by Leather | Leather Accessories
Looking to enhance your outfit with the right accessories? Sure you are! Accessories can make or break a woman’s appearance, which is why it’s important to choose the right ones. Thankfully, there are dozens of fashionable leather accessories from which to choose, some of which we’re going to highlight in today’s blog post. Leather Handbag One of the best leather accessories for women is a handbag. Whether you are going to attend an important business meeting or just running errands around town, you can’t go wrong with this brilliant accessory. Leather handbags have become the de-facto choice of accessory among many women, and for good reason: they are stylish, durable, and offer a classic appearance that’s unmatched in terms of style. Don’t take my word for it, though. Pick up a leather handbag and see for yourself why so many women sport them. Leather Belt Another must-have leather accessory for women is a belt. Leather belts are available in a wide range of sizes, shapes and styles, with something available to suit every woman. When choosing a leather belt, pay close attention to the color, because this will directly affect the appearance of your entire outfit. If possible, try wearing a belt that’s the same color as your shirt/top. Leather Bracelet Of course, leather bracelets are the perfect choice for fashion-forward women of all ages. Many women overlook fashion accessories such as bracelets, assuming they yield little-to-no benefit in terms of style. While there are many “lackluster” bracelets out there, leather bracelets offer the perfect combination of style and elegance. Leather Boots We can’t talk about leather accessories without...
by Leather | Fashion, Latest News
Still haven’t jumped aboard the leather bandwagon? Whether it’s a shirt, dress, jacket, or pants, leather is the perfect choice of material for all types of fashion garments. Here’s why. It’s Timeless Fashion trends come and go from year to year. What’s “hot” one season may be gone the next. However, leather remains a classic, time-tested style that remains a popular choice among men and women alike. With leather, you can rest assured knowing that it won’t be going out of style anytime soon. This alone is reason enough for many people to invest in leather fashion as opposed to garments made of other fabrics and materials. Insulation and Warmth With winter fast approaching (December 21, FYI), you need to consider the warmth of your garments. Unfortunately, most standard all-cotton t-shirts, dresses and other garments offer very little in terms of insulation and warmth. As a result, wearing them during the winter can be downright uncomfortable. But this is an area in which leather shines, as it offers a superior level of insulation and warmth. Variety of Colors Who says leather is only available in the standard brown/tan color? While this is arguably the single most popular color for leather garments and accessories, there are literally dozens of other color varieties available as well, some of which include black, red, green, blue, yellow, black, and shades thereof. Feel free to experiment with some of these non-traditional colors to see what works and what doesn’t. Easy to Match A fourth reason why everyone should embrace leather fashion is because it’s easy to match with other garments and accessories. Planning on...
by Leather | Leather Jackets
So you’re in the market for a new leather jacket? Whether you are a man, woman, young or old, there’s no denying the fact that leather jackets offer a timeless, classic style that’s unmatched in terms of appearance. People have been wearing them for centuries, and even today leather jackets remain one of the world’s most popular forms of outerwear. But with so many different types of leather jackets available for sale, how do you know which one to choose? Color Contrary to what some people may believe, brown isn’t the only color in which leather jackets are made. Sure, it might be the most popular color, but there are dozens of other options available as well, including black, red, maroon, yellow, green, and even blue. I recommend choosing a color that matches your preferred everyday shoes. If you normally wear black shoes, for instance, choose a black leather jacket. If your wear brown shoes, choose a brown leather jacket — you get the idea. Pockets or No Pockets? Something else to consider when choosing a leather jacket is the pockets. You’ll find that some leather jackets are pocketless, whereas others have one, two, three pockets or more. Pocketless leather jackets offer a cleaner, more modern appearance, whereas their pocketed counterpart offers a more traditional look. If you plan on wearing your new jacket while riding a motorcycle, hiking or traveling, you may want to choose a pocketed style for the extra storage space. This is really a personal preference, though, so choose the style that YOU like best. Quality of Leather Not all leather is made the same,...
by Leather | Fashion
Creating a comfortable and stylish outfit that’s suitable for the nightlife isn’t always an easy task. You have to consider your body size and shape, the occasion, and how the garments and accessories will flow with one another. But every woman should be allowed to treat herself to a fun night out every once in a while, which is why it’s important to follow some basic fashion tips. If you’re still struggling to choose a stylish “nightlife” outfit, keep reading. Where Will it Be Worn? First and foremost, decide where exactly you’ll be wearing the nightlife outfit. As the saying goes, when in Rome do as the Romans do, holds true. You don’t have to necessarily copy other people’s styles, but you should maintain a similar appearance to what’s being worn. Let’s say you plan on going to a club with your friends. Well, perhaps you can scout out the club ahead of time to see what other people are wearing. Doing so will give a better idea of what clothes and accessories are suitable for the club. Be Original Regardless of where you plan on going, try to make your outfit original. You can still draw inspiration from other peoples’ outfits, but your outfit should be one-of-a-kind; otherwise, you’ll end up blending into a sea of generic styles — and that’s not a very flattering look. Mix and Match When choosing a nightlife outfit, feel free to experiment with different items in your wardrobe, mixing and matching them to see what works. If you have a little black dress, for instance, perhaps you could pair it with a...
