Leather

Leather: A classic tale The tanned look with a feel of luxury and refinement, now the iconic layering piece and an essential in every wardrobe- Leather has stayed on the shelf long enough for us to appreciate its timeless beauty. From tents to jackets, cowboys to aviators, military shift uniforms to model off-duty wear, the material has withstood its endurance and charm through ages. The history of leather dates back to the cave days of mankind, where animals were hunted down for clothing and tents. But the use of this material for clothing and accessories has been found in the oldest of civilisations of the Sumerians, Egyptians and the Romans. Irving Schott, a rain coat maker, made a jacket for Harley Davidson, out of what was then considered an unconventional fabric for the purpose. Later leather became synonymous with the aviator style of the US Military. The king of cool, Steve Mcqueen, then further popularised the style with the boy band Beatles amongst the up and coming rock and roll fan base. The undeniable masculinity that leather posses was then taken over by the feminists who rocked the material with a badass suave. Since then it has become a classic and an essential in every wardrobe, a piece that never goes out of trend and can be layered to add a touch of class to any ensemble. It has made its permanent place in the house of high fashion. We're all about wearing leather—real or faux. It's the perfect transition fabric that one can sport from winter to spring with ease. There are several ways to pair it up with your wardrobe pieces and rock the look. Ditch the girl next door look with a tough mini leather black dress and sweeten it up with the silver of a lady like lace down the center. Pair it with low-rise boots to give it an even edgier feel. A leather bag with a shot of color can brighten up your wardrobe. To shut out the chills of the season, invest in of the most classic items a person can have in his wardrobe: the leather jacket. The slimming cut will accentuate your curves, and its rocker-chic feel will add to your overall coolness. A military style coat with leather sleeves is no less than a match made in heaven. Everything looks more powerful in leather: leather wallets look better than plastic wallets, leather pants look more badass than cotton pants. Leather is a very elegant material. In its natural color or dyed, leather will always add a certain degree of quality to any design.

How to take care of your leather •

"Leather protector" or "leather waterproofing" products

Check the label on your product to find out how long the water resistance lasts. Typically, the product needs to be re-applied once every several weeks or months. •

Apply leather conditioner occasionally.

Rubbing in leather conditioner restores oil to the leather, preventing excessive dryness and cracking, but too much oil can clog the pores and affect the jacket's color or longevity. • To make sure your cleaning products and method is a match with your leather, test it out on a hidden spot first — like inside the hand opening on a glove. • According to Forte, the biggest mistake people make when caring for leather clothing is getting it too wet, then rubbing the material too hard. "Leather is delicate, especially when wet and the color can come off easily," Forte says, so don't saturate or vigorously rub it while cleaning — and never immerse leather in water.