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Posts Tagged ‘leather’
Tue, November 18, 2008 11:23 am By James Coolridge  Printer friendly version
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 Nothing as we all know, beats the elegance and grace of leather and I have seen almost waiting for the winter months to come so that they put on their leather garbs or move out shopping the designs that’ll redefine their style quotient. If you already aware about the skins best suited for leather jackets, it’s great but if you are unaware about the basic styles and hides you should move in for, then you have landed at just the right place. Here we go!
Leather is primarily available in two basic types – the lambskin leather and the cow hide leather.
The precise difference between the two is that the lambskin leather is extremely smooth, soft and has a glossy appearance most of the times. These things become all the more apparent the moment you lay your hands on it. Whenever you go shopping to a store asking for a lambskin jacket, compare it with its cowhide leather and you’ll see the stark difference in the texture and sheen of the two. I would clearly say that and lambskin leather is anytime more elegant and give a formal air about it in comparison to others in the leather category. One thing I must mention here is that lambskin leather is substantially less rugged and hence its chances of showing damage are far more and faster than others. But if a sophisticated and dressy look is what you are shooting for, then lambskin makes for the best choice.
Cowhide, on the other hand is a more common variety of leather which is often found in most men’s jackets. The biggest advantage of cowhide is that it makes for a versatile material and carries a more matte finish, there by rendering a more casual look among all the leathers. Also cowhide leather is much more resilient to damage and can take on great deal of wear and tear.
So now that you know the pros and the cons of the two hides, you’ll never go wrong in picking the right piece for yourself. The style and the design of the jacket, however plays an important role choosing the right piece for your self so select judiciously. You can skim through a few men’s fashion magazines to know the latest styles. If that seems a constraint too, then hang around until I get to you my next article on Fall leather jackets for 2008!
Tags: Jackets, leather, men’s jackets, jackets for men, men’s leather jacket
Thu, September 18, 2008 12:41 pm By James Coolridge
We’re all victims of the marketing dollars that are spent to make us think we have to look like this or that from the images we see in the media and movies, just the same as women though some men are loathed to admit it. But there are several men out there that take in all those images and just get it wrong.
 Here’s what is hot right now:
Scarves- Time to pick up a great scarf, look for the comfortable Kashmir or cotton wool scarves in neutral tones. Gray has made a huge comeback as well and works with several colors. If you have one main coat, look for a scarf that will coordinate with it. Otherwise, feel free to get a little bold and daring if you want to show your wild side. Scarves should be about 60 to 70 inches in length. Make sure you avoid ones that are too long or too short.
Leather Accessories- A nice leather neck rope or bracelet is very popular right now. Combining leather with stainless steel is also quite hot and presents a nicely polished finish. For necklaces, go with a thinner style to avoid having it look like a dog collar. For bracelets, look for multi-strand leather bands that incorporate tribal or other interesting designs. Black is the most popular color, but you can mix it up with cream or brown to keep it interesting.
Stainless Steel Jewelry- These are incredibly popular this year. Look for a nice stainless steel cuff bracelet or a pendant that can be worn in several different ways. These are signature pieces that you can wear everyday and are even suitable for most workplaces.
Bold Pendants- Bold silver pendants are definitely hot items right now. Pair them with a nice chain or a leather cord for a polished look. Cross and spear pendants are particularly hot right now, but any bold shape that incorporates an interesting design will work as well.
Cuffs and Armbands- Bold cuff like bracelets and armbands are very big this year. Look for metals or if you are feeling really bold, go with a nice big leather cuff. Armbands are a bit smaller and should be worn on the upper arms. This is a great way to really define your upper arm muscles.
Hats- Trucker hats are dead and gone, but a simple ball cap is still very in, look for ripped edges and embroidered. Try to avoid a hat that is too flashy or strange and stick with neutral colors that will coordinate with just about everything.
Rings, bracelets, earrings, belts…whatever…is nice in moderation. Looking like a Christmas tree will turn most girls off. Accessories are meant to enhance your look and not loading yourself with diverse things.
Tags: hats, Style, leather, Trends, cuffs, scarf, jwelery
Tue, August 19, 2008 8:43 am By James Coolridge
 Leather jackets have been a men’s wardrobe staple for decades. Jackets can also be categorized according to the type of motorcycle riding, such as cruiser, racing, and others. Leather, textile, and mesh motorcycle jackets are popular among motorcyclists. While leather remains a favorite from old times, mesh and textile are catching up.
