How to Choose a Leather Jacket

NMT8H7B_ez

A classic staple of every Fall/Winter wardrobe is the leather jacket.  A leather jacket isn’t so much an item of clothing as an extension of your personal style. More so than any other garment you own, your choice says something about you.

A leather jacket is also an investment piece so you have to consider a few key factors when selecting one: fit, fabric, price and style.

1. FIT.  The ultimate secret to buying the perfect leather jacket is the fit.  You NEVER want your jacket to look too big.  Do not “size-up” to make room for layers. Keep in mind how you are going to wear it- with tees, sweaters, dresses etc.-  this will help you gauge how tight it should fit. If you plan to wear it almost everyday and it will be a key piece in your wardrobe, as it should be, pick a size a little bit smaller; it will stretch out quickly with so much wear and start to lose its shape (real leather will stretch as you where it but faux leather will remain the same size).  Always look at the shoulders to get the perfect fit, high-cut armholes give a nice, tailored shape to your arms and shoulders, versus lower cut armholes that might make your jacket appear baggy, creating an unkempt look.

2. FABRIC. Do you want real leather or faux/vegan. Faux leather has come a long way in the last few years. The best real leather has a certain grainy texture — and so do good fakes. Nothing gives away faux leather faster than a perfectly smooth surface. You want some variation. Imperfections will actually make the piece look more real.  If you are going for real leather the two most common types that are used in quality jackets are full-grain leather which uses the entire hide and top-grain which only uses the top layer of the hide.  Full-grain is the most expensive, over time the jacket will develop a natural patina, gaining that gorgeous worn in quality with age while top-grain will remain pretty much the same throughout its lifetime.

3. PRICE.  Set an amount ahead of time on how much you are willing to spend and stick to it.  Just remeber that leather is an investment.  A good quality leather jacket will last you a lifetime!

4. STYLE.  There are so many style choices out there today!  From Ramones-esc Biker Jackets and mixed media details to Motocross silhouettes, Funnel Necks and Rick Owens baby the Fencing Jacket.

Now that you have been leather-educated it’s time to shop!

I scoured the web to curate a collection of my favorite leather jackets this season which style are you?

leatherjackets

 

Click below to SHOP the Post:

You may also like

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *