Leather jacket for A/W - investment piece?

[NamelessEnsign]

I haven't owned a leather jacket for close 15 years, but I'm thinking about investing in one for Autumn and I haven't a clue where to start. I can probably spend up to £150ish and would want decent, soft leather with plainish styling.

I really like the Espirit pink biker jacket here but it is sold out now.

I'm broad shouldered at 5'3 and often have a problem with sleeves being too long. Size 10-12ish. I have very few shops nearby (rural-ish) but want something for weekends and the school run.

Where does one even look? Are their any companies with cruelty-free leather I could look at first?

[ErrolTheDragon]

Wish I knew - I wanted to get a leather jacket too but I'm only 5'1 and I've never been able to find a real leather or suede one which had sleeves anything like wearable. I'd almost given up when I stumbled on a fake brown suede in ASDA of all places which fits and actually looks pretty good ... Ethical and washable too. That was last year though, haven't looked since (still would like a real leather one, not black).

[NamelessEnsign]

Amazing that there isn't a market for petite vegetarian leather-jacket hunters who don't want to spend too much .

I am vaguely concerned that as a veggie I shouldn't buy leather. But I have some leather shoes anyway and I'm not one for disposable fashion in general.

[herecomesthsun]

People on here really rated the Marks pleather one from last year. Me I have a Matalan pleather one still going strong!

[NamelessEnsign]

Ooh I shall take a look. Thanks!

I can't believe the eBay prices for damaged AllSaints jackets!

[creampie]

Zalando have that esprit jacket in stock

[creampie]

m.zalando.co.uk/edc-by-esprit-faux-leather-jacket-old-pink-ed121g026-j11.html

[creampie]

Sorry, that's not the one at all

[NamelessEnsign]

Thanks for looking :)

[PNGirl]

For that budget I would try high street (Oasis, Mango, Warehouse) for proper leather. My brown one from Mango was around 80 quid. All Saints really are worth the money though.

[Savagebeauty]

Keep looking on Esprit online....they get new stock in weekly and an sure will be doing leather jackets for autumn

[MephistoMarley]

What's cruelty free leather? Leather is a by product of the meat industry, there is no dedicated leather farming is there? How can leather be cruelty free?

[ErrolTheDragon]

www.ebay.co.uk/gds/What-is-Cruelty-Free-Leather-For-Vegans-Animal-lovers-/10000000013127963/g.html ... That sounds very small- scale though.

[MephistoMarley]

Well that's all very nice! But hardly commercially viable

[imjessie]

Ive got two suede biker jackets from Tesco. They are really lovely and look way more expensive than they were . Keep and eye on their website to see if they are doing some AW versions .

[NamelessEnsign]

Thanks everyone, will keep looking and maybe think about my budget. There are two All Saints outlets reasonably nearby so maybe I could have a look there.

It's tough because you can't really tell with leather until you feel it in person.

Mephisto from what I have been reading, leather isn't really a by-product of the meat industry, and it can in fact be the other way around. So worse than I thought. Not very vegetarian, is it.

I might justify second hand though. Maybe.

[MephistoMarley]

Yes, either way it's pretty gross
I know that leather is a hard wearing material but personally I think it's horrible. I could never wear anything made out of skin no matter how cruelty free the removal of the skin was.

[imjessie]

I get the ethical thing but I've never seen a pleather one that looks nice . They always look plasticky to me.

[KanyesVest]

I have an esprit leather jacket and I love it so much! I'm 5ft2 and the sleeves are perfect for me.

[Shopgirl1]

Look at th Allsaints sale, I got a khaki leather jacket from them last week, £200 on sale, so not too far from you budget and originally a lot more.

[Shopgirl1]

My jacket...they had an extra 20% off the sale when I got it, maybe they still do.
www.allsaints.com/women/leather/allsaints-obika-biker/?colour=4072&category=15298

[Wombat87]

I bought an all saints one about 6years ago. It's still going strong, and I still luffs it!

[Statelychangers]

I want a leather blazer....used to have a scruffy one when I was a student - I loved it!

[Floisme]

I've seen quite a few leather blazers in vintage shops. Probably from the 90s? Much thicker leather than they do now and nicely worn in.

[ErrolTheDragon]

I've never come across a 'pleather' jacket that felt nice whereas my £30 ASDA 100% polyester fake suede does.

[StewedFruit]

I got an Oakwood leather jacket from Zalando, it's a French brand I think. I'm really pleased with it and was only £125. Other ones here m.zalando.co.uk/womens-clothing-jackets-leather-jackets/oakwood/