Black leather done right

I got my first black leather jacket when I was 23 years old. It was a beauty. A bona fide California troopers jacket with no epaulets, belt or snaps that showed. That was well over 30 years ago and I have long since given it away as it ceased to fit the lost body of my wiry youth.

Since that time, I have always owned at least one black leather jacket/coat. I seem to be on a constant quest for the best fit, feel and style. In the early 1990s, I had a friend purchase a three-button leather sport coat from England like the one he was raffishly wearing at the time. He made regular trips because he owned a home in Ireland. This coat was certified that it was made from cows/steers that died of natural causes. I sometimes wonder who and how they determined that when purchasing the hides to make these. Anyway, the coat is great but is weighs a good five pounds due to the thick hides. Not stiff, but heavy.

I wanted something that could be worn inside as sport coat. It took more than a year of searching before I found the right one. It is lambskin, three-button model with a nice cut. Too boxy and you look like some wise-guy palooka. Too tightly fitted and you can't layer pieces underneath and look like a gigolo.

I have been searching for another black leather jacket for a while. It is the black motorcycle jacket with a band collar. I already owned a refined, very lightweight version of this jacket that I wear as a layering piece underneath a sport coat. Believe me, it works. But, I wanted another the was a little less refined to wear with jeans and a T-shirt. I didn't want any stripes on the arms, no kidney belt and fairly lightweight. I finally found it at Banana Republic. The leather is soft, almost buttery. Styling so classic, it will be cool 20 years from now. (NOTE: Banana Republic clothes run small, try on one size up.)

PULLING OFF THE LOOK

• A starched white shirt under a black leather jacket is always looks great. The darker the shirt, the more you look like a wise guy.
• Wear black shoes or boots with your black leather jacket. If you're wearing a belt, it should be black. The dressier the belt and shoes, the more refined the look. Avoid wide belts with huge buckles.
• One exception to the rule above: White shirt and white sneakers with blue jeans and a black leather jacket/coat is a classic ensemble.
• Avoid the all-black look unless you are a Johnny Cash impersonator, are playing a rock-n-rock show or a Halloween party.
• Avoid other black leather garment with your black leather coat/jacket. No leather vest, no leather pants. (No one since Jim Morrison has successfully carried off this look.)