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Leather: How to Tell You’ve Got a Quality Piece
Leather is beautiful, stylish and a classic look. Leather coats and jackets are comfortable, durable and can be a signature piece in wardrobe collection. A purse accents an outfit or makes a statement all on its own.
What kind of leathers are out there and how do you know you are getting good quality?
Full Grain Cowhide Leather wears very well. It is the kind of leather that quickly becomes a “second skin”. Full grain ages gracefully over time and develops a beautiful natural patina with wear. It’s the ultimate in riding grade leather.
Lambskin is perfect for dress wear. It’s lighter, smoother and comes in a wider variety of dyed colors. Lambskin is top quality in durability and style.
Construction is important. You can tell right away if a jacket or coat is of good quality construction by looking at the panels of leather that make the garment. Do the grains match? Is the color uniform all around? Do the pockets and zipper cover blend with the body of the coat?
The interior is a place for close inspection too. A well made leather piece will be fully lined through the sleeves and pockets. Some will offer a zip out lining for all weather wear. Check seams, they should match all around the garment and should be double stitched for durability. Leather on either side of a zipper indicates a well made piece.
Adding quality leather to your wardrobe and accessories adds confidence and style to your look.
Custom Made Quality Leather
Feeling comfortable and looking great is what style is all about.A stylish, a well made jacket that fits like it was made just for you. We can make that, for less than you think.
Do you find coats off the rack just don’t feel right? The sleeves are too long, maybe they are always a bit to short. Perhaps you have a wide shoulder span or prefer a little more give a round the waist. How many times have you tried on a garment and said,”it’s almost perfect if only I could fix this one little thing”. Now you can.
A customized jacket or coat can be yours for only and additional $60 to our already affordable prices. Full figures, tall frames, long arms, short waists, no matter. We can make a leather piece just for you that will fit you perfectly!
Shoreline Traders Classic Leather jacket or our 1950’s inspired Bad Boy, custom made for you. It’s so easy. Click here and see how easily a custom made leather jacket can be yours.
A ladies gorgeous full length lambskin belted coat, at just the right length, imagine. You can have leather trench that is always in style and customized to your frame. Add a leather waist coat to your collection that will literally be a perfect fit.
Looking good in a custom made leather jacket or coat is a great feeling.
Yes you can have one!
Storage and Maintenance: Keeping Your Leather Fabulous
Indiana Jones wore his leather jacket every day. Jim Morrison is said to have kept his leather pants on for two years running. Madonna probably has more leather than anyone else on the planet. Leather looks good, wears well and feels great.
But what if you have more than one piece in your wardrobe? What if you feel like you need to store your leather for a short time? How can you pack it away so it stays fabulous?
Dry storage is key. Hang it on an appropriate hanger (please recycle what comes from the cleaners back to the cleaners!). Get a rounded wooden or padded hanger for your item. Hang in a cool, dry place until you are ready to wear again. Simple right?
OK, let’s say you have a small place and have to store in the cellar or attic. It’s not ideal but it can be done. Option one: try a fabric closet, available at most department and hardware stores for around $50. They assemble quickly and are basically a wheeled garment rack with a cotton blend fabric box around it. Steer clear away from anything with a plastic lining as it will encourage mold. Plastic most assuredly will bring moisture which is the enemy here. Hang your leather in the fully enclosed fabric closet until you are ready for it. Option two: wrap your leather loosely in acid free tissue paper (widely available at craft stores, sometimes you can buy it from the dry cleaner ~ they use it for wedding gown storage) and store in an airtight container.
Purses need a bit of TLC before they are stored. Give them a quick clean (**hyperlink here to cleaning entry**) stuff them with a couple of pieces of crushed tissue paper and hang them up. Leather need air to breath, don’t stuff them into a plastic bag and shove them in the back of the closet!
Black Leather Jacket ~ the New Little Black Dress
Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical) and Kate Walsh (Private Practice) rocked them on the red carpet in haute couture. James Dean just rocked it. Everyone you’ve ever given a second look at because they had that special something had one and you can have one too.
A sophisticated and classic American black leather jacket. Elle magazine, whowhatwear and In Style all agree the classic look of the black bomber jacket has never gone out of style. Pairing it with contemporary looks like a men’s pinstripe pants or a women’s glittery scarf bring the look up to date.
