Black Leather Jackets

Black is the jacket most people buy first, and for a lot of people it is the only one they ever buy. It goes with everything, it hides wear, and nobody has ever looked at a black leather jacket and decided it was the wrong choice. That is the whole appeal.

The black leather jackets we make

A mens black leather jacket usually means one of four shapes. The biker with its asymmetric zip. The cafe racer with a short band collar and a straight zip. The bomber with ribbed cuffs and hem. And the high collar version that closes right up at the neck. For women the same four exist, plus cropped and collarless cuts.

Cropped and oversized black leather jackets

These two pull in opposite directions and both sell well. A cropped black leather jacket finishes at the waist or just above it, which works over a dress and with high waisted jeans. An oversized black leather jacket does the opposite, with dropped shoulders and room through the body, made to go over a jumper. Neither is simply a size up or down from the other. They are cut differently from the start, so go by the measurements rather than the name.

Two tone: red and black, white and black

Black with a second colour through the sleeves or panels comes from racing jackets, and it has come back properly over the last two years. Red and black is the combination people ask for most. White and black reads cleaner and a bit more retro. Both are on this page and in our red and burgundy section.

Smooth, distressed or washed black leather

Smooth black leather has an even finish and looks newest out of the box. Distressed has been rubbed back at the seams and edges so it starts out looking worn in. Washed sits between the two, softer to the touch with a slight shine. None of them wears out faster than the others. It comes down to how you want it to look on day one.

What size black leather jacket to buy

Measure round the fullest part of your chest over a shirt and compare it with the table on the product page. Do not go by the size you take on the high street, because leather jackets are cut closer. If you are between sizes and you want a jumper underneath, take the larger one.

Looking after black leather

Black shows scuffs less than any other colour, which is half the reason it is popular. Wipe it with a damp cloth when it needs it and use a leather conditioner once or twice a year. Keep it off radiators, and hang it on a wide hanger rather than a wire one, because wire cuts a dent into the shoulder over time.

Made to order, and how long it takes

Every jacket is cut and stitched in your size after you order. That is why it takes longer here than at a shop selling off the shelf. The delivery date on the product page is the real one, UK delivery is free, and you have 14 days to return it. For the warm end of the range see our sheepskin jackets, and for something lighter the suede page.