Hello Moto

Perhaps the fashion powers that be felt that women needed to toughen up for the start of a new year, or simply are acknowledging the fact that we pull off 'Tomboy Chic' extraordinarily well. Either way, I'm sensing a pattern here, what with the Female Dandy of last January and the Biker Babe of present. Hit-Girl from Kickass movie has the right idea.

The ultra-tough Military look has finally become reabsorbed into the crushing darkness of Past-fad Oblivion (which also contains, by the way, patched bell-bottom jeans and full-body bejeweled 'evening style' leotards). Therefore, the path has finally been cleared for a tough, rebellious, and well-loved classic: the motorcycle jacket.

Before the free spirited cringe at the idea of a traditional form-fitting leather jacket, and those preferring a safe cardigan shirk away, do realize that the resurgence of any past trend promises plenty of variations on the classic.

Burberry, ever the leader in trench-coat styles and looks, kept their motorcycle jackets classic in their Spring/Summer 2011 Collection. Accessorizing the neutral toned jackets with neon and pastel colored patent-leather belts that cinched at the waist, Burberry ensured that the light coats remain fresh and relevant in times of warmer weather. As followers of fashion will remember from last Spring season, neons were a hit, and subsequently were incorporated into nearly every designer's Spring/Summer 2010 collection. The fashion house also splashed metallics into the mix, upon clasps, straps, and sleeves.

If Burberry's variation on the classic moto jacket seems too tough, Marc by Marc Jacobs (left) and Ralph Lauren (right) are willing to loosen up their look for the wearers. The first offers a look that appears more distressed and disheveled than dapper, while the second creates a jacket of soft knit silk. These designers provide the wearer with a more relaxed fit.

For a motorcycle jacket that won't break the bank, try Urban Outfitters or Nordstrom's.