History Main / HellBentforLeather

* Fate Testarossa of ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' has been fighting in a leather one-piece since she was ''nine''. Before her mother Precia was first shown to viewers, many of them wondered why she let her child dress like that. Turns out that, besides being the [[AbusiveParents worst mom ever]], she ''also'' dresses like that, and her device's most-commonly-used form is a [[WhipItGood whip]].

* [[WhipItGood June]] the BountyHunter from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''.

* Music/MichaelJackson on the cover and in the music video of ''Music/{{Bad}}''.

* Of the red leather variety: [[Music/MichaelJackson Thriller]].

** This trope especially applies to Lita Halford, who wears a sexy outfit that consists of a [[BareYourMidriff midriff-baring]], cleavage-enhancing leather halter top and skin-tight leather pants.

** ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': It's set in TheEighties so leather clothing is very much in fashion.

* Durham Red in ''Comicbook/StrontiumDog'' is certainly fond of leather.

* Part of the Isuten Junior High uniform in ''FanFic/PrettyCureHeavyMetal'', for both the boys ''and'' the girls!

* Absolutely everyone other than Agents in ''Film/TheMatrix'' dress in a combination of leather and latex. Originally the iconic [[BadassLongcoat Badass Longcoats]] were meant to be leather, too, but fabric moved better in BulletTime.

* ''Comicbook/{{Catwoman}}''.

** The Ravagers of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' are {{Space Pirates}} dressed as Space Bikers in red leather. By extension, Star-Lord, who was raised by their leader Yondu, wears a jacket like theirs, as does Nebula once she spends time with the gang in [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy the sequel]].

* A DownplayedTrope in the {{Literature/Lensman}} series, where much is made of the uniform of a Gray Lensman being plain, utilitarian, drab, and, well, gray. But it's only mentioned in passing that it's a gray ''leather'' uniform.

* ''Videogame/FullThrottle''

* A lot of the characters in ''Videogame/BrutalLegend'', but the Fire Barons, Zaulia, and Tainted Coil are standouts. The Tainted Coil is noted in the [[AllThereInTheManual history found during gameplay]] to have dug up the Titans' old cars and motorcycles just to get the leather!

* [[NinetiesAntiHero K']] and [[AnIcePerson Kula Diamond]] from VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters.

* Aside from her BadassCape, Karst's outfit in ''VideoGame/GoldenSun: The Lost Age'' is mostly black and red leather. Like the above Etna, she's [[MsFanservice not exactly wearing a lot of it]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'': Goro Majima's standard outfit throughout the series consists of black, steel-toed leather shoes, black leather pants, black leather gloves and a snakeskin jacket ([[WalkingShirtlessScene and no shirt underneath]]).

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* Many metal artists, including [[TropeNamers Trope Namer]] [[{{Leatherman}} Rob Halford]] with a similarly titled Music/JudasPriest song. Ironically, Halford himself prefers pleather so as not to sacrifice innocent cattle, and the song title itself was originally used in the theme to ''Series/{{Rawhide}}'', though these days it's more associated with Halford and Judas Priest than anything else.

* Former BadassBiker and now TroubledButCute Riki wears a leather jacket and pants in ''LightNovel/AiNoKusabi''.

* ''Film/HomeAlone 5'': Jessica is a burglar who wears leather pants and a leather jacket.

* ''Fanfic/TheUltimateEvil'': Nataline "Nat" Homato, DemonSlaying ActionGirl, dresses in black and loose leather clothes.

* Music/JoanJett is a good female example of this- she's frequently seen in leather pants or jackets, or head-to-toe leather outfits. (Though if the leather flag sticker on her guitar is any indication, this may be more than just a fashion choice.)

* K' and Kula Diamond from The King of Fighters.

