While leather jackets are made in many shapes and sizes, a loose jacket is not ideal. A leather jacket should be smartly snug, particularly if wearing it for motorcycling. As the Department for Motor Vehicles cautions: "Loose-fitting leather will shift during riding and when that happens, the carefully placed protective armor (extra layers of leather and fabric) moves out of position." The best way to wear a leather jacket is in a style and cut neither too loose nor too tight but form-fitting. Achieve this look by trying on different styles in multiple positions to ensure comfort.
Instructions
1 Raise your arms while wearing the leather jacket. Check for tightening in the breast region of the body, which will indicate that the jacket is too tight. Ensure that when the arms are lifted, the jacket does not ride up the midriff.
2 Twist to the right and to the left. Wearing a leather jacket that is neither too loose nor too tight entails having a jacket that moves with you but does not make you feel uncomfortable.
3 Inspect the quality. Wearing a leather jacket means feeling comfortable, not just in the fit but with the quality. According to Jay Barbieri in the "Biker's Handbook," the ideal leather jacket for motorcyclists is black, heavy-gauge leather with strong zippers. Though an article in "Glamour" suggests that a light, flexible leather jacket will be more appropriate for anyone not wearing leather for for biking.
4 Look at yourself in the mirror in the leather jacket. Stand sideways to the front and while bending over. Knowing you look good in the leather jacket will help you wear the jacket with confidence.
Tips & Warnings
Ask a friend how the jacket looks and whether or not it appears to be too big or too small.
Try on leather jackets with a sweater or heavy shirt underneath to gauge that they are loose enough to accommodate fall or winter fashions.
Leather is a very durable material; a heavy leather jacket often is considered to be essential safety equipment for motorcyclists, preventing or reducing the severity of injury in an accident. Regardless of how or why you wear a leather jacket, though, leather is not invulnerable; it will wear down over time, and this process is sped up by stresses such as heat and dryness. Cracked and damaged leather usually can be repaired, but it must be regularly cleaned, conditioned, polished and weatherproofed from that point on to prevent the damage from returning.
Instructions
1 Place several layers of newspaper on the ground in a well-ventilated area and put on rubber gloves. Put the leather jacket on the newspaper and work on it over the newspaper to avoid spilling chemicals on the floor.
2 Use a leather cleaner, such as saddle soap, and rub it over all leather surfaces on the jacket with a soft cloth, making an effort to remove any dirt or debris from cracks in the leather. Allow the jacket to air dry for several minutes, then wipe it with a clean soft cloth to remove any lingering chemical or debris.
3 Apply a leather conditioner to the entire surface of the jacket and rub it into the leather. Allow the jacket to sit for several minutes, then wipe off any unabsorbed conditioner with a clean, soft cloth.
4 Choose a shoe polish cream that matches the color of your jacket. Rub the cream into the leather with a soft cloth, allowing the cream to enter cracks in the leather. Allow the jacket to dry completely, then check for any additional or incompletely filled cracks. Apply additional polish to remaining cracks. Polish the leather with a soft leather buffing cloth after you've finished your repairs.
5 Apply a weatherproofing leather compound to the jacket. Application instructions will vary depending on the product; check the container for instructions before applying. Choose a compound that meets your specific needs; damage caused from heat exposure is most often caused by direct sunlight, so you should use a compound that protects leather from the sun in addition to water (such as beeswax-based compounds). Avoid products that use grease or animal fats, as these can damage leather over time.
6 Dispose of all newspaper, cloths and gloves used during the repair process. Store leather-treating chemicals securely and out of reach of children or animals. Check your local guidelines for the disposal of hazardous household waste and dispose of empty or unwanted leather-treating chemicals accordingly.
7 Continually maintain the jacket to slow additional wear. Remove any dust and dirt on the jacket after every use. Use soft and absorbent cloths or towels to dry the jacket when wet; never use heat to dry leather. Clean the jacket with leather cleaner every few months (more often if the jacket is worn more frequently), and condition, polish and weatherproof as needed.
Tips & Warnings
- Be sure to check any chemicals being used for your particular type of leather; some products are ineffective or even harmful to certain leathers (such as suede).
- Conditioning and weatherproofing leather from the start will increase a leather piece's lifetime.
