Nehru jacket
The Nehru jacket (Hindi: नेहरू जैकेट) is a hip-length tailored coat for men or women, created in India in the 1940s. The jacket essentially blends the collar of the achkan, historically the royal court dress of Indian nobles. It was popularized by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.
The garment was created in Northern India, possibly in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, in the 1940s as Band Gale Ka Coat (Hindi/Urdu: "Closed Neck Coat"). It was intended for daily use by Indian government officials and leaders who did not want to adopt the Western suit, but wanted a more practical garment than the traditional Indian achkan or the sherwani, which are knee-length coats.
The jacket has been popular on the subcontinent since its creation, especially as the top half of a suit worn on formal occasions. For official uses, the jacket is typically made from dark, worsted fabrics. Politicians sometimes have their jackets made from khadi. In other formal and party wear, it may be made in styles similar to achkans or sherwanis, and may feature elaborate embroidery. Such suits featuring Nehru jackets are sometimes known as Jodhpuri suits.
The jacket was first marketed as the Nehru jacket in the West in the mid-1960s. It gained popularity between the late 1960s and early 1970s by growing awareness of Eastern cultures, by the minimalism of the Mod lifestyle, and in particular, with its adoption by the Beatles and the Monkees.[1][2]
Notable wearers
Musicians
- The Beatles wore Nehru jackets for their famous Shea Stadium performance of 1965.
- Singer and bass guitar player Jack Bruce is wearing a Nehru jacket in the rare concert footage of Cream at the Palais des Sports in Paris on June 1, 1967.
- Davy Jones of The Monkees wore Nehru jackets throughout the second phase of the second season of the show which was shot after the summer of love in 1967. Fellow Monkees Micky Dolenz & Peter Tork wore them as well.
- The Doors, The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, Tommy James & The Shondells, Iron Butterfly, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Procol Harum, and other notable counter-culture musicians also wore them.
- Musician Christoph Eschenbach in known for wearing black Nehru jackets in performance.
Television personalities
- Johnny Carson was commissioned to wear Nehru jackets on his show during the mid-1970s in the hopes of making them popular again.[3] His wearing one in 1966 launched the Johnny Carson brand of men's apparel manufactured by Hart Schaffner & Marx.
- Sammy Davis, Jr. claimed to have over 200 Nehru jackets.
- Paul Merton, a comedian famed for his unusual dress sense, has worn a Nehru Jacket on Room 101.
- NBA sideline reporter Craig Sager, known for wearing outlandish attire, has worn a Nehru jacket.[4]
- Steven Seagal wears Nehru jackets, as well as a variety of other Asiatic styles.
- Comedian Richard Lewis wears Nehru jackets in homage to comedian Lenny Bruce.
Sports personalities
- Former professional ice hockey player Mario Lemieux reportedly owns 75 Nehru jackets, collected during his stint as an NHL player.
- Chicago White Sox commentator Ken Harrelson was well-known during his playing career for wearing Nehru jackets, and is occasionally seen wearing one on-screen.
Religious personalities
- Televangelist Benny Hinn often wears a Nehru jacket.
Politicians
Notable wearers in popular fiction
Elsewhere in popular culture
- On an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, the dimwitted news anchor Ted Baxter recalled wearing a Nehru jacket, and then asked, "Whatever happened to that Nehru designer?" When told that Nehru had been the Indian prime minister, Ted expressed relief that Nehru had found a steadier line of work.
- In Toy Story 3, Barbie tortures Ken to get him to reveal information by tearing up some of his outfits. He refuses to reveal anything until she begins to tear his green Nehru jacket. Ken reveals the evil plans in order to save it.
- In Season 2 of The Golden Girls, Dorothy invites a man she's been flirting with at the school she's teaching at over for dinner. Unbeknownst to Dorothy, however, the man happens to be a priest. That night he decides to wear his clerical clothing for the first time in front of Dorothy. As she walks into the living room to greet him, she gives a quick pause and says "Please tell me that's a Nehru jacket."
- Himanshu Suri of Das Racist releases a mixtape entitled 'Nehru Jackets' in 2012
See also
References
External links
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Clothing in South Asia
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