For over a half-century, the leather jacket has been worn by dangerous men of biker gangs and equally intimidating fighter pilots. These are proper, battled-hardened men that make a motorcycle or a bomber jacket look perfect. It was as if it was meant exclusively for them. But as the nature of fashion has it, these uniforms or signature looks have made their way onto the street scene of average Joes. Now, the leather jacket is a beautiful, outermost, layer that can top off any stylish outfit. Leather jackets may not evolve into something radical anytime soon, but it will remain in your wardrobe for years to come.
No animals were harmed while writing this piece
So how exactly will you know which leather is perfect for you? Well, we have to look at the basics first, get in a good amount of leather knowledge before you head out to buy a spanking new leather jacket. We’ll take a look at the more common types of leather but there should be a clear distinction between skins and hides. Hides are the pelts of large animals, whereas the skins come from smaller animals.
Let’s take a look at what we’re dealing with:
Calfskin – Here is a leather that is taken from the hide of a calf. Usually, the calf is no less than three years old. Calfskin itself is quite soft, has a fine grain and can be really durable.
Shearling – This is a leather that comes from a recently sheared sheep, which has been tanned and dressed with the wool left on. You can tell this from the rest by its suede surface on one side and of clipped fur surface on the other. You can wear this with either side out.
Ostrich – Majority of this leather is farmed in South Africa and possesses a pattern of bumps that creates a distinctive look from the rest of the lot. However, the process of making leather from ostrich is quite intricate and requires specialised production. In other words, this sucker is really expensive.
Alligator and Crocodile – Now, we’re getting into a touchy territory, as if the other mentioned above weren’t enough. We do not condone animal cruelty; we’re just explaining the different kinds of leather. This is simply for your consideration and knowledge. With similar texture and patterns, both of these leathers form square and oblong scales known as tiles. If you see some scales with little dots close to the scale’s edge, it’s a crocodile. The others, well, are alligators. The latter Is usually considered finer in skin, while the crocodile is more hardened.
Finding the right style for you
You could buy all of these designs and call it a day. You won’t have a single step of confusing if all the grounds have been covered. Although, we all can’t afford more than one authentic leather jacket. As you have already assumed, these suckers aren’t cheap.
Biker jacket – This style is possibly the most common among men. We’ve seen these used in countless Hollywood movies, and most likely, we’ve worn one of these at least once in our lives. Large lapels and flared collar, the zipper is usually seen opening at an angle that forms one of the lapels. Worn in a very casual manner, these jackets go best with jeans. And the best designed biker jackets are the ones with the least amount of buckles and zips.
Bomber jacket – This little number takes things up a notch. It’s not as casual as the biker, taking a slightly sophisticated approach to a look. It’s simple with a front zip, pocket, with elasticated cuffs and hemline. You can’t get simpler than this, so if you want to play things safe, this is possibly your best bet.
Racer jacket – We don’t recommend you wear this style unless you’re an owner of a sports bike or motorcycle. This is the most minimalistic style of leather jackets. The racer is known for its association with motorcycle racing like Moto GP. It has a small snap or no collar at all, while the bottom and cuffs are just plain, rather than elastic. However, this might be considered as the most elegant of the styles. There’s a polished finish and slim-fit silhouette. If you’re slightly on the heavier side, we suggest you look the other way and lean towards a jacket that will flatter you more.
Flying jacket – The shearling in these jackets is what separates this style from the bomber jacket. These were originally made for WW1 fighter pilots from freezing to death in open cockpits. The fur-lining is clearly made for the winter or colder climates and can make you look quite bulky. There’s no need to complicate things here so keep this option for those colder months.
Fatigue jacket – Most of you really had no idea there were so many kinds of leather jackets, we’re sure. But that’s okay, the more you know, the better. The fatigue style is longer than any other leather jacket. It’s designed to be more relaxed, and can be either buttoned or zipped, or both. This style is only used in a dressed down manner, sometimes simply serving as an extra layer during windy or chilling temperatures. If you’re looking to spice this number up, good luck. It’ll be very difficult.