by Leather | Fashion, Leather Care
Leather boots offer a certain level of style that’s not found in other types of footwear. Perhaps this is why is they are the “go to” choice among both men and women. But like all materials, even leather is susceptible to wear and tear, which is why it’s important for individuals to follow some steps to care for their leather boots during the winter. The winter season is characterized with low humidity, bone-chilling temperatures, and sporadic weather patterns. This create a unique challenge for leather boots, simply because these elements may damage the material. So, what’s the best way to clean and care for leather boots during the winter? Protect your shoes from drying out First and foremost, it’s important to note that most regions will experience low humidity levels during the winter. As the temperatures drop, the air is unable to hold as much moisture, at which point the humidity drops as well. When storing your leather boots — or any leather garments or accessories — make sure the surrounding environment has a relative humidity level of 40-50%. This will prevent the leather from drying out while keeping it fresh and protected from damage. Even if you store your leather boots in a climate-controlled area, you should still condition them on a regular basis. Saddle soap or similar conditioning products will add moisture to your leather, coating it with a protective layer that locks in its moisture. I recommend conditioning leather boots about once per month, rubbing the product into the surface until it’s no longer visible. Try to be conscious of where you step when wearing leather...
by Leather | Fashion
Made from the pressed seeds of the delicious (and nutritious) mango fruit, mango butter is a powerful cosmetic product that can be used to improve your skin health. It possesses a wide range of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients, making it particularly effective when used on the skin. In fact, many lotions and skincare products even contain mango butter as a key ingredient, attesting to its beneficial effects. If you are still skeptical of the benefits of mango butter, keep reading to learn how it can improve your skin health. Prevents Sunburn Long before sunscreen lotion had been invented, people relied on natural creams such as mango butter to protect their skin from sun damage. Mango butter has unique properties that allow it to block out a portion of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. When the skin is exposed to UV sunlight over a prolonged length of time, it can lead to redness and blisters, while also increasing your risk of developing skin cancer. Thankfully, these problems are easily prevented by applying mango butter to your skin. Melts on the Skin Another reason why so many men and women use mango butter — or products containing mango butter — on their skin is because it melts on contact. You see, mango butter in its normal state remains semi-solid, assuming the surrounding environment is room temperature. When it’s the exposed to the skin, however, the butter begins to melt, allowing the skin to absorb it with greater ease. This means you’ll receive a greater concentration of the beneficial nutrients since they absorb directly into your skin. Do you have...
by Leather | Leather Care
Leather is available in dozens of different types, one of which is bonded. Also known as reconstituted or blended leather, this is a special type of leather that’s made by shredding leather into small scraps and then coating them with polyurethane. The end result is a cheap, durable material that resembles genuine leather. However, there are both pros and cons associated with bonded leather that you need to be aware of. Advantages of Bonded Leather One of the most notable benefits of using bonded leather is the simple fact that it’s Eco-friendly. Bonded leather is made from the recycled scraps of existing leather, meaning it doesn’t require additional harvesting to produce. Bonded leather also offers the benefit of consistency. In other words, it has a consistent look and feel each time it is produced. This is in stark contrast to many other forms of leather, which have small but noticeable differences in their appearance. We can’t talk about the advantages of bonded leather without mentioning its price. Because it’s made from recycled leather scraps, it typically a costs a fraction of the amount of genuine leather. If you are looking for a cheap material that resembles leather, bonded is probably the way to go. Disadvantages of Bonded Leather Of course, there are also some potential disadvantages associated with bonded leather, including its unnatural look. Genuine leather looks natural, but bonded leather has a distinct artificial appearance. This is why bonded leather is rarely used in the production of jackets, shirts, pants or other garments. According to Wikipedia, bonded leather may also experience something called “off-gassing.” This occurs when plasticizers...
by Leather | Fashion
Fashion trends come and go from year to year, but maxi skirts remain a popular choice among women of all ages. This versatile skirt is characterized by its long length, often reaching the ankles. I could you say a maxi skirt is on the opposite end of the fashion spectrum when compared to a mini skirt, which of course is shorter and usually stops above the knees. So, what’s the best way to wear a maxi skirt? Don’t Choose the Same Color Top When choosing a top to wear with your maxi skirt, make sure it has a different color than your skirt. If you are going to wear a red-colored maxi skirt, for instance, your shirt or top should not be red. Wearing two of the same color garments will create the appearance of a one-piece jumpsuit, which isn’t exactly flattering to say the least. Instead, try wearing a top that contrasts with your maxi skirt, which in the case of a red maxi skirt could be a white top. Wear Open-Toed Shoes Don’t underestimate the impact footwear has on your appearance. Some women assume footwear doesn’t matter since maxi skirts cover up almost all of their shoes. While it’s true that maxi skirts will often hide a significant portion of your shoes, some of your footwear will remain visible, and it’s important to capitalize on this by wearing the right shoes. I recommend wearing open-toed shoes with a maxi skirt, simply because it adds a new dynamic to your outfit. Furthermore, the open-toed portion will generally remain visible, whereas the remaining portion of the shoes will be...
by Leather | Leather Care
It you enjoy crafting and/or modifying your own garments and accessories, you might be wondering whether or not leather is a suitable material for sewing. Cotton, wool and other common fabrics are generally easy to sew. Using either a sewing machine or by hand, you can sew these fabrics with relative ease. But leather is thicker and rougher than cotton, adding a new dynamic to the otherwise simple process of sewing. So, does this mean leather is too thick to sew? Not necessarily, but it will take a different approach than sewing traditional fabrics and materials. Attempting to run genuine leather through a sewing machine just like any other fabric could damage either the leather or the sewing machine (or both). That’s why we’re going to provide some essential tips on how to sew leather. Choosing the Right Leather First and foremost, it’s important to note that certain types of leather are easier to sew than others. Ideally, you should choose the thinnest leather possible, as this will allow you to feed it through the sewing machine more easily. The thicker the leather, the greater the resistance, which often leads to the sewing machine jamming or not creating stitches in the correct places. Plan Your Stitches and Seams Ahead of Time The golden rule of sewing leather is to plan all of your stitches and seams ahead of time. Leather is far too easy to damage if you aren’t careful with the placement of your stitches and/or seams. And to further complicate the problem, there’s no way to “undo” damage to leather. Use a Sharp Needle Check your needle...
