Some men assume that leather jackets can be only worn for casual occasions. While they are great for casual occasions, though, you can also wear a leather jacket for formal events. In fact, you can even wear one as part of a suit. This is has become an increasingly popular style that allows men to differentiate themselves from the crowd. Most men wear a traditional two- or three-piece suit consisting of trousers with a matching suit jacket. An alternative solution, however, is to wear a leather jacket instead of a suit jacket. If you’re thinking about sporting a leather jacket with a suit, though, there are a few things you should know.
Choose a Simple Style
It’s recommended that you choose a leather jacket in a simple, basic style if you plan on wearing it with a suit. Why is this necessary? Well, you want to create a formal appearance in which everything flows cohesively together. Leather jackets with bold designs, styles or accessories won’t allow you to achieve this look. Rather, they’ll create a more casual look that’s not appropriate for a suit. Choose a leather jacket in a simple style to ensure that your outfit is formal and attractive.
Match With Your Trousers
Your leather jacket should match your suit trousers. If your trousers are black, for example, your leather jacket should also be black. If your trousers are brown, your jacket should be brown. Don’t try to mix up colors with your trousers and jacket. While wearing a leather jacket in a different color than your trousers may seem harmless enough, it looks awkward and unflattering. The golden rule of wearing any jacket with a suit is to wear the same color with both garments — and leather jackets are no exception.
Get the Right Fit
You can’t expect to create an attractive, formal outfit if your leather jacket doesn’t fit right. If it’s too small, it will look awkward while restricting your ability to move in the process. If it’s too big, it will look baggy and unflattering. The secret to wearing a leather jacket with a suit is to choose a jacket in the right size. Being that no two men have the exact same body, however, finding the right size isn’t always easy. You can visit a dozen different retail and department stores without finding a leather jacket in your size. The good news is that we make the process easier by offering custom sizing on all leather jackets. When purchasing a leather jacket here at LeatherCult, you can give us your body measurements, and we’ll use those measurements to create a custom-fitted leather jacket.
Say ‘No’ to Faux Leather Jackets
Stay clear of faux leather when shopping for a jacket to wear with your suit. Faux leather jackets are often marketed as “leather jackets,” but they typically contain no actual leather. Instead, they are made of a traditional textile that’s covered in a layer of plastic-like leather. From afar, a faux leather jacket may look real. It’s only when you inspect it up close that you’ll realize it’s entirely different. Faux leather jackets are rough, have an artificial odor, and are more susceptible to damage than genuine leather jackets. For these reasons and others, you should wear a genuine leather jacket with a suit.
Keep It Clean
Before wearing your leather jacket with a suit, make sure it’s clean and free of stains, smudges or superficial blemishes. If it’s dirty, it will bring down the aesthetics of your entire suit. You can usually spot clean a leather jacket using laundry detergent and warm water. Just place a small amount of liquid detergent directly on the stained area, after which you can blot it with a damp washcloth. For deeper cleaning, refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Some professional fabric cleaning companies offer services for leather products, and using one of these services is typically a safe way to clean your leather jacket.
Watch the Wrinkles
Your suit shouldn’t have wrinkles. And being that a leather jacket is part of your suit, it too shouldn’t have wrinkles. If you discover wrinkles on your leather jacket, hang it up in the bathroom while leaving the shower running on the hottest setting possible. The steam from the shower will help to smooth out your jacket’s wrinkles, making it nice and smooth. Once your leather jacket is wrinkle free, you can proceed to wear it with a suit. Just remember to use caution when storing your jacket so that it doesn’t get wrinkled again. As long as you hang it up when you aren’t wearing it, it shouldn’t develop wrinkles.
Button or Zip Up the Front
You can create a more formal look by buttoning or zipping up the front of your leather jacket. Just like suit jackets are more formal when buttoned, so are leather jackets. With that said, it’s perfectly fine to unfasten the front of your leather jacket. If you’re outside and begin to feel the effects of the midday sun, for example, unzip or unbutton the front of your leather jacket to stay cool.
Match With Shoes
The golden rule of wearing a leather jacket with a suit is to match it with your suit trousers. As previously mentioned, your leather jacket should feature the same color as your trousers. However, you can go one step further by choosing matching shoes as well. This creates a more uniform appearance by sticking with the same color throughout your outfit.
Accessorize
Finally, wearing the right accessories will compliment your leather jacket and suit. At the bare minimum, you should wear a wristwatch. Don’t just choose any wristwatch, though. Choose a wristwatch with a leather band in the same color as your jacket and suit trousers. Assuming you are wearing a necktie, you can also accessorize your outfit with a tie bar.