It screams cool without actually screaming. It’s not just for jeans and t-shits anymore. Nor do you need the motorcycle to go with it, just the confidence to wear one of the most iconic symbols of American fashion.
Lenny Kravitz, Liza Minelli, McCauley Caulkin, John Travolta and Grace Jones.
And you. You don’t need paparazzi following you to wear this and look awesome.
Plus you can have your leather jacket custom made so it looks and feels perfect.
Cleaning and Caring for Leather
You’re rocking your leather look and notice something has spilled or smeared on your beautiful leather. Don’t freak out! It’s not ruined for life!
When the mess is fresh, gently wipe it off with a clean cloth, but if you notice a smear well after the fact it can still be salvaged.
Step one: assess the mess, if the cloth hasn’t taken the offensive stain off, move on to
Step two: moisten a clean cloth (this is not the time for a rip off the paper towel roll) with warm water and bring a small amount of mild soap (like dove) to lather. Gently rub (in circles, gently please) the stain out.
Step three: Wipe off the soap with another clean cloth. Let the leather air dry
Step four: Give it a quick rub with oil (mink oil is good).
BIG
Also, No chemicals! Alcohol and turpentine will permanently stain, waxes and anything with silicone is also in the keep away zone, they will Another no-no are baby wipes, they are mild for bare baby bottoms but will stain your leather.
If after you’ve tried the gentle soap method you’re still staring at a stain, it’s time for a trip to the professionals. Call your local dry cleaner and ask if they clean leather, most do.
What about mold or mildew? It happens. Leather is porous and is susceptible to growing these nasty little spores when exposed to warm moist places. You can save it though! Simple, get out your clean cloth, mild soap follow steps one through four above. That and your couple minutes of patience get you back into some beautiful leather.
Give your leather a little TLC once a year. Give it a gentle rub with leather conditioner (again with a soft cloth), let it air dry and you’ll keep your leather soft and supple forever.
Autumn Leather Fashion Trends
For those of you who also enjoy this season you most likely have a leather jacket or two in your closet and look forward to finally being able to slip it on not only for warmth but for the fashion and sensation that your leather jacket brings to you. Leather apparel is timeless; the sensation of the touch and smell of your jacket reminds you that what you are slipping into is just a bit more special than your other apparel. For both men and women your leather jacket looks, feels and smells good and you know it!
Probably the foremost characteristic of your leather jacket is its durability. Twenty-five to thirty years of seasonal wear is almost guaranteed with just a reasonable amount of care. Some jackets can last fifty years or more as you may have noticed while touring some aviation museums or classic motorcycle displays. Most leather products are built to last and seem to only get better with time. Jacket fashion seems to be cyclic as what may be “in” one year seems to leave the fashion scene for a few years but returns later to be “in” once again. Please note that the Hollywood scene seems to be telling us that black leather jackets are back in this year for both sexes.
The holiday season is fast approaching and you may want to consider giving a loved one or friend the gift of fashion that could last them a lifetime. Whether it is a Bomber or Biker jacket made of full-grain cowhide for that special guy or the soft touch of luxurious and colorful lambskin jackets or purses for your lady, we offer something to please everyone. You will not be forgotten for your thoughtfulness of the gift of quality!
At Shoreline Traders we pride ourselves in providing you the most up to date fashion as well as traditional styles. If you have been to our website http://www.shorelinetraders.com/, then you know that our prices are modest for both our apparel and accessories. Our styles and quality compare well with most of the major fashion stores both online and in-store. We are proud of our products and offer you a 100% satisfaction guarantee, as well as a custom made service, to meet your needs.
Autumn, what a great time of the year. I can’t wait for that first yellow leaf to fall!
Calling All Leather Fashion Lovers!
This is my opening salvo on what I hope will be great discussions about leather fashion for both men and women. As large as our fashion industry is there seems to be a limited amount of feedback in this area especially when it comes to just what leather fashion to wear and how to wear it. Since both men and women look at this process differently I look forward to having the chance to cover both perspectives and for those who wish to promote this area of fashion to have the opportunity to join in the conversation.
During the weeks and months ahead let's develop a rapport on the subject of leather apparel and try to see where most of the appeal lies. Also, are there some vendors who you trust and would like to share with us? I hope so! Fine leather apparel just as good food seems to have a certain universal appeal. I look forward to discussing and sharing this common love.
Chris