With less than a week to go before the inauguration of Donald Trump (unfortunately this won’t be one of those articles…we’ll talk to you in the shop about that…) we thought it would be apt to document some of the best leather jackets of a real leather jacket icon; President Barack Obama.
Obama in his eight years of office has become not only one of the most loved and respected politicians globally, but also arguably one of the most stylish presidents in history. Sure, he’s had an indiscretion or two, and continues to take a light-hearted ribbing for his infamous penchant for ‘dad jeans’ (we say leave the man alone, he’s got a lot on!) In his defence the president said “I’ve been unfairly maligned about my jeans”, maybe or maybe not Mr President, but we aren’t here to critique anyone’s denim choices. Naturally, we’re more interested in how the man wears his leather.
The above picture shows a bright eyed and bushy tailed student Obama, or ‘Barry’ to his friends, at Harvard University circa 1992. This budding Obama effortlessly sports a timeless A-2 aviator jacket. This classic menswear staple (and its wearer) was destined to get a rather substantial promotion down the line…
Which brings us to the presidential bomber jacket; a tradition dating as far back as JFK. Over the left breast of the Government Issue A-2 flight jacket is the presidential seal; embroidered with “Commander in Chief” and the president’s name. On a few occasions the president has taken a detour from his customary sharply tailored suits to bring out this American classic, including at a pivotal rally in Wisconsin, and poignantly, in 2010 on a surprise visit to the troops in Afghanistan; where the jacket takes on a more potent significance; a symbol of support and camaraderie.
Lastly, we love leather worn in its most comfortable form, here is the president wearing a casual, dark brown blouson style jacket while accompanying his daughters Sasha and Malia to a bookshop in Washington D.C. For a man who is required to suit up almost every day and is never off-the-job, it’s refreshing (and more than a little endearing) to get a rare glimpse of Obama in such a laid back, and yes, effortlessly cool look. We think it’s fair to say that president Barack Obama is a real leather jacket icon, and the most stylish president in a generation. Dad jeans notwithstanding.