Of biker jackets and babes : why the leather jacket is climbing the "Chic Charts"

I'm not really a big fan of leather apparel, of course shoes and bags are another matter altogether. Maybe this is because i come from a (mostly) hot place like India. But the other thing is that, to me, leather has always been a symbol of "Machismo" and a little bit of "S&M",even when you look at fragrances, leather and tobacco smells are reserved for men's fragrances... But looking at stylishly dressed women over the last couple of years , i have to say the leather motorcycle jacket looks more appealing by the minute and seems to have already become a fall classic like the trench. It's been around for quite a while of course, for actual bikers and "biker chic" itself has been around since Bardot's days , but more recently women seem to have realized its versatility and amazing ability to add instant edge to the plainest of outfits. The more obvious all leather "rocker/biker" look has been replaced, thankfully, by a more elegant approach to wearing this potentially overwhelming piece of clothing. Many clever variations are now available in terms of color, style, length and detailing which allows all types of personalities to sport this garment not just the "Bardotesque" ones. So now, its being paired not just with the ubiquitous skinny jeans and tees but also with ultra- feminine lace, chiffon and printed silk dresses for both day and night , just slip on a pair of killer heels and voila, you're looking effortlessly chic already ! A classic example of the law of contrasts at work, you know - skinny with voluminous, fierce with dainty- it's all about balance. More on that another time.