Good leather jackets can be expensive, so you must be sure that you choose the best jacket for your wardrobe. A high-quality classic leather jacket can last a lifetime, but it doesn't come cheap. By learning about the most popular leather jacket styles, choosing the right animal skin type, and paying close attention to the details of the jacket, you can choose a timeless jacket that is versatile, fits your style, and will look even better over time.
When buying leather clothes, shoes, or a bag, you don’t always think dozens of different types of leather are involved in their production. But only with knowledge about their features and benefits can you distinguish natural leather from its artificial substitutes and choose a high-quality leather item. We propose to consider these nuances from the point of view of choosing one of the main items of men's outerwear - a leather jacket.
The men's leather jacket persistently ignores the change of seasons, times, and generations, looking confidently into the future. From year to year, it is the choice of sex symbols, rockers, designers, and youth.
Hundreds of Hollywood stars, musicians, and founders of the fashion industry could not resist this passion. A leather jacket is practical and durable. It's waterproof, windproof, and fashionable weather protection. The more you wear it, the more it adapts to the figure.
Choose the model that best suits your style
The most popular men's models of leather jackets today came to us from the past. All of them are clothes with a rich history in the form of skillful modern transformations.
Compare the most popular jacket styles
- Harrington Jacket
- Flight Jacket
- Zip Up Jacket
- Bomber Jacket
Harrington Jacket
The jacket got its name "Harrington" thanks to the character of the 1960s series Peyton Place Rodney Harrington (actor Rayon O'Neill). Harrington jacket was created for golfers. The players were on the field in any weather, so effective protection from wind and rain would come in handy.
Flight Jacket
The traditional legendary pilot jacket took its name from the profession of pilots, whose uniform it was. She owes this name to the pilots of heavy bomber aircraft who wore it as a uniform. The style of the flight jacket was carefully thought out to the smallest detail.
Zip Up Jacket
Zip Up or racing jackets are the most fashionable and cool leather jackets with a tight fit and little or no collar—one of the few elements of the men's wardrobe with a reputation for rebellion and timeless classics. The racer or zip-up jacket is a form-fitting model with a straight cut. Characteristic elements include a stand-up collar with a button or buckle fastening and one or more welt pockets with zippers. Sometimes - quilted details on the shoulders and sleeves.
Bomber Jacket
The bomber jacket is one of the most popular items in the modern wardrobe that has withstood the change in fashion scenes and trends—featuring a relaxed fit, hem and sleeve pockets, ribbing at the collar, cuffs, and waist, and it is classic. The recognizable cut allows it to be paired with just about everything in our closet, while its functional design easily adapts to warm, cold and transitional seasons.
Choosing the perfect size
Do you want your leather jacket to be snug yet comfortable so you can move your arms comfortably in it? Hug yourself and raise your arms above your head to make sure you can move comfortably without pulling too hard on the back of your jacket. To do this, when trying on a jacket, be sure to wear the clothes that you are going to wear under it on regular days - this will help you ensure that there is enough space inside the jacket.
A high armhole will give you a more comprehensive range of motion than a low armhole, which tends to pull on the body of the jacket as you move your arms.
Be sure to check your jacket sleeve length. Do you want your jacket sleeves to end in front of your wrists? When you bend your arm, it should not rise above your wrist.
Choosing the color
Of course, the color you choose depends on your personal preferences. Just remember that black and brown are the most versatile colors and will show less wear damage than a colored jacket.
If you want to wear your leather jacket to evening events, consider a motorcycle jacket in black or brown.
Opt for a suede jacket if you prefer a more velvety texture
The suede is made from the reverse side of the leather and is thinner and more delicate than leather. Suede jackets are usually made from goat or lamb suede - lamb is softer, and goat is more durable.
Keep in mind that if you choose suede, you should never let it get wet. When this happens, it dries very hard.
Examining details to determine the quality
Look closely at the seams: You can tell a lot about the quality of a jacket by examining the seams inside and out. Look for tight or seams. Are loose threads on the seams?
Pay attention to the lining: Lower-quality leather jackets will have a thin or cheap synthetic lining. Such a lining is more likely to tear and be less breathable. Higher quality jackets will have two separate linings - one in the body and one in the sleeves. The body lining should be of thick cotton or high-quality synthetic fabric, and the sleeves should have a soft, silky lining.
Look for heavy zippers that close smoothly: Try zipping your jacket a few times to see how the zipper works. A high-quality zipper will close quickly and feel relatively heavy.
Avoid over-corrected skin: The corrected leather is buffed and coated with oils and dyes. Often a stamp is applied to the skin with an imitation of the graininess of the skin of an animal. These processes remove the original grain of the leather and can often make it look fake, plastic, and without character. If you want the leather to look more natural, choose the leather that is uncorrected or minimally corrected.
