Category: Leather Jackets

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Lambskin, sheepskin and goatskin leather fashion jackets

mens fashion leather jacketsladies fashion leather jackets

With the Christmas shopping season here many will be out buying a nice looking leather fashion jacket for their lady or man. I often talk about how cowhide and buffalo hide are best for leather motorcycle jackets. That’s true, but not when it comes to fashion leather jackets.

Getting a leather jacket or coat you just want to look good in is much different than getting a motorcycle leather jacket. You don’t care about it protecting you from road rash if you fall off your bike. You want a jacket that looks sharp, feels good and is soft.

So in that case you’ll be more happier with a leather jacket or coat made out of lambskin, sheepskin or goatskin. All of those have more of a fine leather grain that makes them look smoother and polished. It also makes the leather softer as the leather grain is not as thick and rough.

Out of all of them lambskin is the softest, if all have been processed the same way. It’s also the weakest leather. But if the leather jacket is just for showing off and making the chicks at the bar run their hands over it, it’s fine! Sheepskin and goatskin are stronger and about the same in strength.

Now cowhide and pigskin are still great for fashion leather jackets too. They split the hide thinner for those types of jackets and coats. So they also can be very soft and look great. I’m just letting you know that lambskin, sheepskin and goatskin are fine for fashion leather jackets. Happy shopping!

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The Holidays, time for fake faux leather jackets

fake faux leather jackets

Well everyone, we are now in the Holiday season, or almost there. Along with the Holidays comes lots of bright, shiny new products the stores want you to buy. One of the top items you see at the Holidays is lots of fake, or faux leather jackets. Faux is French for fake, and most leather jackets not made of real leather are called faux leather jackets.

So if your wife or girlfriend, or your man if your a gal, is looking forward to a new genuine leather jacket, the last thing you want to do is get a faux leather jacket. Unless she or he does not mind cheap stuff! So with so many out there during the Holidays, how do you tell them apart from real leather jackets?

Well, any and all fake and faux leather jackets are suppose to SAY they are. Normally it says on the tag, or on a tab attached to the jacket that it’s a faux leather jacket, or just faux leather. However they can get sneaky and creative. Some will call it a leather-like jacket. Or maybe leatherette, synthetic leather, man made leather, even designer leather!

They all mean one thing; it’s a fake or faux leather jacket! A faux leather jacket often has a shine to it unlike real leather. It’s often also thinner than real leather, which is why faux leather jackets are so damn cold! Also many faux leather jackets are very smooth, without the leather grain pattern.

However many faux leather items are stamped with a machine that puts a fake leather grain pattern into the material. A real leather jacket should say somewhere on it that it’s made with genuine leather, or that it’s a genuine leather jacket. If it’s quality it should even say what type of hide the leather is, like cowhide or sheepskin.

If your shopping in a good quality leather store you don’t have to worry. They will not carry any faux leather jackets. But even high end department stores like Macy’s carry faux leather jackets, so be warned. Look for a tag that says if it’s a faux leather or genuine leather jacket. If your not sure, keep looking. Girls don’t like real genuine plastic faux leather jackets!!

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What is patchwork and bonded leather and why is it bad?

patchwork leather jackets

I’ve talked about patchwork leather jackets and items before. But some still ask me why it’s bad, or am I sure that it’s not that great? Patchwork leather can also be called bonded leather, although it is put together a bit differently. Rock design, Italian brick work and a few other fancy names are used for it too.

When leather is cut to make a leather jacket, purse or any other leather item, small pieces of left-over leather are made. At some point someone decided that instead of throwing it away they would try to put it together and make a big sheet of it so they can use it for more leather products.

The way they smash it together is done in two ways. In one, the leather pieces are sewn together, with some glue also used. Then they usually coat it with crap to give it an even, smooth feel and try to waterproof all those needle holes. The other way is called bonded leather.
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Leather jackets, perfect for fall motorcycle riding

leather jackets are great for fall motorcycle riding

Labor Day weekend is over, hope everyone had a good time! Soon it will be fall, with cooler weather and leaves changing color up north. Often it gets too hot in the summer to wear a leather jacket, at least in the hottest parts of the summer. But fall, that’s a perfect time to be wearing your leather jacket. A good bike under you, a country road ahead of you and your favorite leather jacket on is heaven!

I’m going up to Vermont, my home state, in October. No, not taking the bike. It’s a bit too far for me, I’m going to fly! But I wish I could bring my bike with me. Fall in Vermont is a fantastic time for biking on all the quiet, scenic country roads. Most of the time in the fall it’s overcast but not really raining, cool but not really cold.

The bugs are gone and you can smell those colorful leaves as they change to orange, gold and red. Having your leather jacket on, maybe with the liner in, keeps out the cold wind yet does not get you too hot. You can play with the zippered air vents till you get it just right for your comfort. Just you and the winding road, maybe seeing a deer or geese here and there.

If you ever get the chance, take your motorcycle and go to Stowe, Vermont in the fall. Go up the mountain road and down into The Notch. Take the toll road to the top of Mt. Mansfield and you’ll see for miles, all the leaves a brilliant color. This is what biking and leather jackets are all about! 🙂

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What’s the best material for leather jacket zippers?

It’s been a long time since I made a “how to” post on here. So today I’ll talk a bit about leather jacket zippers. What’s the best type of leather jacket zipper? What should a leather jacket zipper be made out of? Well let’s first see what kinds you can get out there. Most leather jacket zippers are made of brass, stainless steel, nickel, aluminum or plastic.

I think it’s safe to say the plastic ones are the cheapest and should be avoided. Many leather jacket zippers are actually made of several different types of material. The brass zippers are very common and look nice with a leather jacket. They don’t have that shine to them, which many prefer. Brass leather jacket zippers are very rugged and can really take lots of punishment.

However I have noticed that for some reason mildew starts the fastest around a brass zipper or hardware. I’m not sure why, but that’s been my experience. However if your taking good care of it that should not happen. Stainless steel and nickel leather jacket zippers are also top quality and last forever. They have a shine to them that some like, especially if you have shiny studs or hardware on your jacket.
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Is a leather jacket always the right choice?

leather motorcycle jackets

It’s been a very hot summer here in Florida. That of course means riding the hog has been a sweat-fest most of the time! At least if your the type that believes in always wearing your protective leather jacket. Truth be told a leather jacket is about the hottest type of jacket you can wear in the summer months. The black color absorbs the sun, the leather stops the air from cooling you off.

Even with the air vents that good leather jackets have it’s still not enough when it’s in the 90’s. So is a leather motorcycle jacket always the right choice for riding your bike? Well, the short answer is no, it’s not. Since I sell leather jackets it might be surprising to hear me say that. But this site is about giving you honest answers, not just making a buck.

Now many just love leather and will not wear any other type of motorcycle jacket. The die hard leather bikers can’t bear to wear anything else, even if it means doing a slow burn in the hot sun. I’m like that, but when it gets super hot here in Orlando I switch to a more lighter synthetic jacket that is a light color and more breathable for the hottest two months.

Most of the time in most areas your trying to keep warm, not stay cool. So a leather jacket is the best 90% of the time. But the truth is there are cooler motorcycle jackets that reflect the sun’s heat and lets more air blow through to keep you cool. It’s tempting to just ride around in your T shirt on a hot summer day in Florida.

But if you think it’s hot, just think what your body will look like after sliding down that hot pavement after you take a tumble! So you should always wear a jacket, even when it’s hot out. The new fabric motorcycle jackets are really light and keep you cool, at least as cool as a jacket can. But I sure do miss that smell and feel of my trusty leather jacket!