleys. A garment with a transgressive spirit, what can leather pants inspire in women of today? In this time of liberation, women have been wearing pants on the daily for some time already. This grand moment in the history of fashion also shows the evolutions of society, since by publicly wearing pants, women exhibited their new access to the same roles as those played by men. This reenforced the ascendancy they were then beginning to enjoy in society at large. It’s worth noting that the Armani power dressing appeared at the same point in time. Women became emancipated, broke into male spheres, and then broke into their wardrobes on top of that. Wearing leather pants thus adds a new dimension to this notion of women taking power, this garment that describes every notion of masculinity and strength that are inherent to its origins. Jitrois, an expert in the matter, took a chance on dressing women in leather, and succeeded in giving leather pants their pedigree.
But aren’t these pants associated with the notion of rebellion and thus character? What is needed today is first and foremost a healthy dose of style and femininity to deftly manipulate it. The whole game can be found in the composition of forces and appearances that the ensemble of an outfit structured around a pair of leather pants can reveal. The woman is no longer an entity attached to a personality that’s obliged to be soft and submissive; she can take on her rebellious side, her character traits shining through this new second skin, defining a multi-faceted society, like the several hats that women must now don as they juggle a career and a home life. Brands like Saint Laurent, Barbara Bui, and Ungaro have played with the different perspectives this piece offers throughout the seasons. Hedi Slimane’s collections come to mind, where a Parisian sports a slim pair of leather bottoms that’s just as rock’n’roll as it is current. While things can turn vulgar, if you don’t know the rules for its use, the notions of rock, androgyny, but also sensuality are all present as well. In sum, leather pants show a veritable panoply of aspects of the 21st century woman.
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