- Use caution when using chemicals to clean and treat leather products, as many of them (particularly polishes) are highly toxic.
Down winter coats are coats that have been filled with down feathers to keep them insulated against the winter cold. The feathers trap air in small pockets between them, insulating the inner layer of the jacket the same way that down feathers insulated the birds from which they came. As a result of all of the trapped air, down winter coats can appear to be rather puffy. If you dislike the bulk added by the puffiness of the down feathers, it is possible to flatten out the down coat.
Instructions
1 Place the puffy down coat into a plastic packing bag that can be vacuum sealed.
2 Place the nozzle of the vacuum into the sealing cap and vacuum seal the bag. If you do not have a vacuum, you can sit on the bag and push the air out of the bag from one end to the other. Seal the cap once the air has been removed.
3 Leave the sealed bag and puffy coat for two days. Remove the coat. The down feathers will have been pushed together from the vacuum sealing, making them less puffy.
Tips & Warnings
Down feather jackets are designed to be puffy to allow air pockets to form between the feathers. This acts as insulation, keeping the cold air out. By making the coat less puffy, you may also make it less warm.
A suit, no matter how expensive, will not help a man look his best if it doesn't fit right. You can save some money by not hiring a professional tailor to fit the suit for you if you have a measuring tape, sewing pins and a few basic sewing skills. Buy a suit off the rack at a department store or men's store. Take the suit home and have the man stand in front of a mirror while you make the necessary alterations that will make him look like a well-dressed professional.
Instructions
1 Try on the suit in the store. In front of a three-sided mirror, examine the fit. Understand that tailoring or alterations will help make a suit that fits fit perfectly; it will not make a suit that's too large or too tight look right. Observe the overall fit to ensure that the front and back middle of the suit coat fabric does not pull when the jacket is buttoned and that the shoulder pads do not extend beyond your shoulders. Feel for pinching of material beneath your armpits and avoid suits that do not leave you enough room to wear the coat comfortably. Examine the neck of the suit coat to ensure there's not excess material bunching up or rolling around your neck. Make sure the waist of the pants fits comfortably without being snug and without requiring a belt to keep them from falling to your ankles.
2 Take off the suit and purchase it if it fits to your satisfaction. Once home, have someone assist you in pinning for the necessary alterations to jacket sleeves and pant legs. Wear a dress shirt and dress shoes with the suit while the alterations are being pinned.
3 Use a fabric pencil to mark the spot on each coat sleeve where the cuff meets the base of the man's thumb. Remove the coat and use a fabric measuring tape to measure the distance between the shoulder of the coat and the mark. Write down this measurement and continue making marks at the same distance around the entire cuff of each coat sleeve.
4 Measure the distance from the bottom sleeve button, if the coat has buttons, to the edge of the cuff and the distance between each button. Remove the buttons on the arms. Carefully separate the lining from the sleeve (it's usually hand-sewn; you can just tug it free) and make note of the tacking holding the buttons to the coat sleeves. Fold the cuff material under and inside the coat sleeve up to the marks you measured. Use sewing pins to hold the new edge in place and have the man try on the coat to make sure the new cuff falls at the base of his thumb. Make any necessary adjustments.
5 Use a sewing machine to make a new hem at that mark and carefully reconnect the lining inside the sleeve. Measure the appropriate distance for the bottom button and sew the bottom buttons onto each cuff. Sew on the remaining buttons.
6 Mark the point with a fabric pencil on each pant leg where the cuffs hit the top of the dress shoes or the spot at the base of the laces near the toe end of the shoes. Take the pants off the man and measure the distance from the waistline to the cuff mark. Use this measurement to make an even edge around each pant leg. Cut the fabric with fabric scissors, fold the pant legs under at that mark and pin the new cuff with sewing pins.
7 Have the man put the pants back on and check to ensure that the line you've marked lies where it should on the shoe. Remove the lining inside of the pant legs and sew the new hem. Reattach the lining. Have the man try on the suit coat and pants one more time to make sure the new hems line up where they should for a perfect fit.
Market your company and give your employees a stylish, functional uniform with work jackets that feature your business name and logo. Choose jackets that meet the job requirements; decide whether they should include hoods and pockets, and choose the durability, warmth rating and type of fabric. Jacket colors should match your company colors. Place the logo in a central, noticeable location.
