When we think of old, posh, and stylish, it would be difficult not to think of vintage leather jackets, or those awesome pieces inspired by styles from ages ago. Assuming that modern day vintage inspired leather jackets are just the designs from the old days without any innovation or change would be a big misconception. Instead, vintage inspired pieces ought to be thought of as creative views and ideas of people today based on styles and trends from the past. Not only does this tell us just how incredibly timeless these styles still are right now but also how relevant they continue to be five decades on from where they first originated.
What To Expect In This Article?
What is a Vintage inspired Leather Jacket?
A vintage-inspired jacket, in the context of this article, as well as based on the products available at The Jacket Maker, refers to unique pieces that have been creatively designed using one or more design, function or style elements as inspiration from any of the original vintage leather jackets, dating back fifty to a hundred years. Giving each piece a look that carries a subtle or deep resemblance to the original.
While vintage clothing, in general, has always had a cult following and a dedicated spot in men’s fashion, it is the modern trend of vintage-looking leather jackets that has soared in popularity over the last few years. One thing that separates the popularity of vintage-inspired leather jackets and the rest of the leather jacket craze is the fact that the vintage look is not limited to one specific style. There are all sorts of designs available on the market, from vintage inspired bomber jackets to classic vintage inspired biker jackets.
Are Vintage inspired Leather Jackets in Style?
Before we talk more about the different vintage inspired leather pieces that are also affordable jackets in comparison to actual vintage originals, we have to know if it’s even worth getting a vintage inspired jacket. The answer to this question is yes. Vintage inspired and styled jackets are experiencing their biggest popularity decade ever. Thanks to this continually increasing surge in fame, these kinds of vintage styled clothing, not just jackets, are super in right now.
This increase in public awareness is going even higher in the upcoming years and there is one primary reason behind it. That being the distinct look and aesthetic of these unique jackets. They are not something that blends into the crowd or something that is difficult to notice. So, one person wearing a vintage-looking brown leather jacket will present this dressing style to hundreds of people. Then many of them will also get aboard the vintage inspired train, continuing the cycle of ever-growing popularity.
Is Vintage inspired Leather Real Leather?
While it is easier to say that, yes, vintage inspired leather is real leather, we have to understand that vintage inspired is not a type of leather. In reality, it is a way of designing or styling, dyeing and finishing a piece of leather to look as close to vintage as possible, hence the name. This is not to say that vintage inspired leather is fake or low quality, far from it. Many high-quality jacket brands are making vintage inspired pieces just as we use top of the line full-grain leather for our vintage inspired leather jackets.
The Nuances in Style & Material
Vintage inspired leather jackets offer some of the most unique and interesting styling options in men’s leather outerwear. Let’s take a look at some of the best from our vintage inspired leather jacket assortment.
Youngster Distressed Black Leather Jacket
Let’s start off with a jacket that is unique in every way possible. The outer shell material used in its creation is goat leather, which is processed to achieve that snuffed finish, which further adds to the jacket’s uniqueness. What truly separates this vintage inspired leather jacket from the rest is its striking design. A design that is the perfect mixture of old and new and goes impeccably with modern clothing.
The look of this jacket is striking enough that you can just wear it over a straight black t-shirt jeans combo and there you have a stunning all black party outfit to stand out from the crowd. The distressed black color ensures that it doesn’t just blend in with other black garments, while the contrasty white stitching and striking design features give the jacket a personality of its own. It also gives you plenty of options when it comes to styling. You can either incorporate lighter colors and some patterns to complement the jacket or wear dark, plain colors to draw attention toward the jacket, making it the focal point of your outfit. The choice is yours to make.
Gatsby Distressed Brown Leather Jacket
Let’s continue our discussion about our premium offerings and about a jacket that is radiating timeless style.
The Gatsby distressed leather jacket is a prime example of a jacket that shows the vintage inspired look’s real strengths. The design is terrific and amazingly crafted, with the clean and simple body, perfectly placed cross-stitched shoulder and elbow pads and a snap button collar. However; the design, as great as it is, is not the star of the show, by any stretch of the imagination. That crown goes to it’s tremendously distinct color and the patterns that form within it.
The color of this vintage inspired leather jacket is an artistic mix of dark chocolate-brown and light greyish-brown, with lighter color appearing as a pattern (which is unique for every single jacket) dispersed on the primary color.
This distinct color, combined with a simple design, allows you to create some very interesting outfits. The most obvious of which is achieved by pairing this jacket with straight blacks and dark browns. An example of this working well would be a monochrome outfit including a tan brown V-neck, dark brown jeans, and a pair of low-top brown suede sneakers.
Ionic Distressed Brown Leather Biker Jacket
The vintage inspired ionic biker jacket is designed to be as minimal as possible while also boasting a color and overall demeanor that can only be described by the word “unique.” Just because something is one of a kind doesn’t mean that it’ll also be suitable as an actual day-to-day fashion statement. An apprehension that this jacket passes with flying colors, as its simple design and rustic colors are an excellent fit for all sorts of different outfits and styles.
