It's interesting how the black leather jacket image has changed through decades.
The clean-cut pipe and tie look with slippers worn at home...
More hardcore...check out that Vincent
My next jacket is gonna be black, and 100% badass!
Wow!!!
That Penneys is a perfect example of design cross-over between the big stores back in the day. It's a black Windward Nice!
Love, love, love the Workcoat!
Grain leather jackets became acceptable for wear in public as part of a normal outfit for outdoor activities (not for flying, racing etc.) sometime during the 20s. I don't know when exactly, but early 30s catalogues are already full of leather jackets. Suede jackets had a different status throughout, they were very expensve and considered a fine jacket.
So, there was actually a time before the 30s when grain leather jackets were indeed not considered quite respectable, if you want to use that word.
Some more catalogue pics -
1933 Spiegel:
1942 Spiegel: