Racing Jerseys – From Jailwear to Teamwear

Bold Stripes never really appeared in fashion until the 1960s or 1970s. From a historical perspective, Bold Stripes always had a purpose in North America. The typical thick black and white stripes were a way to mark clothing for inmates and to make them easily identifiable once on the run. A practice that was somehow adopted by motorcycle racing teams from the 1930s to the 1950s in an era when motorcycle races became very popular. Especially after WW2, the number of amateur races skyrocketed, and every team had its own uniform. To make team identification during a race easier, colorful and often bold striped jerseys were worn. But with motorcycles becoming faster and races getting more serious, the attire changed to leather. Striped racing jerseys disappeared from motorcycle racing and gradually became biker fashion.

The following features characterize our 1950 Racing Jersey: