Leather coats for men have been around for over a century and in the 1950s they began to be available in stores.

Leather coats were initially worn by aviators and the military and were often lined with sheepskin for additional warmth. The coats were waterproof, durable, and relatively light.

Today’s leather coats have come a long way, the quality of leather has improved a lot, the cost of producing leather has dropped making it much more affordable and there is a fantastic range of leather coats to choose from.

Leather is a soft and flexible material, it is very pleasant in contact with the skin, it is warm and, being a natural leather, it breathes. Leather conforms to the shape of your body, it will stretch and actually fit and feel better as it ages.

The leather used for coats is usually made from cowhide, this is the skin of an adult cow. Cowhide is readily available, strong, and large enough to allow large sections of clothing to be cut without stitching.

Other leathers are also used for men’s coats, one of my favorites is Napa leather; this is made from lamb, goat or sheep skins. Nappa leather is very fine and very soft and smooth to the touch. Napa is generally used in high-end products, as it is more expensive and less available than cowhide. Other animal and bird skins can also be used, such as deerskin and kangaroo skin.

There are a large number of different styles of men’s leather coats available, the most common include:

• biker jacket, these are normally made of heavy leather and lined. These jackets, in addition to providing protection from the weather, will provide a level of protection if the rider is involved in an accident.
• bomber jacketthese are usually made of lightweight leather such as Napa, they are warm and provide excellent wind protection
• Formal jacketThey are usually black, gray or brown leather jackets that look great when worn with a shirt and tie.
• trench coatFor great weather protection and great looks, the trench coat is a must-have for the modern man.
• casual jacket, it looks great with a T-shirt and jeans, in fact, it can make almost any casual outfit look dressier. Casual jackets can have zippers, buttons, domes, hoodies, and many more accessories. With casual jackets there is no need to stick with ‘normal colours’, try red, blue, green, patterned

It’s a good idea to determine what style of coat you want before you go shopping, there are so many coats and jackets available that it can be a bit overwhelming. If you’re only going to end up with a leather coat, I suggest a black coat, which will complement the style of clothing you normally wear. I’ve managed to buy several jackets that have zip-up hoods and linings, this makes them so much more versatile.