For as long as I can remember, I’ve had some style of a black leather—or faux leather—jacket hanging in my closet. I wore them with everything: on top of hoodies, turtlenecks, and white T-shirts , with jeans, leggings , skirts, and more. Now, though, 26 years and countless black leather jackets later, my loyalty to the classic style has started to wane, mostly because of another leather jacket color that’s far less ubiquitous.
More and more, designers are ditching plain black for a range of warm and luxurious shades of brown when crafting their leather outerwear. And after seeing a mix of brown leather blazers, puffers, shearling jackets, and trenches on the street style scene these last few seasons, it dawned on me that perhaps my black leather selection wasn’t the end game after all. Brown leather, however, is a different story.
Ahead, shop the brown leather jackets that made me hang up my more than 26-year-long relationship with black ones.
The leather blazer has become a staple over the last few years, as leather and faux-leather fashion —including jackets, pants, skirts, and dresses —transitioned from statements to staples.
This is no run-of-the-mill blazer—count the shapely sleeves, mirrored buttons, and contrast stitches.
Why not go for head-to-toe brown?
This silhouette is utter perfection.
Look at that fit. It’s just impeccable.
The seatbelt-inspired hardware gives this blazer a touch of edge.
For winter, a brown leather shearling coat will never be wrong. Warm, chic, and surprisingly versatile, this silhouette is a cold-weather must.
This one is giving Montana dad vibes in the best way.
With this jacket on, anything you wear underneath will look like a million bucks.
This color is unmatched.
The rugged look is in.
What you probably didn’t know was that the sleeves on this shearling coat are removable, as is everything from the pockets down. We love a four-in-one coat.
Everyone knows that the moto style is the leather jacket, but its pervasive nature can also be a hindrance. Think about it: Nobody wants what everyone else has. That’s where a brown moto jacket comes in. The varying shades that this style comes in allows it to feel different than its standard-issue black counterpart, giving the silhouette a much-needed oomph.
This faux-leather style looks way more expensive than it is.
The slouchy shape and cropped hem combine to create the coolest moto style we’ve seen in ages.
AllSaints is a leather jacket no-brainer.
The perfect brown moto jacket for $80? We’ll take two.
This jacket is the epitome of fall.
Ahh, the leather puffer. Kicked off by Budapest-based label Nanushka in its fall 2019 collection, the leather puffer trend has become a staple of the winter fashion scene, frequently spotted on influencers and editors alike.
Let’s all take a moment to appreciate this collar.
Eloquii did everything right with this one.
If I were to put this on, I don’t think I’d ever be able to take it off.
This color, though.
With the matching leggings ? Yes, please.
The fashion crowd may like leather puffers, but they love leather shackets—a buzzy style of jacket that resembles the silhouette of a button-down shirt.
Aritzia is crawling with leather shackets that feel divine.
This quilted moment is too good not to get in on.
There’s something about this jacket paired with denim-on-denim that’s utterly perfect for fall.
A good Amazon find is so satisfying.
I swear this vegan leather shacket feels so real.
Every time the weather dips below 60 degrees, I get a giddy feeling—and it has nothing to do with pumpkin spice or apple picking. Rather, my excitement surrounding fall is all to do with trench coat season, that short-but-sweet timespan when a wool coat is too much but a trench is just enough.
The crop on this jacket is 10/10.
This jacket will make even the simplest of outfits look elevated.
Everyone loves a slouchy-fit coat.
Just think of all the layers you could stack underneath this oversize jacket.
The ’70s called—they want their coat back. Next up, 29 leather jackets you’ll wear for the next five years (and beyond).