From the archives: ten iconic pieces of Harley-Davidson® apparel

Harley-Davidson started outfitting owners with useful riding gear in 1912, and the company has been evolving the look and utility of its riding apparel ever since. Here we look at 10 of the most significant historic items of apparel found in the Harley-Davidson Museum®

PHOTOS BY BUDDY WILINSKI,

COURTESY OF THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM

1. V-NECK JERSEY (C. 1921)

The earlier the item of apparel, the rarer it tends to be. This V-neck jersey, announced in the 1921 accessories collection (part number IX-258B) and initially available in Green Heather only, is one of the earliest known to exist. By the 1920s, Harley-Davidson was offering a full line of clothing and riding accessories available through dealerships. The H-D Archives doesn’t have the very first apparel items, but this item is one of the earliest pieces in the Museum’s collection.

2. GREEN AND ORANGE RACING JERSEY (C. 1928)

The very first-known item of apparel sold by Harley-Davidson was a racing jersey. The look quickly became iconic as it was seen being worn by celebrating racers, including the famous Wrecking Crew, in photographs. Different variations of the text and colours were offered over subsequent years; this green and orange example (the Museum also has a classic black and white design) is one of the earliest-known iterations of the classic racing jersey and the design is one that remains incredibly popular today. The item appears as part number 11030-X in the 1928 Parts & Accessories (P&A) catalogue.

3. EARLIEST “SHORT” LEATHER JACKET (1931)

This short brown leather jacket (#11067-34) was the very first “short” jacket offered by Harley-Davidson and thus has great historic significance. Introduced in the 1931 P&A catalogue, the jacket was renamed the “Brown Leader Jacket” in 1934. This example was formerly owned by Fred Merlow, a Harley-Davidson® dealer in San Jose, California.

4. SHOP COAT N.Y. (C. 1941)

The now instantly recognisable shop coat was offered to dealers in the 1941 P&A catalogue – part number 11761-X – to make staff members look professional and protect their clothing. The Harley-Davidson name was chain stitched on the rear of the coat, and the dealership name could be added for an additional 50 cents.

5. FIRST-KNOWN HARLEY-DAVIDSON T-SHIRT (C.1947)

T-shirts are standard items of clothing today, but they only began to be popular after World War II. Once launched, they quickly became one of the hallmarks of rider gear, usually worn beneath a leather riding jacket, before spreading into the wider populace. Part number 11034-XV is the first-known T-shirt sold by Harley-Davidson and dates from around 1947, making it a historically important piece in the Museum collection.

6. BEGINNING OF THE CLASSIC RIDER JACKET (1947)

Perhaps the pivotal moment in motorcycle fashion was the post-war introduction of the classic black leather jacket – think Marlon Brando in The Wild One. Appearing in the 1947 P&A catalogue, the design of this jacket (part number 11069-46) had motorcyclists specifically in mind: waist length, with functional pockets and belted at the waist, the jacket afforded ease of movement and protection from the elements. The fact that there were both men’s and women’s designs available reflected the rise of motorcycling after World War II.

7. CHECKERBOARD RAYON RACE VEST (C. 1968)

This sleeveless racing vest (part number 98250-67V) from around 1968 was sourced by the Museum from Al Muth, an H-D® dealer in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Made in black, white, and orange washable rayon and featuring a checkered black-and-white victory flag design to the left, with black-and-orange racing stripes and “Harley-Davidson” text to the right, this race vest is a wonderful period piece evoking the H-D race scene of the late ’60s.

8. SNOWMOBILE WOOLLY PARKA (C. 1972)

Harley-Davidson branched out into snowmobile sales in the early 1970s. The new snowmobiles were launched with a full complement of rider apparel (gloves, mitts, boots) and even a “Cutter,” a sled to be towed behind the snowmobile, although the products proved to be short lived. This snowmobile woolly parka features dark-brown synthetic fur with shiny threads, quilted Dacron® lining, a drawstring hood and two muslin-lined side pockets, two-way zipper, and coloured snowflake ribbon trim at waist and wrists. It certainly made for a distinctive look!

9. EAGLE SOARS ALONE T-SHIRT (1982)

Celebrating a significant moment in Harley-Davidson history, this T-shirt is one of the most recognisable and iconic designs the Motor Company has ever produced. Although T-shirts were common items by the early 1980s, this design is significant because it commemorates the return to independence of Harley-Davidson in 1981 after serving as a subsidiary of AMF since 1969. The T-shirt was available to customers only for a couple of years in the early 1980s, first appearing in the Fall 1981 Fashions catalogue in either Grey (part number 98215-82V) or Black (98214-82V).

10. PEARL’S MOTOR MAIDS UNIFORM (C. 2006)

A more recent item, this shirt and vest are part of a 2022 acquisition from a female rider named Pearl Christopherson from Oconto, Wisconsin. The main significance of this item is that it represents the Motor Maids, the oldest women’s riding organisation in North America. Pearl attended her first convention of the historically important group in 2006; reflecting on her membership in a letter accompanying the uniform, Pearl wrote: “I joined because it’s the oldest women’s bike group, and I like the history of it,” noting that the sense of “belonging” found there was something to be proud of.

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