History in Objects returns to look at the iconic leather jacket of Indiana Jones, part of one of the most recognisable silhouettes in cinema history that has a background far deeper than most movie clothing, combining to make the Dial of Destiny jacket which is an amalgam of the four prior films slightly different A-2 jackets.
Indy’s clothing and accouterments would be essential ingredients to the character’s iconic silhouette on screen. The wardrobe, in fact, forms the audience’s first impression of Indy as he leads a small party through a South American jungle at the beginning of Raiders. Along with the distinct fedora, the dark brown leather jacket strongly communicated his place in the first half of the 20th century, a time when the far-off places of the world became more accessible, and America’s place in the world became more central.
“Indy’s iconic silhouette, featuring broad shoulders and a tapered waist not only enhances the character’s athletic prowess but also encapsulates the timeless allure of Indiana Jones as a cultural icon,” says long time Indy fan and independent researcher, Michael Hills (recently profiled along with his family on this blog). “The Indy jacket nails it. It’s vastly different from any other jacket that you see any other protagonist wear on screen. While Indy’s jacket almost looks a bit oversized because of the exaggerated shoulder seams, it works beautifully for Harrison Ford’s frame. It’s like what Phoebe Waller-Bridge says at the end of the documentary [Timeless Heroes: Indiana Jones & Harrison Ford], Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones. So that silhouette is very much intertwined with the actor who plays him.”