Choose leather with natural or "naked" top grain for a more natural-looking jacket.
Which leather jacket to choose and how to detect natural leather
When choosing a men's jacket, take a few minutes to study the quality of the leather. There are several ways to ensure real leather is in front of you, not its imitation. Of course, you cannot rely on them 100% since leather substitute manufacturers today skillfully repeat the visual and other signs of natural material. But the methods below still work.
- Touch your jacket. When touched, natural leather conveys a feeling of warmth while remaining dry. High-quality leather, to the touch, is also delicate, soft, and thin. Fake leather is cool to the touch. If you squeeze it in the palm of your hand and release it, it quickly returns to its original state. After some time, after touching, he will still begin to transfer heat, “taking” it from the hand, but at the same time, it may become a little wet.
- If possible, put a few drops of water on a piece of leather inside the jacket. Natural leather quickly absorbs moisture and darkens slightly when wet. Water drops will simply roll off from an artificial analog of the skin.
- In contrast to the smooth and often tucked sections of artificial leather, the edge of genuine leather is rough, with fibers intertwined.
- The reverse side of authentic leather has a fibrous surface and is visually similar to velour or velvet. The color of the front and back of the skin should be the same and uniform.
- Previously, natural leather was easy to distinguish by smell. But today, manufacturers of leather substitutes are armed with unique flavors that realistically mimic the smell of natural leather. Therefore, this popular method, unfortunately, has lost its reliability.
Most of the leather jackets you can buy in stores today are time-modified and designer versions of the models described above. You will not go wrong with the choice if you buy a men's jacket in one of the mentioned styles. To learn more about distinguishing authentic leather when choosing a men's jacket, read the following article.
Why Exotic Leather?
Fashion is constantly changing, but leather products are always in trend.
Buying things in every boutique and being afraid that someone will come to some party in the same clothes is risky for those who can afford to look rich and exclusive. It is proposed to use exotic leathers for men's clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories.
For example, such an indispensable type of clothing as a jacket can be original, of different colors, but high quality and exquisite. You can choose from different colors of leather and nubuck, matte and glossy, dark and light, and bright and discreet colors. You will be offered black, blue, brown, eggplant, and cognac. There are also gray, blue, bronze, brick, plum, wine, red, and many other options. Everyone will be able to choose a color that is pleasing to the eye so that a custom-made crocodile leather jacket satisfies the tastes and preferences of the owner.
Advantages and features of exotic leather jackets
- Tailoring leather jackets to order is a worthy choice for successful, rich, and famous people who can afford to have exotic leather jackets in their wardrobe.
- Leather at all times was considered an indicator of excellent taste, wealth, and status. A leather jacket will emphasize such clothes' style, luxury, and exclusiveness and make you feel confident in any social environment.
- еxotic leather goods worn for a long time;
- they are durable and wear-resistant;
- for a long time, they will not lose their beauty with proper care;
- soft, gentle, and pleasant to the touch;
- comfortable;
- allow human skin to “breathe” since the leather has excellent air permeability;
- always in fashion;
A jacket made of exotic leather is in trend for men, regardless of age;
- knowledgeable people will always be able to evaluate natural leather to distinguish it from fake.
Exotic skin is different, as people's fingerprints are all individual and have a specific pattern. Alligator skin has a pattern similar to cobwebs and stars and is more valued than crocodile skin. The caiman is rough. The ostrich has follicles and is elastic, etc.
Essential Tips to choose and wear a leather jacket
Buying a leather jacket is a big investment. Pay special attention to the quality of the skin.
- A leather jacket without an elastic band does not tolerate volume on the hips and, when buttoned up, should sit on the figure.
- A bold alternative to the tried-and-true black - all shades of red. Such skin ages incredibly beautifully.
- Wear the collar of your leather jacket turned up. This will add a hooligan touch to the image.
- Don't try to match matching boots with a red jacket. Boring. Better black.
- Do not fill the patch pockets of the jacket with "useful" nonsense. The skin tends to stretch and lose its shape.
Wrapping Up
A good leather jacket is just as reliable and timeless as a quality wool coat, a classic trench coat, or a well-tailored jacket. Before getting into details like the type of leather, trim, sleeve length, and hardware color, you need to decide on the main parameter that determines how well the jacket will fit you - style. A well-chosen jacket can decorate your figure and break the proportions, so the choice should be taken thoughtfully. In the case of leather jackets, the formula “the higher the quality, the higher the price” is actual. More expensive jackets will be much stronger and more durable than their cheaper alternatives and look much better.
Therefore, it would be pretty logical to spare no expense and invest in the quality leather jacket of your dreams – trust me, it will pay for itself over the years.
