Hollister
– Staying up-to-date on the latest in haute couture may seem
like an impossible task, but in the biker world – where black
leather is king – fashion is mostly a constant.
Hollister – Staying up-to-date on the latest in haute couture may seem like an impossible task, but in the biker world – where black leather is king – fashion is mostly a constant.
And in downtown Hollister this weekend, black leather was prominently displayed on nearly all the bikers who rode into town.
“Leather is definitely big. I don’t think it’s ever going to go out of style,” said Myriam Sandifer, a biker from Palm Desert who dressed in black spankies, fishnet tights and leather boots for the rally’s first day.
Sandifer and her husband, Ron, had purchased chaps and T-shirts at the rally, and the two were busy shopping for more clothing that caught their eye.
For many people, the annual motorcycle rally is almost as much about what people are wearing as it is about what they are riding. Biker chic rules the rally, with people arriving in their most fashionable biker-ware and shopping for new shirts and accessories.
For those who left their motorcycle fashions at home, T-shirts with cheeky slogans, Harley-Davidson patches and leather chaps were being sold.
The rally brought clothing vendors in droves to sell their products, helping people vogue-up their wardrobes. Several local businesses also took part, offering more “biker-friendly” clothing.
Matt Taylor, owner of the San Diego-based motorcycle apparel company Toxic Ink Clothing, said he was expecting to sell a lot of merchandise featuring skulls at the rally.
Skulls are considered extremely fashionable in the biker world, he said.
“For this industry, it’s not something that’s ever going to change. Flames, skulls and girls are big. These are the staples for this industry,” Taylor said.
For female bikers, the key to being fashionable seemed to require one primary component – skin. Jennifer Daccache, who works at Biker Legend, said for women the rule is: The racier the better.
While scantily clad women were spotted throughout the rally, not all lived by the rule. Palo Alto resident and Hollister Motorcycle Rally enthusiast Karen Garcia shopped for T-shirts with motorcycle slogans at the rally.
“This year, patriotism and military are big,” Garcia said, adding that skulls and pirate prints were popular as well.
Many of the serious bikers wore vests, either in leather or denim, featuring their club names and other patches or buttons.
Ed Cruz of Yuba City was sporting a leather vest and said he was in the market for a new one this year. Cruz said while fashion changed slightly over the years, most bikers just opted for what went with their personal motorcycle style.
“It’s all an expression of the individual,” Cruz said.
