Longest Jacket Review Ever

I love a good leather jacket. I've been able to appreciate the style since I was 13. I was with my mom at Marshall Fields and it had been a few months after she had been diagnosed with cancer. She found a leather jacket she liked that fit her well and was flattering. She bought it, saying she was treating herself. I think it ended up being her last treat to herself but she wore it until she couldn't leave the house anymore.

After she died I wore the coat for a few years, including a few very memorable events, but have stopped wearing it since it was a bit long for me since I favor cropped styles. My dad gave the coat to his girlfriend last year and she wears it now. I like how my mom's last treat has been worn by two women close to her after she passed.

But I digress. Since I was looking for a cropped style I was fortunate enough to come upon a cropped vintage leather jacket while thrifting...for a mere $3! There were some flaws that I never repaired (because if you're going to wear something beat up it should be a leather jacket, right?). In the past couple years though it's been showing its age in a less favorable way and I figured it was time to look once more for an outwear staple.



I was hesitant about getting a faux-leather jacket but once I tried this one on in the store I was sold. It's from Old Navy, believe it or not (though I like solid pieces and more and more of my wardrobe seems to be coming from there). If you're vegan or not sure you want to invest a couple hundred in a leather jacket (though I would if it fit me as nicely as this one without tailoring) this is a good buy. I like the stretchy waist, and trust me, after wearing a few different kinds of leather jackets this one feels pretty nice for faux leather (not garbage bag-ish like some jackets). The only thing I wish it had, because I live in Chicago and want this for all of my coats, is a zip-out liner. However, this has kept me dry in the rain and warm in the wind and that's good enough for me.

There's something about wearing a leather jacket...it's luxe but still adds a touch of "badass," kind of like wearing some killer boots. I like it with jeans and tall shoes; makes me feel like I own the world. I like a leather jacket with a dress, it tones down my usually over-feminine ensembles.

I'm also just kind of obsessed with outwear. Being warm is important for me, and I'm little but busty so finding a good jacket can be really hard. Needless to say I am also ogling another of Old Navy's new coats, as a toggle coat is missing from my collection...