by Leather | Fashion, Leather Dresses
Few garments offer the same level of style and visual appeal as a leather dress. This bold item is a simple yet sophisticated way to enhance your appearance. In fact, you can wear a leather dress by itself, with nothing more than a pair of shoes, for a full and complete look. But if you really want to go the extra mile, you should consider pairing it with one or more of the following accessories. Belt Who says you can’t wear belts with dresses? Some people assume that belts are only useful for holding up a pair of pants, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. While they are certainly useful for this purpose, belts can also be worn as a fashion accessory, adding a fun new element to your outfit. When wearing a leather dress, consider accessorizing it with a large belt. The key thing to remember is that you want to choose a belt of opposite/contrasting color of your leather dress. If you are wearing a standard black leather dress, for instance, a white belt would be a smart choice, as the two colors will contrast with one another. Jewelry Of course, you can also accessorize a leather dress with jewelry. Whether it’s a beaded necklace, dangle earrings, gold bracelet, gemstone rings, etc., these are all great choices. Think about when and how you’ll be wearing a leather dress and choose the most appropriate jewelry. For formal occasions, genuine gold and diamond jewelry is preferred. But for casual occasions, you can venture into beaded pieces. Clutch Purse Another essential accessory that works well for leather dresses...
by Leather | Fashion
Have you noticed small holes in your shirts, sweaters and other garments after taking them out of the dryer? Some people automatically assume their clothes dryer or washing machine is to blame. But before you point the finger at your appliances, you should first check to see if moths are the culprit. According to Wikipedia, there are more than 160,000 species of moths on Earth. The moths that most people know and recognize — the variety that you can see flying around at night — are not the ones that feast on clothes. Clothes moths are smaller and more reserved, preferring to hide in the shadows as they feast on woolen materials. Store Your Clothes in a Well-Lit Area One of the easiest ways to protect your clothes from moths is to store them in a well-lit area. It’s a little-known fact that moths hate light and will often avoid it when possible. You can use this to your advantage by storing your clothes in a well-lit area, such as your bedroom closet with the light on. Vacuum Another essential step in maintaining a moth-free home is to vacuum your floors on a regular basis. Moths lay eggs during their reproductive cycle — eggs that will remain scattered on the floor until they hatch. Vacuuming at least once per week will make a world of difference in your battle against these pets, breaking the moth’s life cycle one egg at a time. Moth Balls Of course, you can also protect your clothes from moths by using special additive products known as moth balls. Moth balls are small balls which...
by Leather | Fashion
Keeping up with the latest fashion trends shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. Unfortunately, though, for many people it does. You might purchase a new jacket or dress, only for it to go out of style the following year. If this sounds like a familiar scenario, keep reading for some helpful tips and tricks on how to stay fashionable without breaking your bank account. Quality Over Quantity When shopping for new clothes and accessories, it’s important to focus on quality over quantity. Sure, the allure of buying a t-shirt for $5 bucks may sound enticing, but how long will that t-shirt really last? As the saying goes, you get what what you pay for, holds true in the world of fashion. A $5 t-shirt will most likely wear and tear down faster than a premium, well-made t-shirt. For this reason, it’s recommended that you choose fewer, better-made garments as opposed to many poorly made garments. Check Consignment Shops Another helpful tip to stay fashionable on a budget is to check some of the local consignment shops in your city or region. Consignment shops differ from thrift stores in the sense that they only accept gently used clothes. So while most of the clothes they sell are used, they are gently used and typically show no signs of wear. What’s great about consignment shops is that you can often purchase name-brand clothes for half off (sometimes even more). Whether you are searching for a new pair of jeans, a shirt, a dress, or any other garment, check the consignment shops. Wash Less Why should you wash your clothes less?...
by Leather | Leather Care
Do you own a leather garment or accessory that’s just not quite soft enough for your liking? Leather is prized for its strength and durability (among other things), but it can also be rough at times. As a result, some people seek to “soften” their leather so it’s supple and easier on the skin. The good news is that you can soften leather — something that we’re going to talk about in greater detail in today’s blog post. Store in Semi-Humid Environment One of the easiest ways to soften leather is to store it in a semi-humid environment. Because it contains thousands upon thousands of pores, leather fluctuates according to the surrounding moisture content in the air. When stored in a dry environment, leather will shrink and become stiff. But when stored in a semi-humid environment of 50-65% relative humidity, the opposite occurs: it expands and becomes softer. Consider installing a humidifier in your home to help soften your leather. Use a Leather Conditioning Product Of course, another easy way to make leather soft is to use a leather conditioning product, such as saddle soap for instance. Leather is unique from other fabrics and materials in the sense that it requires some regular maintenance to preserve its attractive characteristics. Failure to give your leather a little TLC will result in it becoming hard, stiff, and uncomfortable to wear. A leather conditioning product, however, helps to protect against the natural wear and tear of leather by adding valuable moisture to it. You see, saddle soap and similar conditioning products contain moisture that seeps into the pores of leather — much...
by Leather | Latest News
There’s ‘Salmon’ Leather No, I’m not talking about salmon-colored leather. There’s actually leather that is made from the skin of salmon. Many people in Iceland and Norway farm salmon for this very reason. The high strength and unique, elegant look make it a prized type of leather, although its popularity has yet to catch on here in the U.S. Four Forms of Leather Most types of leather can be broken down into one of the four following categories: full-grain, top-grain, corrected-grain, and split leather. Of the four, top-grain and full-grain offer the highest level of quality, making them the preferred choice for jackets, pants, and other leather accessories. Leather Has Been Around for Centuries Leather is one of the oldest — if not the oldest — the fabric on the planet. Civilizations from across the globe and throughout time have used leather to produce clothing and other items. While construction techniques have changed over the years, the basic concept of leather remains the same. The Average Person Wears Four Pieces of Leather On any given day, the average person wears roughly four pieces of leather on his or her body. This may include your shoes, belt, jacket, watch, hat, jewelry, and more. The next time you are getting ready for work in the morning, count how many pieces of leather you are wearing. The answer might just surprise you. Leather is a Renewable Resource Leather is classified as a natural, renewable resource. This makes is an excellent choice of material for Eco-concsious companies and consumers. Leather Changes Based on the Surrounding Environment Because leather contains thousands upon thousands of...
