Denim Jacket, about 1973

Worn by the son of Elenore Lehmann Herkommer of Beverly Hills, Michigan, this is a great example of a young boy's waist-length jean jacket of the 1970s, when mass-produced rugged wear formerly reserved for the farm and ranch became fashionable casual wear among all social classes. Patches with a variety of images and slogans were a popular way of personalizing and adding visual interest to a piece, even if the wearer did not necessarily grasp their meanings (Schlitz, for example, was a popular b…