A great deal of efforts are nowadays put into design of motorcycle jackets and riders jackets so that they can serve for a two-way purpose, first to offer protection, and second to give a stylish look to the rider. When buying a leather motorcycle jacket, try to find out whether it is made from cowhide or sheepskin. Cowhide jackets are thicker, offer better protection, and are durable. Sheepskin jackets, on the other hand, are more fashionable as color can be easily and effectively imparted. You can get fashionable sheepskin jackets in a variety of zippered, patch worked and other fashionable designs.
Whatever jacket you choose, any good motorcycle leather jacket should not be stiff, should have a usable pocket space, and should offer weather protection, adjustability, and usability. The thickness of the leather determines the kind of protection and hence checks it out, depending on your requirement. You may also choose between short skin tight rider jackets which facilitate greater speeding, more comfortable jackets for city cruising, and leather jackets for racers.
Bikers are known to have their distinct fashion taste, something what most of them call a mix of street fashion flair and suburban cool. They are famous for their black leather gloves and leather jackets. Motorcycle clothing, has become more about style and less about function, the reason why people who don’t ride bikes still buy Harley clothes all the time. Harley clothing has come a long way as far as being trendy for women and appealing to non bikers.
As the bike fashion has evolved, so has the biker persona. No longer is the gang notion attached to Harley riders. So even if you are not a biker you can check out the Harley clothing line, as it is not much about functionality, but more of the individual style.
Some brands are more popular than others, and provide excellent quality jackets. Brands like Alpinestars, Fieldsheer, Firstgear, Icon, Joe Rocket, Shift, Carroll and Vanson offer high-quality motorcycle jackets.
Tags: Wardrobe, Jackets, leather, bikers clothing
Wed, July 23, 2008 7:44 am By Chris Howard
 Aggressive competition is going on in the multi-billion dollar fashion industry where everyone wants to look and stand out from the crowd. Everyone tries to look impressive and appealing for their mere survival in this highly exhibitive world. When so much emphasis is laid on the inner and outer beauty, looks and clothing, it becomes mandatory to keep ourselves equipped with the most outstanding and stylish fashion accessories. And when we talk about fashion accessories, the very first thing that runs through our mind is a handbag. Leather handbags are undoubtedly the true hallmark of style, sophistication, class and elegance.
Leather handbags are equally popular among men and women. There is a wide array of leather handbags available in the stores these days. A number of fashion designers are coming up with innovative designs for leather handbags that are really classic both in looks and design. This is why most of the fashion-conscious people simply admire and feel heightened to carry leather handbags with them. The subtle sheen and wonderful looks of leather handbags is totally irresistible.
The versatile leather handbags can be carried to wherever you like- to office, to parties and even to shopping! Leather handbags are amazingly stunning. They add glamour and style to the personality of the individual carrying them.
College going teenagers who want to look stylish and trendy largely prefer to carry leather handbags. Same applies to professional men, for whom leather bag adds sophistication and niche. Leather handbags can be used to store important documents.
Over the years, leather handbags have ruled the fashion industry with their impeccable looks. The magic and magnificence of leather handbags is not reflected in other materials like jute, rayon, cloth and plastic.
Tags: texture, leather, classy, handbags, sheen, looks, stylish, Chanel
Sun, July 20, 2008 1:20 pm By Justin Vena
 Men’s handbag fashion is here to stay. Handbag is perhaps an inseparable part of an accessory, without which your wardrobe is considered to be incomplete. The fashion junkies name it as ‘manbag’.
It is true that for many years, we guys didn’t have to carry as much stuff with us as our female counterparts. But now that we have enough goods to make our pockets feel a bit uncomfortable, manbag has become really inevitable. The handbag is spacious enough to accommodate our pens, paper, sunglasses, wallets, gum, mints etc.
It seems that in this year, the idea of manbag has begun to catch on even with guys who consider themselves ragged individuals. However, we are still finding it difficult to embrace the accessorizing factors which are such a big factor for the fairer sex.
The designers are well aware of our self-imposed limitations. They are coming up with trendy designer’s handbags for men.
The manbags are designed as such to make us feel comfortable carrying them. These handbags follow the simple design of a laptop bag or a tote bag. Some manbags even look like a soft briefcase. Handbags for men are available in ‘manly’ colors such as brown and black. Shades of pink and other colors reserved for women’s handbags are strictly prohibited for men’s handbags! This gives us a feeling of carrying a worthy accessory that suits every occasion.
Tags: Color, texture, latest, Manbag, Handbag, leather, Trends, 2008, styles
Wed, July 2, 2008 1:59 pm By James Coolridge
 When it comes to messenger bags, it is wise to choose a designer one. Designer messenger bags range from a variety of materials such as heavy duty canvas, nylons and leather out of which leather is the favorite with designers as well as consumers. You can choose messenger bags with a variety of looks ranging from rugged and worn to a modern slick looking messenger bag.
