The Shearling Jacket: A History Lesson With BODA SKINS
Here at BODA SKINS, we love our Shearling, and we understand that you love it, too. Our wool is more than just style… We see it as a cosy getaway, a time to relax, a time to show the world that the BODA SKINS shearling is a way of forward-thinking. Ensuring that we’re always looking on point, no matter what adventure or social occasion comes our way.
There’s a reason we’ve invested so much time into perfecting our Shearling, the history is too cool to ignore. Shearling has kept both men and women warm since the stone age. So to celebrate our love for Shearling, we wanted to delve into the history of it, and trust us… It’s fascinating.
Wearing Shearling stands for the time of being functional, cosy, and the coolest in the room.
Anyway, we’ve a lot of props to give to Victorian times. Victorians created coats as we know them, and in all honesty, the styles haven’t really changed since. Back then, Shearling coats were items that were designed to perform.
You would see workers heavy-lifting in the snow, or even stunting on horseback for two-day retreats to bring back depended-on goods. In those days, there was no such thing as a ‘fashion statement’, but they really did know how to rock that wool, without even knowing it.
The 1950s is when the world really began to look at the style of the Shearling jacket. We’ve all imagined, at least once, what it would be like being a Hollywood A-lister, so wearing your Shearling today, you can cast your imaginations back and picture yourself as the latest-best-thing… In your BODA, of course.
But, during this time, the Shearling trim was embraced because of its functionality. Its versatility allowed for celebrities to wear their jacket during a morning commute for coffee, and on the red carpet.
Two major memories from this throw us back to 1954, where famous actors, Marlon Brando, and James Dean were captured in stunning Shearling pieces during their highly-successful stints at the top of the Hollywood A-list.
Welcoming the Only Fools and Horses. We all know this classic British TV show, and yes! You guessed it, plenty of Shearling can be spotted. This show was most popular during the 80s, with fan-favourite character, Del Boy, who regularly showed off his Shearling trench coat (we can’t say we condone his regular cigar smoking, however). This was officially the beginning of Shearling as a fashion material that worked perfectly into the catwalks.
Moving into the 90s, Shearling became increasingly popular in the footwear world and Ugg Boots, as we know them, came to play. When Shearling was popularised in the footwear industry, it saw a wave of extra fur being introduced to people’s wardrobes.
You would see twice the amount of Shearling than usual, as people began to double-down with their jackets and shoes. Ugg Boots stole the show as the most popular Shearling shoes during this era, and they still continue to lead the way.
Now, we look at the current day. Shearling is one of the most versatile and luxurious fabrics on the planet. Its functionality is what has stayed as an integral part of fashion - so don’t worry, we can’t see it going out of fashion any time soon! One of our favourite examples of how to rock some Shearling is Kanye West.
Styling his luxurious fur across a number of different events, he is one guy who knows when it’s time to turn up. But apart from being the coolest guy in the room, Kanye has shown examples as to how influential Shearling is, across both streetwear and luxury fashion.