For example, pairing your vintage inspired leather jacket with a white t-shirt and dark blue jeans provides you with a look that you can pull off in your day to day life while combining this jacket with a white or light-colored shirt with a brown or black tie and a pair of dressy pants will dress you up for that upcoming office meet-up.
Allaric Alley Distressed Brown Leather Biker Jacket
If you are a big fan of the distressed finishes of the previous two jackets but their design is too simple and basic, then the Allaric Alley vintage inspired brown leather jacket is the perfect piece of outerwear for you. Its design is angular, bold, extravagant, and most importantly, confident. The biker influences are very apparent and at the forefront of the design, with the notch collar, zipped cuffs and a built-in belt on the waist.
The best way to style this jacket would be to combine the old and the new, this vintage inspired leather jacket, a pair of modern sneakers, light blue ripped jeans and a white or light grey button top t-shirt. This is just one example of the many possible outfits that you can craft and styles that you can experiment with, with this jacket. The only thing to keep in mind is to stay light on patterns and colors. Think of muted shades and never about creating a Hawaiian shirt outfit because the jacket has plenty of arty patterns and also a statement color that does not work well with vibrant and bright hues .
Danny Quilted Brown Leather Biker Jacket
Do you want a biker design, with less excessive features like belts, pockets and unnecessary zippers? Then the Danny Quilted jacket is the perfect choice for you, as it has all of the upsides of a confident biker design with a signature color, without any of the additional features. Even though it just looks like a simpler version of the Allaric Alley jacket, the outfitting opportunities are entirely different.
The audacious design allows you to get into the realm of high fashion and create streetwear outfits pretty quickly. Still, the lack of on-jacket features and visual elements will enable you to be much more flexible, especially in the accessories department. You can try on stuff like ripped jeans, checkered shirts and hooded sweatshirts to create a style of your own. Though the most significant benefit comes from the use of accessories. You can raise the style points of a plain black outfit by incorporating some fun accessories like watches, leather belts, metal rings, fancy scarfs and beanies, etc.
Francis B-3 Distressed Black Leather Bomber Jacket
Now let’s get away from the topic of biker jackets with a distressed finish and talk about something different, something that we haven’t covered yet and that is a vintage themed black leather jacket. Black is the most popular color for men’s fashion, hands-down, so it is a surprise to no one that a vintage bomber jacket in black is one of the best vintage inspired jackets you can buy on the market.
What this jacket lacks in small details, it makes up for in its final presentation as a complete package, a jacket with its black leather exterior with bright white fur lining. Made from real sheepskin leather, this jacket is as warm and comfortable as it is stylish. The simple colors of the jacket allow for some pretty interesting color combos and contrast in your outfits. Still, the design of this jacket is striking enough that you can wear it over almost everything and raise the fashion standard in the room you are standing.
Forest Double Face Shearling Jacket
The jackets we’ve talked about so far have all been, to an extent, a modern spin on the classic designs and jackets of the old, but this and the next entry on our list is heavily inspired by the past, and they certainly look like it.
The forest double shearling jacket is an excellent example of what high-end old jackets looked and felt like, especially in the warmth and comfort department, as it is a shearling jacket. If not for the immaculate new condition, people might actually assume that it is a jacket from a few decades ago. The distressed brown color is complemented well with bright white fur lining, and the use of a dark brown leather belt and dark brown stripes along the pockets, shoulders, and front zippers.
When it comes to styling a jacket that looks and feels genuinely vintage inspired, you have two main options. You can either hone in on the whole vintage inspired aesthetic or try to create a healthy contrast between vintage inspired and modern. Both of these methods are completely valid and will raise your fashion game to the next level.
Drakeshire Brown Leather Jacket
Speaking of jackets that actually look aged and vintage inspired, the Drakeshire dark brown jacket is on the cutting edge of vintage inspired leather jackets, as its design doesn’t even include any zippers that were invented and popularized in the 1850s, so this jacket is meant to be taken from even before than that, and it shows. After the prominent design, the second thing that jumps out about this jacket is its unusually dark and artsy brown color, as it is not a shade of brown you see these days.
When it comes to styling such a jacket, you have to treat it with a bit of respect. While you can try to emulate the clothing that went with these kinds of jackets decades ago, these kinds of vintage inspired outfits only work once in a while and are not ideal for consistent use.
To understand the best way to wear this jacket, we have to look at it from another context. Let’s imagine that an actual 70 year old leather jacket is hung in a museum. What you’ll notice immediately is that the area around the jacket in the display case is very open and empty, so the eyes of the viewer are drawn towards the jacket. This is precisely the best way of incorporating this jacket in your day to day life by wearing muted and minimalist clothing items and making the jacket the focal point of your entire ensemble.
Enhancing this approach with a custom leather jacket tailored to your personal style can further emphasize its standout quality. A custom fit ensures that the jacket not only looks its best but also feels uniquely yours. By pairing it with simple, understated pieces, you create a balanced look that highlights the jacket’s history and character, allowing it to shine as the centerpiece of your outfit.