Leather messenger bags are in vogue. They are perhaps considered to be bags for the contemporary businessmen. Leather messenger bags are designed with wide shoulder straps that can is quiet comfortable over the shoulder or across the body. Leather messenger bags give the desired executive look for the businessmen. It is quiet comfortable to carry leather messenger bags in over packed trains and tubes because it won’t hinder the comfort of the co-passengers who are standing or sitting too close to you.
Leather messenger bags are laptop compatible. These bags come with lots of compartments such as padded areas for your laptop, compartments to carry your keys, coins, iPods and your cell phone. Leather messenger bags come with easy openings to allow easy access.
Leather messenger bag has an added advantage. It ages very well. The more it is used, the better it looks! That is why well known brands are using antique leather as the material for their messenger bags.
Tags: formal, leather, bags, Messenger, briefcases
Wed, July 2, 2008 1:59 pm By James Coolridge
 Suede and leather is probably the top-quality materials used in the clothing and accessories. In this article, we take a look at the major differences between the two materials.
Leather:
Leather is formed from the skin of animals. In North America, the primary form of leather is made from cattle. The animal hides are tanned to convert them into durable fabric that is of high quality.
Leather is classified according to type of animal hides used and the process through which it is created.
Suede:
Suede is a type of leather that is made using the inner splits of a side of leather.
Hence, both the materials actually used some basic materials. However, there are some major differences between suede and leather. Here are they.
Texture: Suede is much softer as compared to leather. Moreover, suede has a very fine appearance that makes it more desirable.
Durability: The delicate nature of suede makes it less durable than full grain leather. Spills, weather and other mishaps can cause more damage to suede as compared to full grain leather.
Price: As compared to straight leather, suede is more expensive. This is because, it takes much time to create the gentler material of suede.
Tags: texture, leather, price, durability, feel, suede, cost, difference
Tue, June 17, 2008 1:50 pm By James Coolridge
 Money- the mark of stature- surely demands a wallet that is beautifully crafted piece of leather or materials such as canvas to add real value to the money. If you have the habit of carrying a huge amount of cash with you, then you need to have a wallet with some chunky designs. You can easily carry a roll of cash in your wallet for your day out for shopping.
However, the chunky type men’s wallet makes a big bulge in your clothing. Well, again, since carrying huge rolls of dollars is what you like to do, these stout wallets will best serve for flaunting.
On the contrary, if you prefer to be cashless, carrying a credit card rather than a huge amount of cash, go for the slim wallets that slip easily into the pocket of a suit jacket.
If you fall in the third category of people who like to carry a whole world of cash, keys and a hundred other things with them, the super chunky men’s wallet will provide enough room to carry all the things with ease.
Tags: Men, leather, cool, Wallet, crafted. money
Wed, May 28, 2008 12:45 pm By James Coolridge
 Hiking is one of the most adventurous sports. The trip undoubtedly requires the right pair of shoes to make the whole trip whole trip enjoyable, safe and most importantly, thrilling. A good pair of hiking shoes is costlier but it would make no sense to purchase an expensive pair if you don’t give the proper care and maintenance it deserves. Here is how to clean your hiking boots after returning from hiking.
The cleaning process:
After a long hiking trip, you will step into your home with your hiking boots completely bathed in mud and dirt. So, the very first things to do are to completely clean and wash your boots. Take the stones out of the bottom of the soles and remove all the mud. If your shoes are made of fibre you can clean the dirt using water and soap. But if the boots are made of leather, you should be very careful when you clean them. Leather shoes get easily damaged by the action of water and the soap can even weaken the material by sucking all the oil present in it. So, just clean that portion of shoes where mud is stuck with water ONLY, no soap.
The drying process:
After cleaning the shoes, it is time to dry them. Put them out in the open air. Remember, “Complete dryness” is the key word! You should completely dry the shoes otherwise the shoes will become a host for the growth of fungi and bacteria that will make for smelly boots and itchy feet.
The waterproofing process:
After the shoes are completely dry, you should waterproof your boots. Now here is an important thing to keep in mind- the type of waterproofing products that will suit your boots. Some boots require a water based wax whereas other boots should be waterproofed using a paste based wax. You should consult the manufacturer’s manual guide before waterproofing the shoes. So whatever waterproofing product you use, make sure that you don’t overdo it because excess waxing will ruin the material.
The conditioning process:
Last but not the least, follow the conditioning process. If the boots are made of leather, conditioning becomes vital to prevent leather from becoming dry and stiff. Use conditioners available in the paste form. Apply the paste with your fingers gently so that the paste soaks into the leather.
Tags: Shoes, leather, odour, hiking
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