Look like a Rock Star in a Leather Jacket

Leather jackets are the coolest way to keep warm. A timeless piece that will take you from your lunch date to the club, a leather jacket is at the same time versatile and edgy.

The classic leather jacket

The classic leather jacket is a piece that everyone should own. It should be slim-fitting and contoured to your body without constricting your movements. Black is the go-to color for leather jackets, but you could choose brown if you fancy a softer look. Your classic jacket should be simple, with no detail such as metal buckles.

Keep it undone

You're with me, leather

The number one rule for wearing a leather jacket is to never wear it done all the way up. This looks uncomfortable and means that you are hiding your outfit underneath the jacket. Wearing it zipped all the way up does not suit a leather jacket- it?s just not cool enough. Either wear it completely open, or done two-thirds of the way up.

It?s all in the lapels

Lapels are the distinctive feature of your leather jacket. Thick, stand-out lapels are the way to go. For a quirky look, a thinner shawl lapel will do the trick. Leather jackets can be found without lapels, but then it is hardly a jacket at all- it looks more like a strange leather cardigan. This is especially problematic when the jacket also lacks a collar, or has a mandarin collar. There is no point of interest to draw the eye.

A casual twist

For a more subtle take on the leather jacket, choose one which is not as thick and heavy as your classic leather jacket, with a hood. This makes it less intimidating, and more of a casual and youthful look. These hybrids between a leather jacket and a hoodie are commonly found in faux leather, although sometimes you can be lucky enough to find a high quality one in leather.

What to wear your leather jacket with

Leather jackets are quite versatile- you can wear one over a plain T-shirt, or you can dress it up with a tie. One rule to follow is to always pair your leather jacket with jeans. Go with skinny jeans if you are chasing a streamlined aesthetic. For a vintage rock star look, go with coarse blue jeans.

As you might expect, leather jackets go exceptionally well with leather shoes. You don?t need to match the exact color and texture of the leather jacket to your shoes and belt, but as a general rule, don?t mix shiny and dull leather.

Is faux leather wrong?

You would certainly never choose a fake leather jacket for the way it looks or feels. However, faux leather is an option for those not wanting to spend a lot (genuine leather jackets can be horrendously expensive), or for those against using animal products.

If you?re going to go fake, make sure it?s a good fake. Choosing dull rather than shiny faux leather will result in it looking less like plastic. Some polyester jackets can feel quite similar to leather.