Post War Bikers – Style Starters

A closer look at the post-war biker

David Shuck  |  May 5

It's a look that's iconic to the point of parody: engineer boots, leather jackets, and tight blue jeans. But one that's cartoonish for how pervasive it is as the ultimate in Americana, but ironically the movement itself is a complete rejection of everything American.

This guide is about the bikers and outsiders that failed to integrate into normal American society and how their look has been commodified and repackaged into an archetype.

Historical Context

The origins of the biker movement start some years before it rose to prominence in the 1950s. Some 16 million Americans served in World War Two from 1941 to 1945, of which 400,000 were killed, 670,000 injured, and 130,000 were prisoners of war. These were people who had grown up in the desperation of the Great Depression and now, their first time leaving the country was to experience the horrors of the largest war in history.

When they returned home to a peaceful country well on its way to becoming the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. This newfound wealth allowed for the new “nuclear family” and the splintering of multigenerational households, as people had the resources to move out on their own earlier in life.

Many more still were forced into the closet after having homosexual experiences abroad. Alfred Kinsey's 1948 report on

Sexual Behavior in the Human Male

found that nearly a third of its interviewees had a homosexual experience and that nearly half of men experienced some attraction to both genders (obviously written with an outdated binary in mind).

So what do these lonely, traumatized, and occasionally closeted veterans do? They wear jeans and ride bikes!

Some of this was in motorcycle clubs. Many emerged as ways for WWII vets to remain in touch. And many also found that their clothing they wore to war was also well suited to riding motorcycles: leather bomber jackets, combat boots, and yes, denim! Motorcycling had previously been a “gentleman’s hobby” like golf, where people wore suits to ride and the postwar look was anything but.

Early 20th century bikers. Image via GQ.

This came to a head in the “Hollister Riot” in 1947. Some 4,000 motorcyclists descended on the small town of Hollister in central California, which was completely unprepared for them. The motorcycle ride was an event that had happened for years, but only attracted a few hundred people at most but this one was a blowout bash.

Hollister was completely overwhelmed and state troopers came in and tear gassed people to break it up. In context, it wasn’t really a big deal, but a photographer from Life magazine was there and a bunch of pictures of drunk and unruly bikers went nationwide, giving suburbanites something new to fear. From the Life article:

On the Fourth of July weekend 4,000 members of a motorcycle club roared into Hollister, California, for a three-day convention. They quickly tired of ordinary motorcycle thrills and turned to more exciting stunts. Racing their vehicles down the main street and through traffic lights, they rammed into restaurants and bars, breaking furniture and mirrors. Some rested by the curb. Others hardly paused. Police arrested many for drunkenness and indecent exposure but could not restore order. Finally, after two days, the cyclists left with a brazen explanation. “We like to show off. It’s just a lot of fun.” But Hollister’s police chief took a different view. Wailed he, “It’s just one hell of a mess."

There’s also this iconic image of a large inebriated gentleman on a Harley, coveralls zipped down to expose his belly, with beer bottles in both hands and a large pile of empties next to his front tire.

The 1947 Hollister Riot. Image via San Francisco Chronicle.

The riot would galvanize the image of the “biker” in the American consciousness as a drunk and lewd delinquent and lead to the split into the 1%er outlaw motorcycle groups after the organizer of the event, the American Motorcycle Association had to disavow what happened.The Hollister Riot went on to inspire the 1953 Marlon Brando film The Wild One, where he played an unruly young biker wearing jeans, engineer boots, and a leather jacket. And an icon was born.Marlon Brando (center) in The Wild One, 1953.Dozens of other biker movies followed like Motorcycle Gang (1957), The Hot Angel (1958), and the arguably more iconic Rebel Without a Cause (1955) with James Dean.James Dean (left) with Corey Allen (right) in Rebel Without a Cause, 1955.Teens across the country had all the info they needed to escape the conformity they too struggled with in the postwar era. And, of course, they needed something to listen to.

Key Pieces

Asymmetrical Leather Jackets

Schott 618HH Horsehide Perfecto Jacket. Available for $870 at

Franklin & Poe

.

White Tees

Teamster Tee in White. Available for $22 at

Heddels Shop

.

Late 40s/Early 50s Jeans

Lee 101 Rider Dry Dark. Available for $210 at

Lost & Found

.

Studded Belts

Glad Hand Studded Belt Black Leather. Available for $170 at

Clutch Cafe

.

Engineer Boots

John Lofgren Wabash Engineer Boots Horween CXL Black. Available for $1,096 at

Lost & Found

.

Image Gallery

Heddels+ content is intended for a single recipient, but occasional forwarding is totally fine!If you know of anyone who would be interested in joining Heddels+, they can head straight to heddels.plus to sign up or contact us anytime at [email protected].

Thanks for being a supporter!