On the topic of space leathers

[rolanni]

NOTE:  This is not a call to seek out the review cited below and castigate the reviewer, who is, after all, entitled to her opinion.  Indeed, I'm grateful to her for presenting a viewpoint that would have never occurred to me, and for presenting me with an opportunity to explain the origin of an important part of the Liaden Universe®

This is a riff off of a reader review of Carousel Sun.  I do read reviews, and sometimes I riff off of them.  Consider yourselves warned.  This particular review took exception to the appearance of the word "leathers" in Carousel Sun, when, if I understand the argument correctly, "leathers" had already been co-opted by the Liaden Universe® and ought never appear in any other work written by me or by Steve.

Even, apparently, when it is the correct word (i.e. the protective clothing worn by motorcyclists are referred to as "motorcycle leathers," or "leathers."  Here's an example of cycling leathers.) used in the correct world, by the correct people.

Which is, IMHO, a. . .really interesting viewpoint.*

But!  It got me to thinking about the origin of "space leathers" in the Liaden Universe®.

Steve and I grew up in the 1960s, when the Great Public Mind was in the process of mythologizing World War II.  That meant that we saw a lot of war shows on television, including:  Combat!, McHale's Navy, Twelve O'Clock High, The Rat Patrol, Hogan's Heroes. . .among others, and a whole stack of movies:  The Longest Day, Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Bridge on the River Kwai, von Ryan's Express, &c, &c

My dad used to make it a point to take me to see war movies, as a father-daughter bonding thing.  Most, if not all, of these movies, featured pilots.  And the pilots were. . .heroic. They wore their leather jackets with pride and with attitude.  The other characters might have reservations, but even those who did honored the pilots for their courage, derring-do, and amazing ability to pull things out of hats.

When it came time to write the Liaden Universe®, and fill in Clan Korval's pilots-by-intention lineage, with a birthright of attitude, courage, and over-the-topness -- we dressed them as they deserved -- in space leather:  protective gear that was instantly recognizable, even by those who were not pilots (or Scouts), which not only protected them, but illuminated and increased their mystique.

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*Leather has, of course, been used throughout history as protective clothing; after all, it's tough.  Conquistadors wore leather; American Indians wore leather; Vikings wore leather.  I speak here only of the leathers that influenced us.

Comments

Leather Jackets

[anne marie scott (from livejournal.com)]

Getting a leather flying jacket is STILL part of the mythos of flying. The US Air Force still issues A-2 leather flying jackets to pilots, and some other personnel - I was issued one as space ops officer. The Navy has their own version, with a "fur" collar, the G-1. The official ones are made of goat skin - it's tougher. I don't think anyone issues the sheepskin ones anymore, although you can get your official jacket modified with a zip-in liner.

Certainly a version of one of those is what I envisioned upon reading "space leather" although, like the current flying community, it would probably be a ceremonial/everyday wear item, not actually used while flying. In the American armed forces, for actual flying, you wear a nomex flight jacket which won't burn up if you end up in a crash, or in a more likely but equally grim scenario, you won't burn up if you eject from your aircraft and the parachute gets sucked down into the fireball left by your jet. I would think some sort of truly protective gear would be actually worn for flying a spacecraft as well - and that's definitely implied in your writing.

There are other pieces of gear like that, with great historical significance, but no practical reason anymore. For example, pilots are also still issued scarves, or buy special ones from their unit, but you can't wear that in a jet either - too great a chance of it getting caught on something and choking you to death! Scarves were actually useful in WWI & WWII, because the uniforms were wool, and the scarf kept your neck from being chafed when you were looking around for enemy fighters. Even though the scarf has no practicality, I doubt it will go away anytime soon, which is too bad, because it's a pain to remember them.