Can’t seem to choose between a leather shirt and a leather jacket? With a leather shirt jacket, you’ll experience the best of both worlds. Leather shirt jackets are popular among men and women alike, so they offer many of the same benefits as traditional leather garments. But leather shirt jackets feature a unique design that distinguishes them from the rest. What is a leather shirt jacket exactly, and why should you wear one?
Overview of Leather Shirt Jackets
A leather shirt jacket is a hybrid garment with characteristics of both a leather shirt and a leather jacket. Also known as a shacket, it’s thicker than a leather shirt but thinner than a leather jacket.
You can find leather shirt jackets in different colors. Some of them are black, whereas others are brown or beige. You can also find them in different types of leather. As their name suggests, all leather shirt jackets are made of leather. But the specific type of leather from which they are made may vary. Regardless of color or leather type, though, leather shirt jackets feature characteristics of both a leather shirt and a leather jacket. They are thicker than a leather shirt but thinner than a leather jacket.
Leather Shirt Jackets vs Traditional Leather Jackets
They may look the same, but leather shirt jackets are different than traditional leather jackets. Leather shirt jackets feature a thinner construction. And because they are thinner, leather shirt jackets weigh less than traditional leather jackets.
Leather shirt jackets are hoodless. In comparison, traditional leather jackets may or may not feature a hood.
There are still plenty of similarities between leather shirt jackets and traditional leather jackets. They are both made of real leather; they both feature a button-up front; and they both have long sleeves. The main difference between them is that leather shirt jackets are thinner and hoodless, whereas traditional leather jackets are thicker and may or may not feature a hood.
Benefits of Leather Shirt Jackets
Leather shirt jackets offer several noteworthy benefits. You can wear them year-round. Leather shirt jackets have long sleeves, so they will completely cover your arms when worn. This means you can wear a leather shirt jacket during the cooler months of the year without leaving your arms exposed to the chilly weather.
But leather shirt jackets are still thin enough to be worn during the warmer months of the year. They won’t leave you feeling uncomfortably hot. Leather shirt jackets are thin and lightweight, so you can wear them during the warmer months of the year as well. Whether it’s spring, summer, fall or winter, you can sport a leather shirt jacket.
With their leather construction, leather shirt jackets are long-lasting. They won’t rip or tear like garments made of conventional materials like cotton. Leather shirt jackets are made of leather, which makes them resistant to physical damage. When properly maintained, they will offer many years of use while showing few or no signs of wear.
You can wear a leather shirt jacket as a part of a layered outfit. Most people wear a t-shirt or other top underneath them. However, you can still wear a heavier coat or jacket over a leather shirt jacket.
You’ll have plenty of options from which to choose when shopping for a leather shirt jacket. They are available in dozen of colors and styles.
Tips on Choosing a Leather Shirt Jacket
You should choose a leather shirt jacket made of real, high-quality leather. Avoid leather shirt jackets made of faux leather. Instead, choose one that’s made of real, high-quality leather.
Faux leather lacks the attractive properties of real leather. Also known as synthetic leather, it’s designed to look like real leather. But faux leather is a synthetic material, so it’s not as soft or supple as real leather. If you’re going to buy a leather shirt jacket, make sure it’s made of real leather and not faux leather.
Some leather shirt jackets are made of napa leather. Napa leather is a type of full-grain leather that’s renowned for its superior softness. It’s still strong and durable, but napa leather is softer than most other types of leather. You can’t go wrong with a leather shirt jacket that’s made of napa leather thanks to its combination of strength and softness.
The color of your leather shirt jacket will determine the outfits in which you can wear it. Leather shirt jackets are available in dozens of colors. In addition to black and brown, you can find them in more modern colors like blue, lava red, pine green and ginger. There’s really no “best” color. Rather, you should choose a leather shirt jacket in a color that matches the outfits in which you intend to wear it.
Don’t Forget to Condition it
If you’re going to buy a leather shirt jacket, you should get into the habit of conditioning it. All leather garments can benefit from conditioning — and leather shirt jackets are no exception.
Conditioning is the process of applying a moisturizing product to leather. Known as a conditioner, the moisturizing product will hydrate the leather by restoring its moisture content. Leather has a porous surface, which allows it to absorb moisture. But over time, some of the moisture within leather will evaporate. This can cause leather garments to dry out. Conditioning your leather shirt jacket will prevent it from drying out.
To keep your leather shirt jacket soft and supple, try to condition it once every few months. You don’t want to over-condition it. Conditioning it too much will saturate your leather shirt jacket with an excessive amount of moisture. Conditioning it too little, on the other hand, will leave your leather shirt jacket susceptible to dryness and related damage like cracking. By conditioning it once every few months, you’ll keep your leather shirt jacket hydrated so that it’s soft, supple and protected from damage.