by Leather | Leather Dresses
With the summer season now behind us, there’s no better time to update your wardrobe with a stylish new leather dress. A leather dress is a fun, fashion-forward garment that will enhance your appearance. Many women assume that traditional fabrics like cotton and polyester are the only viable options for dresses, but this simply isn’t true. Leather dresses offer the perfect blend of modern style with classic elegance to achieve a look that’s unlike any other. Dress Length One of the first things to consider when choosing a leather dress is the length. Leather dresses are available in a wide variety of different lengths, with some stopping just shy of the knees and others going well below the knees. Dress length is ultimately a personal choice, but many women prefer longer dresses for formal occasions and shorter dresses for casual occasions. If you are unable to decide, you can always get two different leather dresses: one short length and a second long length. Dress Fit Something else to consider when choosing a leather dress is the fit. In other words, how does it look when worn? Many leather dresses are designed to be slim-fitted, meaning they contour to the shape of the wearer’s body. This style is an excellent choice for women who are seeking to differentiate themselves from the crowd. However, there are other leather dresses that are more open and do not contour to the shape of wearer’s body. Dress Color Don’t feel restricted to only wearing a brown leather dress. While Brown is the single most popular choice for leather dresses and other leather garments, there...
by Leather | Latest News
In case you didn’t get the memo, the start of fall is right around the corner. Beginning on September 23 and ending on December 21, this time of year is characterized by cool temperatures, dry air, and a general change of “life.” As a result, your wardrobe should reflect these changes. But creating a stylish, comfortable wardrobe for the fall isn’t always an easy task. Fashion trends come and go from year to year. What’s hot one year may be gone the next. If you are struggling to create a fashionable fall wardrobe, keep reading to learn more about the upcoming women’s fashion trends to watch this fall season. While you may already know some of them, chances are others will surprise you. Olive-Green Dresses, shirts, jackets and other garments featuring the olive-green color are coming back in style, and rightfully so: they offer a fun and unique alternative to many of the standard colors that we’ve become accustomed to seeing in the world of fashion. And being that olive-green matches virtually any color or design, it’s easy to pair with other garments and accessories. If you are interested in adding olive-green to your fall wardrobe, check out the leather blazer offered here at LeatherCult. Made of genuine, green leather, it’s the perfect choice for the upcoming cool fall weather. Sweater Dresses Granted, sweater dresses aren’t a new fashion trend by any means. In fact, they’ve been around for decades, offering a unique combination of a dress and sweater into a single garment. However, all indications suggest that fall 2015 will be the season of the sweater dress. Many...
by Leather | Fashion, Leather Skirts
A genuine leather skirt is a fun and flirty garment that can be worn in dozens of different ways. You can wear it with a standard t-shirt or button-up long-sleeved shirt, or you can pair it with something more elegant like a blouse. Regardless of which method you prefer, though, you’ll want to pay close attention to your footwear, because this will have a significant impact in the overall appearance of your outfit. Reasons to Wear a Leather Skirt Before we reveal the steps to choosing the right footwear, let’s first talk about the benefits of wearing a leather skirt. Skirts made of traditional fabric like cotton and/or wool often look thin, frail, and of poor quality. Leather skirts, on the other hand, exhibit a certain level of durability that’s not found elsewhere. They are thick, durable, and able to withstand the hands of time, which is something that can’t be said for skirts made of other materials. What Color Leather Skirt? When choosing shoes for a leather skirt, you must first identify the color and tone of your skirt. Brown, of course, is the most common color for leather garments (skirts included). However, there are literally dozens of other colors from which to choose, as well, including black, red, green and yellow. If you plan on wearing a traditional brown-colored leather skirt, you won’t be able to wear black shoes. Consequentially, you can’t wear brown shoes with a black-colored leather skirt. Going back to the basics of fashion 101, brown and black don’t mix, so don’t attempt to wear them together. High Heels or Flats? Want to elongate...
by Leather | Leather Care
Winter is right around the corner, which means the temperatures will begin to drop, the air will become drier, and some areas may soon receive snow. The combination of these elements can wreck havoc on certain fabrics and materials, including leather. So if you own any leather garments or accessories, there are a few steps you should take to better protect them from damage this winter season. Watch the Indoor Humidity Levels We’ve talked about this before on the LeatherCult blog, but it’s worth mentioning again that dry air may damage leather, causing it to dry out and even crack in severe cases. Unfortunately, dry air is an all-too-common problem during the winter. When the temperature drops, the air becomes less dense and is therefore unable to hold as much moisture. To protect your leather garments and accessories from dry air, it’s recommended that you install a humidifier in your bedroom (or wherever you store the leather). Humidifiers will regulate the humidity level by releasing moisture vapor when needed. Protection from Rain Check the weather forecast before venturing outside with a leather jacket or other leather garment. While short-term exposure to rain shouldn’t cause any problems, constantly wearing your leather garments or accessories in the rain day after day will eventually cause damage. The moisture from the rain will settle down within the leather’s pores, promoting the formation of mold and mildew (never a good thing!). It’s bound to happen sooner or later, so when your leather garment becomes soaked in rain, dry it in a timely manner. All it takes is a couple of minutes to wipe it...