* Several characters from the {{Cyberpunk}} webcomic, Webcomic/AquaRegia are shown dressed this way, but it's most prominently shown with TheProtagonist, wearing leather clothing even in his civilian life, before becoming a mercenary.
** {{Lampshaded}} with the title of the first episode, and it's actually his nickname as a mercenary, [[Music/JudasPriest The Leather]] [[RedBaron Rebel]]

* Several characters from the {{Cyberpunk}} Webcomic/AquaRegia are shown dressed this way, but it's most prominently shown with TheProtagonist, wearing leather clothing even in his civilian life, before becoming a mercenary.

* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': When she still had Red She-Hulk power, Betty Ross wore a black leather suit that sometimes wouldn't be torn up when she's transformed. Though it was often unzipped.
* ''ComicBook/TheAuthority'''s Midnighter. Head to toe.
* And his inspiration, Franchise/{{Batman}} (though just ''what'' that costume's made of [[DependingOnTheWriter varies]]).
* Jason Todd[=/=]ComicBook/RedHood wears a leather jacket most of the time.

* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': When she still had Red She-Hulk power, Betty Ross wore a black leather suit that sometimes wouldn't be torn up when she's transformed. Though it was often [[AbsoluteCleavage unzipped]].

* In ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'', standard wear for the Octarians' elite Octoling troops includes a tight black leather ensemble that exposes their midriff. The Octoling protagonist in ''VideoGame/Splatoon2''[='s=] DarkerAndEdgier ''Octo Expansion'' DLC goes even further by ditching the extra chest armor worn by standard Octolings.

* When she still had Red She-Hulk power, ComicBook/BettyRoss wore a black leather suit that sometimes wouldn't be torn up when she's transformed. Though it was often [[AbsoluteCleavage unzipped]].

* The 1968 British-French film ''Naked Under Leather'' (a.k.a. ''Girl on a Motorcycle'') where the leather catsuit of the eponymous BikerBabe is openly played for {{fanservice}}.

*** Many steam-locomotive crews wore either a jacket or a vest made of thick black leather, to aid in protection from inclement weather in the open cabin and from searing-hot metal parts. Knowing [[UpToEleven how dirty one gets when dealing with coal dust and also how dirty is the job]] of lubricating the running gear of the locomotive with grease guns and oil dripper cans, they were [[Series/DirtyJobs worse]] than Jim Morrison.

* ''Film/{{Pistolera}}'': Apart from when she is undercover, Pistolera spends the movie dressed in a variety od skintight, {{Stripperific}} black leather outfits.

* Both heroes and villains in ''Series/BlakesSeven''. Apparently, an S&M shop made the outfits, as they had the most experience in working with leather (there's a cute anecdote about the shopworkers frantically hiding the porn and the nipple clamps when Michael Keating (Vila) turned up for a fitting with his little daughter in tow).

This is also a common trapping of historical epics and fantasy, as clothing made from leather is percieved as being more old-fashioned and primitive. All kinds of leathery gear is also presented as armor, since it looks cool, can be put together pretty easily by the costume department, may be less uncomfortable for actors to wear than the alternatives, and is well-accepted by audiences thanks to decades of TheCoconutEffect. There are real examples of leather clothing and armor in certain times and places throughout history, but HollywoodCostuming is par for the course. The popularity of leather clothing and armor in a historical setting is often hugely exaggerated; designs may be anachronistic or completely fictitious; and modern forms of tanning and coloring may show up. Furthermore, items made from soft or flimsy pieces of leather are treated as armor when they'd do nothing to resist blades or arrows in real life. Actual leather armor was often thick, of significant weight, and hardened by special treatments. Not exactly your casual leather jacket.

* ''Series/{{Evil2019}}'': Kristen's mother Sheryl Luria regularly wears a leather jacket and leather pants, along with animal print tops. All of which may indicate a wild past.

* The HeadlessHorseman in ''Film/SleepyHollowHigh'' wears a black leather BadassLongcoat. His other satorial decisions are more [[FashionVictimVillain idiosyncratic]].

* The 2021 Irish film ''Spears'':