Ask Belle: Faux-Leather Jackets for Fall

Oct 8, 2013

Dear Belle,

Thank you for the post last week on casual clothes for work.  Could you suggest a leather or faux-leather jacket that isn’t cropped?  I’d like to spend less than $175, but everything I’ve found in that price range is way too short.  

Abbi

In that price point, you’re looking at faux-leather or vegan-leather as some retailers like to call it.  Like with any synthetic material, there are good quality pieces and substandard pieces.  So when shopping for leather-like materials, pay attention to thickness and feel.  You want a material that is soft and pliable, not hard and plastic-y to the touch.  You also want a material that isn’t too thin, it should have some weight to it.

While I can’t tell you whether these jackets pass the feel test, they do look like good options.  So give them a try, and see if they live up to expectations.

Screen Shot 2013-10-08 at 3.01.55 AMBlank Denim Vegan Leather and Ponte Jacket ($92) // Forever 21 Street Chic Moto Jacket ($25) // BB Dakota Johs Leather Jacket ($118)

Leather Accents.  To get a leather look without being awash in faux leather, I like jackets with leather accents of leather sleeves.  This jacket from Blank denim has a cool slouchy look with a shawl collar.  I also like this Mango jacket with leather appliqués, and this chocolate-brown Carmen Marc Valvo blazer with leather sleeves.  Plus-size? DKNY makes a shawl collar blazer with faux-leather sleeves.

Burgundy Leather.  The great thing about colored leather is that no one expects it to be of sublime quality.  It’s a trend piece, a fashion item, it’s supposed to look good.  This Forever21 jacket is definitely worth a look at less than the cost of a Happy Hour bar tab.  This INC stand collar jacket with quilted details is a nice-looking piece.  I also found this Blank denim option with zipper details.  And plus-size ladies should check out this Modcloth See You Maroon jacket.

Not feeling burgundy?  I also found this quilted white jacket from Zara or this Sam Edelman navy jacket with a studded collar.

Brown Leather Jackets are my personal favorite.  I prefer the autumnal colors to the harshness of black.  This New York & Co. jacket with a slight peplum is kind of interesting.  And this collarless Charter Club jacket in a medium tan is a versatile piece at a good price.

You can also found leather or faux-leather jackets on Bluefly for a good price.  They stock a number of great leather jackets in the mid-300s price point.  I’m especially fond of this shawl collar Elie Tahari jacket.

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  1. Jenn says:

    I have a moto-style jacket from Express that I got a couple years ago that I really like. It was around $100, vegan leather, but it feels like real leather, and even ages like my old leather jacket. I don’t know what styles they have right now, but I know their faux leather material was pretty good for the price.

  2. ml says:

    You could also try Nordstrom Rack or TJ Maxx. I got a great quality Michael Kors leather jacket last season at the ~ $200 price point.

    • J says:

      I second this. The Nordstrom Rack at 18th and L has leather and faux leather jackets in a bunch colors and styles – or at least they did when I stopped in a few weeks ago.

  3. Michelle says:

    I have that Tahari jacket from Bluefly. I LOVE IT! On top of being really chic looking, it is extremely warm. It is lined in some sort of sweater-like material. I wear it all the time and would recommend it to anyone looking for a sophisticated leather jacket or who isn’t so into the “biker” jacket look.

    • LadyMacbeth says:

      I have the same jacket and I second Michelle’s comment. It’s also durable despite being made of a very soft leather. I’ve had it for two winters and wear it all the time.

  4. Sharyn says:

    Try Express. They have some of the softest, most realistic looking faux leather jackets that I’ve ever found. And they’re around $100.

  5. Laura says:

    Dressbarn, believe it or not, has a really nice range of faux-leather jackets in my local stores right now. All <$100 and feel very nice to me.

  6. 202 says:

    I also saw some good ones at Niemans Last call this past weekend.

  7. Mary Jo says:

    I have that Forever 21 jacket. It was a little squeaky the first few times I wore it, but that has pretty much stopped. It looks a lot more expensive than it is, and I have received quite a few compliments.

  8. Norma Fay says:

    I love the look of faux leather Jackets. I found an amazing one at http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com. They had great deals, so I saved $100 on my new coat. The best part was, since it is faux leather, I get the look of leather without having the guilt.

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