Most leather jacket returns come down to one thing: the wrong size. Leather holds its shape far better than fabric, which is exactly why a good jacket lasts for decades, but it also means a jacket that is tight on day one will still be tight a year later. Ten minutes with a tape measure before ordering saves a lot of frustration. Here is how a leather jacket should fit, and how to measure for one.
Shoulders come first
The shoulder seam should sit right at the edge of your shoulder bone, where the shoulder turns into the arm. If the seam hangs down your arm, the jacket is too big; if it sits inside the bone, it is too small and the sleeves will pull when you reach forward. Shoulders cannot be altered easily, so get this measurement right and compromise elsewhere if you have to.
Chest and closure
With the jacket zipped or buttoned, you should be able to slide a flat hand between the jacket and your chest, no more. Leather jackets are meant to sit close; a biker or cafe racer in particular should feel fitted, not roomy. If you plan to wear a thick sweater underneath, order with that sweater in mind and go one size up. Shearling and bomber styles are cut fuller by design, so they can be worn true to size over knitwear.
Sleeves
Sleeves should end at the wrist bone, with your arms relaxed at your sides. Slightly long is better than slightly short on a biker jacket, because the sleeves ride up when you bend your arms. Zipped cuffs let you adjust the opening over gloves or a watch.
Length
Biker jackets and cafe racers finish at or just below the belt line, which is why they look sharp with high-rise trousers and jeans. Bombers sit a touch lower and gather at the hem. Longer styles, from leather trench coats to long leather coats, should reach at least mid-thigh and allow you to sit without the hem pulling tight.
How to measure yourself
Measure over a thin shirt with the tape snug but not tight, and compare your numbers with the chart on our size guide.
- Chest: around the fullest part of the chest, under the arms, tape level across the back.
- Shoulders: across the back from one shoulder bone to the other.
- Sleeve: from the shoulder bone down the outside of the arm to the wrist bone.
- Length: from the base of the neck to where you want the hem to sit.
If you already own a jacket that fits well, lay it flat and measure it the same way. Comparing garment to garment is the most reliable method of all.
Men's and women's sizing
Our sizes run from XXS to 4X for both men's and women's leather jackets, but the body measurements behind each size differ. Women's styles are cut with more room through the hip and a narrower shoulder, and many have belts or drawstrings to shape the waist. Always use the men's or women's column on the size chart that matches the product, not the letter size you usually buy elsewhere.
Breaking in versus the wrong size
New cowhide feels stiff and will soften noticeably in the first few weeks of wear; that is breaking in. Sheepskin and lambskin feel soft immediately. What does not change is the measurement: a jacket that is tight across the chest or pulls at the shoulders will not stretch its way to a good fit. If a jacket arrives and the fit is wrong, keep the tags on and contact us for an exchange, as explained on our shipping and returns page.
Three quick rules
- Get the shoulders right and everything else follows.
- Between sizes? Go up if you will layer, stay true if you will not.
- Measure a jacket you already love and compare it to the chart.
Still not sure? Send us your measurements through the contact page and we will recommend a size before you order.