Motorcycle Leather Jacket too short
About a month ago, I wrote that I was on the hunt for the perfect leather motorcycle jacket. At the time, I was pretty much set on this number – the classic Rick Owens blistered leather jacket.
While we were in London and had a few hours to kill, I decided to poke around and try on a few jackets and re-visit my Rick Owens favorite. While I was hemming and hawing at Harvey Nichols, the salesperson brought over a few other jackets to try, and insisted that I put on the classic black Balenciaga moto style. I’ve always admired this jacket on others but thought it was too cool for school on me…well, maybe it still is! Regardless, I ended up leaving the Rick Owens on the hanger and taking the Balenciaga home.
Some details – the back with a little waist and you can see a hint of the elbow stitching.
The shoulders. I have wider shoulders and try and avoid epaulettes. However, these were surprisingly sleek and unobtrusive when I tried the jacket on. However, they are a wee bit annoying if you’re going to be hanging a bag with metal straps from your shoulders (like a classic Chanel flap).
A quick note about fit – these jackets are meant to be quite fitted and originally both my first Harvey Nichols salesperson and the Balenciaga rep were pushing for a size 34 (the smallest). However, as I mentioned earlier I have wider shoulders for my frame, and ultimately decided to go one size larger for comfort.
A size larger also allows me to wear layers easily and is overall more comfortable. I can zip the jacket up if needed, though I expect to usually wear it open. I do have a very slight preference for a very shrunken look which the 34 had – however comfort won out in the end!
The sleeves are also quite long on me, the Balenciaga rep mentioned that it was the “look” but also said that many women get them altered. I’m still debating!
Below are a few other leather jackets I found that were very strong candidates, and all at much friendlier price points as well!
one ($895), two ($595), three ($197)
1. BLK DNM leather jacket. At $895, this is still pricey but with beautiful leather and a lot of great details. To me this is a bit of a combination of Balenciaga and Acne versions.
2. Mackage leather moto. Friends who have Mackage coats have always had great feedback and this jacket has great reviews and very cool details (but still streamlined enough for an office environment).
3. Hinge quilted jacket. I almost bought this one during Nordstroms’ anniversary sale and now it’s back on sale for 40% off! At under $200 this jacket is a great deal, really lovely details and I love the peplum in the back – super flattering. I would have purchased this but I don’t need multiple leather jackets in my closet!
