WEARING BLACK
This question deserves a detailed explanation because of all the misunderstandings.
The vast majority of the mass population at large imagine that Bikers and other so-called
'undesirables' and 'social misfits' usually wear black attire to make some kind of
social statement. Many think that the adoption of a black wardrobe is done to reflect the horror of
Hitler's infamous Schutzstaffel,
the SS, who wore black uniforms with lightening bolts
and skulls as the units hallmark Others think that black
clothes are deliberately adopted to make one look tough and sinister.
Where conventional straight society sees white shirts as a sign of
success it is supposed that the 'underclass' adopts black in opposition just to be different.
Well it may surprise many, including a lot of bikers, to learn that the adoption of black
clothing goes way back
in time and has absolutely nohing whatsoever to do with social
statements. It was just an adaptation to environmental conditions.
People whose trade involved working with 'dirty' machinery wore black (or dark)
clothing to hide dirt and grease.
The common term 'blacksmith' referred to a smithy, one who works with metals,
and 'black', specifically meaning iron.
It was the common practice for smithy's to
wear dark clothing to hide the soot, slag and grease deposited on their clothes over the course
of their everyday work.
Nothing has changed much over time and even today it is quite common for metal
workers to wear dark work clothes
such as the dark blue and sometimes black worn by maintenance
workers in industrial plants.
As the matter of dark clothing relates to bikers who don't do any metal work the
practice of dressing 'darkly'
was popularized because old motorcycles were notoriously 'dirty'
machines slinging oil and grease in all directions when they
were ridden so light colored
dusters were definitely not the thing to wear on one's bike. In addition it was not
not uncommon for
those who rode motorbikes to be campers and if you've ever spent any extended
time camping out you'll no doubt understand that white
is not the ideal thing to be wearing
for days on end.
Dark clothes are simply a matter of practicality when one works on or operates machinery
that generates a lot of oily dirt. It's as simple as that. There is no social statement
being made and there never has been except in the minds of those who believe wearing
black means something special which it doesn't.
The Hollywood crowd however loves the black Tee-shirts with all of the anti-social
chopper logos printed on the back side and black leather chaps are just the rage these days but thats Hollywood not reality.
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