The most useful thing you can do before Black Friday is decide which jacket you actually want. Most people buy the wrong style at a discount rather than the right style at a fair price, and a leather jacket lasts long enough that the second option is always better value.
Here is how to work out which mens leather jacket belongs in your wardrobe, and what to verify before you order anything.
Step 1: Pick the Style
Ask what you will wear it over, most days.
Over a t-shirt or a shirt. A cafe racer or a biker jacket. Both are cut close and look wrong with bulk underneath. The cafe racer is the more versatile of the two. See Cafe Racer Jackets.
Over a hoodie or a jumper. A bomber jacket. The ribbed hem does the shaping so the body stays roomy. See Bomber Leather Jackets.
Over a blazer or a suit. A leather coat. A jacket over tailoring bunches at the shoulder and rides up at the hem. See Mens Leather Coats.
In genuinely cold weather. Shearling or an aviator jacket. Nothing else in leather comes close for warmth. See Shearling Leather Jackets.
On a bike. A heavyweight cowhide biker jacket, around 1.2 mm or above. See Motorcycle Jackets.
Our comparison of bomber, biker and cafe racer styles goes into more detail.
Step 2: Pick the Hide
- Lambskin. Soft and light, comfortable from day one. Best for everyday fashion jackets. Scuffs more easily.
- Cowhide. Thick, heavy, hard wearing. Takes two to three months to break in and then lasts decades.
- Goatskin. Between the two, with a pebbled grain and natural water resistance.
- Shearling. Sheepskin with the wool attached. Warmest by a wide margin, and the heaviest.
Our comparison of lambskin, cowhide and goatskin covers the trade offs.
Step 3: Verify It Is Real Leather
Discount periods bring a surge of listings claiming to be leather that are not. What the terms mean:
- Full grain, top grain. Real and durable.
- Genuine leather. Real hide but a lower split. Works, will not last like the grades above.
- Bonded leather. Scraps glued to a backing. Peels within a year or two.
- PU, vegan leather, leatherette. Synthetic. No hide at all.
If a listing does not name a specific hide, ask before ordering. Our guide on real leather versus faux leather covers the physical checks.
Step 4: Get the Size Right
This is where most orders go wrong, and with leather it cannot be undone. Leather has no stretch, it moulds to your body over the first month, and it stays that way for decades.
Take five measurements over a t-shirt: chest, shoulder, sleeve, waist and body length. Our guide on how to measure yourself at home takes five minutes, and the numbers go against our Size Guide.
If two sizes conflict, take the shoulder size. Chest, waist and sleeve length can be altered by a tailor. Shoulders cannot.
If you are between sizes, size down for cafe racer and biker, size up for bomber, shearling and coats.
Step 5: Choose the Colour
Black is the most versatile and the sharpest with tailoring or in the evening. The right first choice for most people.
Brown and tan are warmer and more relaxed, and they pair better with cream, olive and denim. If you already own a black leather jacket, brown gives you far more range than a second black one.
Distressed finishes already look worn in, which suits a casual wardrobe.
The Mistakes to Avoid
Buying a style you will not wear. A biker jacket in a wardrobe of tailoring will hang unused. Buy for the clothes you already own.
Sizing up for a jumper. Most jackets get worn over a t-shirt for the majority of their life. Size for that and layer with a fine rollneck instead.
Judging fit standing still. Cross your arms, reach forward and sit down in it.
Buying because of the percentage. Ask whether you would buy it at full price. If not, the discount is not a reason.
How We Work
Worth knowing if you order from us. Every jacket at Leather Outlet is made after you order it rather than pulled from a warehouse.
That means every size XS to 5XL is available regardless of demand, plus a custom option at no extra cost, and we never run out. It also means there is a production window before shipping, so ordering around Black Friday is sensible timing for a Christmas arrival. Shipping is free worldwide on every order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which mens leather jacket should I buy?
Decide by what you will wear it over. A cafe racer or biker over a t-shirt, a bomber over a hoodie, a coat over tailoring, shearling in genuinely cold weather.
What size leather jacket should I order?
Take chest, shoulder, sleeve, waist and body length over a t-shirt and check them against the size guide. If two sizes conflict, take the shoulder size, since shoulders cannot be altered.
Should I size up or down?
Size down for cafe racer and biker jackets, which sit close. Size up for bomber, shearling and coat styles, which are cut to go over layers.
How do I know the jacket is real leather?
Check that a specific hide is named, such as lambskin, cowhide or goatskin. "Genuine leather" with no hide named usually means a lower split, and PU or bonded leather is not real hide.
What colour should I choose?
Black if it is your first, since it is the most versatile. Brown or tan if you already own black, because it pairs better with cream, olive and denim.
Will you run out of my size on Black Friday?
No. Every jacket is made to order rather than stocked, so XS to 5XL and custom are always available.
Will it arrive before Christmas if I order in November?
Made to order jackets have a production window, so ordering around Black Friday is sensible timing for a Christmas arrival rather than late.
Getting It Right
Pick the style for the clothes you already own, verify the hide, and get the shoulder measurement right. Browse Men Leather Jackets at Leather Outlet and check the Size Guide before ordering. Made to order in real leather, XS to 5XL, free worldwide shipping on every order.
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