Instructions
1 Create a list of jacket specifications. For example, decide what weather they will be suitable for, including rain, snow or wind, as well as their warmth rating. Hoods and bulky material won't look as clean-cut and professional, but may be necessary for functionality.
2 Save your company logo as a graphic file on your hard drive. Double-check the colors, spelling and other features to ensure there aren't any mistakes.
3 Visualize where the logo will be on the jacket, and how large. Place it in the middle of the shoulder blades on the back of the jacket, on the front left breast pocket, or on the sleeve, on the outside of the bicep. Some companies print logos on the neck collar, depending on the style of jacket.
4 Search online for companies that specialize in printing logos on work jackets. Consult your list of jacket requirements and see if the company offers what you're looking for. Once you choose a company, email them your logo file and ask for a sample before you place your entire order.
Burberry trench coats epitomize style and class for men. These high-end garments are dry-clean only, so you should not wash them at home; however, that doesn't mean you must take them to the dry cleaner each time you wear them. Use a clothes brush to remove dirt and dust from your trench coat -- just as a butler would have at the turn of the 20th century -- to allow you to wear your coat many times between trips to the cleaners.
Instructions
1 Lay the coat flat on a table. Turn up the collar and lapels, and unfold any folded edges. Turn the coat over and open it so you have access to the entire outside of the coat, with the inside facing the tabletop.
2 Brush the coat against the direction of the fibers (called the "nap"). Make a single stroke all the way up the coat, then immediately brush back down the same strip of fabric.
3 Brush large areas with large strokes and small areas with small strokes. Always go up and then down the nap. Cover every part of the exterior of the jacket, adjusting the sleeves, collar and cuffs so you can reach every area.
4 Spend extra time on the shoulders and collar, as these areas are where dandruff, grime and dust tend to accumulate most. Before brushing particularly dirty areas, dip the brush in water and then shake off the excess to dampen the brush slightly.
5 Fold the collar, lapels and cuffs back to their original positions, and hang up the coat neatly.
Tips & Warnings
Use a brush with natural bristles; synthetic brushes are harsher on clothes.
No matter the design or wash of men's jeans, wearing a blazer adds a formal touch that dresses up a casual outfit. Blazers resemble suit jackets and are most commonly worn in single-breasted, single-vent styles with buttons that either have a metallic finish or match the color of the blazer. Blazers come in a variety of colors and materials ranging from corduroy to camel hair, offering matching options for different types of jeans. Pair a blazer with your jeans to create a tailored appearance.
Instructions
1 Try on your jeans to determine the fit so you can create an appropriate look when pairing them with a blazer. Blazers enhance boot-cut, straight-cut, slim-fit and skinny jeans. Boot-cut jeans fit slightly from the waist to the knee and widen from the knee down. Slim-fit jeans are wide at the waist and taper throughout the leg. Straight-cut jeans offer a classic fit that range between form-fitting and relaxed. Skinny jeans are form-fitting jeans that hug the figure from the waist down.
2 Match the color and wash of your jeans with the correct blazer colors. Raw denim is dark blue. Stonewashed jeans are interspersed with hints of white for a classic medium blue. Vintage washed jeans offer a distressed look of faded, dark denim. Dirty wash jeans have a worn look with hints of yellow and brown.
3 Wear a navy or black blazer with lighter wash denim such as stonewashed or vintage wash and white or gray jeans. Avoid matching dark denim jeans with a navy or black blazer, which creates a monochromatic look. Pair a navy blazer with boot- or straight-cut jeans and a collared shirt or solid T-shirt for a preppy appearance.
4 Match a light or bold-colored blazer such as gray or red velvet with dark, raw denim or black jeans. Gray blazers provide a dressy, tailored appearance that goes with boot-cut or straight-cut styles and button-down shirts. Velvet blazers offer a retro, funky style that matches skinny or slim-fit jeans and T-shirts with graphics, pulling together a hipster or rocker style.
5 Dress up dirty-wash or dark denim boot-cut or straight-cut jeans with a camel hair or brown corduroy blazer and a white or cream button-down shirt for a casual autumn look.
Tips & Warnings
Accessorize blazer and jean outfits with neckties, pocket squares, belts and cuff links to create different looks.
