How to recognize a quality vintage leather jacket

A leather jacket is one of the few items in your wardrobe that gets better with age. The leather softens, acquires a patina and molds itself to the body of the wearer. That's why it makes sense to buy it vintage, you get material that would cost many times more than a new jacket, and it's already "worn out". But there is a huge difference in quality between vintage jackets. At Vintage Room 31, we mainly deal with these things when choosing.

Start with the material The first question is: is it real leather at all? Genuine leather has irregular patterns, pores, and small differences that never repeat themselves exactly. Artificial materials tend to have a regular pattern like wallpaper. The sense of smell will also help: leather typically smells like leather, leatherette more like plastic. And to the touch, genuine leather is warmer and more pliable.

In the case of genuine leather, the type is decisive. The best quality is leather with an intact surface (so-called full grain), on which you can see natural imperfections, these are not a defect, but evidence that the surface was not sanded and covered with an artificial layer. Heavily corrected, varnished surfaces crack over time; fair skin only darkens and softens.

Patina yes, damage no Patina is what you buy vintage leather for: the subtle lightening at the elbows and shoulders, the softness in the folds, the character. Damage is something else. Look at the seams (do not tear), places of greatest stress, armpits, elbows, collar, and look for deep cracks that go through the surface of the leather. Superficial abrasions can be treated, cracked skin cannot.

Zips and lining reveal the most Do you want a quick quality test? Look at the zipper. Solid manufacturers have not skimped on hardware, a heavy metal zipper that runs smoothly is a good sign. Then turn the jacket inside out: the lining is the place where savings were made first and at the same time the place that wears out the fastest. Minor repairs to the lining are fine (and can be replaced cheaply by a tailor), but a broken lining will tell you how much the jacket has been through.

Cut: the shoulders decide The length of the sleeves will be adjusted by the tailor, as well as the width at the waist. What cannot be adjusted are the shoulders. The seam should sit right on the edge of the shoulder, if it falls significantly lower or pulls, the jacket is not yours, no matter how beautiful it is. In addition, today's sizes do not apply to vintage pieces, so don't believe the label and try it on. (We write more about this in the article Sizes in vintage clothes.)

Biker, bomber or leather blazer? Biker (curvy) is the most distinctive, asymmetric zip, studs, rock shortcut. Bomber is more versatile and sportier, fits with jeans and chinos. A leather blazer is the most elegant way to wear leather to the city or to the office. In Vintage Room 31, we keep all three cuts and each piece goes through manual selection: we check the leather, zippers, lining and shoulder cut.

Best advice in the end: don't buy a leather jacket from a photo. Come and try it on, at Lidická 31 in Smíchov we will be happy to show you what we currently have and help you find a piece that will grow old with you.