Who says you can’t wear a leather jacket in warm weather? Because of their thick, heavily insulated construction, some people assume that leather jackets should only be worn during the late fall and winter months. While you can certainly wear a leather jacket in cold weather, you can also wear one in warm weather — it just requires a little extra planning. So, if you’re planning to wear a leather jacket when the temperature begins to rise, you should check out the following tips. Below are several tips on how to comfortably wear a leather jacket in warm weather while looking great in the process.
Choose a Non-Quilted Leather Jacket
Conventional wisdom should tell you that it’s best to wear a non-quilted leather jacket in warm weather. Quilted leather jackets are perfect to wear in cold weather because they are designed with a soft, quilted interior, which acts as additional insulation to trap your body heat and, therefore, keep you warm. But if it’s already warm — or even hot — outside, you won’t need the extra insulation. In fact, a quilted interior could make you uncomfortably hot. For the highest level of comfort, stick with a non-quilted leather jacket in warm weather. When the temperature begins to drop, you can then trade it in for a quilted leather jacket.
Choose a Light Color
You can also stay cool and comfortable in otherwise hot weather by wearing a leather jacket in a light color. Generally speaking, light-colored clothes feel cooler when worn than black and other dark-colored clothes — and leather jackets are no exception. How does the brightness of a leather jacket affect its comfort exactly? Well, dark colors tend to absorb and hold more heat than light colors. If you wear a black-colored leather jacket, it will absorb more heat from the sunlight, which could leave you feeling uncomfortably hot.
You don’t have to necessarily choose a white leather jacket, but you should choose a light tone. Even a pale tan leather jacket can reflect a significant amount of heat, allowing you to comfortably wear it throughout the spring and summer months.
Condition It
Another tip on how to comfortably wear a leather jacket in warm weather is to condition it. We’ve talked about leather conditioning products previously on our blog, but if this is your first time reading them, let me explain. Leather conditioning products contain essential ingredients, as well as water, that hydrates and protects leather from dryness. If your leather jacket dries out, it may feel hotter, especially when worn during the hot spring and summer months. By conditioning your leather jacket once every couple of months, you’ll keep it hydrated, in which case it will feel cooler and more comfortable to wear.
Leave the Front Open
When wearing your leather jacket in warm weather, try to get into the habit of leaving the front open. In other words, don’t fasten the buttons or pull up the zipper on the front of your leather jacket. Regardless of which mechanism your leather jacket features, closing the front will only make it hotter to wear. If you pull up the zipper or fasten the buttons on the front of your leather jacket, your body heat won’t be able to escape. As a result, you may feel uncomfortably hot while wearing it. You can avoid this problem, however, by leaving the front of your leather jacket open.
Keep Layers to a Minimum
Don’t make the mistake of wearing too many layers with your leather jacket. If it’s hot outside, wearing an excessive number of layers may cause you to overheat. But if you keep your layers to a minimum, you can comfortably wear a leather jacket in warm weather. So, how many layers should you wear? If possible, try wearing only a single shirt or top underneath your leather jacket. Whether it’s a casual t-shirt or a semi-formal button-up dress shirt, wearing a single shirt will allow you to sport a leather jacket without getting too hot. And if you’re going to wear another top over this shirt, make sure it’s lightweight and breathable. Otherwise, all those layers may leave you feeling uncomfortably hot.
Choose a Thinner Leather Jacket
If you’re worried that you’ll feel too hot while wearing a leather jacket in warm weather, choose a thinner style. Not all leather jackets are constructed in the same thickness. Some are thinner than others, making them ideal to wear in warm weather. With their thinner construction, they’ll keep you cooler and more comfortable even when it’s hot outside.
Roll Up the Sleeves
You can also keep cool while wearing a leather jacket by rolling up your sleeves. Assuming your jacket is made of genuine leather, you should be able to easily roll up the sleeves. And even on some faux leather jackets, you may still be able to roll up the sleeves. With the sleeves rolled up, your arms will be exposed to air, which should keep you cooler.
Wear It With Other Lightweight Clothes
Finally, you need to choose the right clothes to wear with your leather jacket. You can’t expect to stay cool if you wear a leather jacket with a thick shirt and a thick pair of pants. Instead, you need to weight thin, lightweight clothes with your leather jacket.
It’s a common misconception that leather jackets can only be worn during the fall and winter months. While you can certainly wear your leather jacket during these months, you can also wear it in warm weather. The key thing to remember is that you need to take precautions to stay cool. As revealed in this blog post, choosing a non-quilted leather jacket in a light color, conditioning it, leaving the front open, keeping layers to a minimum and rolling up the sleeves will all keep you cool even when it’s hot outside.