Sheepskin

Once again the weather has begun to turn cold and Christmas is around the corner. It’s time to start thinking about your winter wardrobe. A good winter coat or jacket is something that will be with you for most of your life, it is something you will love and it will be unique to you. 

Warmth is as important as style in the winter months, and nothing compares to sheepskin for insulation and timeless style. Sheepskin has a proud history of service, chosen by the pilots of both World War 1 and 2 for its warmth, durability and flexibility. Since then it has become as iconic as its close friend the leather jacket. 

Our selection of sheepskin jackets offer affordability with no compromise on quality; you can’t get better than the natural material, soft to the touch and with a wholly pleasant and comfortable thickness that is almost impossible to beat . On the run up to Christmas we now have great offers on our range of sheepskins: order early while stocks last. Remember, a winter coat isn’t just for Christmas, it’s for life. 

 

ARE YOU WRAPPED UP COSY?

There was a definite nip in the air this morning, time to look for some new additions to the wardrobe.

Gone are those thin summer cardigans and time for those luxurious leather shearlings and jackets.

I love this time of year with the crisp days and bright russet hues, enjoying fantastic walks in our glorious countryside.  What better way to spend the day than wrapped up cosy, rosy cheeked and looking fabulous at the end of the walk enjoying a drink in the local pub.

The Leather Jacket: Never Going Out of Fashion

Back when I was at University, a portion of my course was spent studying in an institution abroad. I made my decision to study in the United States, hopefully going to either Pittsburgh, New Jersey or Chicago. When I was thinking about my choices, this involved a lot of research so I could give some reasoning as to why I should go to those places. As part of this, I looked at the history of the country and it got me thinking what sorts of things typify America. I thought about McDonalds and Nike, Ford and Apple but also took some time to think about the clothes that have always been in line with American culture. I then came across one of the most universally famous garments in the world, which can be argued as popularized by the United States; the leather jacket. 

It first came about in the early 1900s and was used to protect aviators in the harsh conditions experienced at altitude. They were made bulky for warmth, durability and protection. By the time of WWI and WWII every pilot was issued a sheepskin flying jacket and from then on its iconic status was born. It was the outerwear worn by the early pioneers of the sky and considered heroes by many for their efforts during the war.

It then went on to being popularized by the pop culture of the time with the Perfecto style being born. It wasn’t long before the leather jacket, and the perfecto style in particular, was immortalized via Hollywood’s influence. Marlon Brando’s perfecto from ‘The Wild One’ became the ultimate symbol of bad-boy notoriety. Then as time went on we went through the Greaser subculture and then it became a symbol for that of the Grunge movement. But as time went on it never really faded into the back of the wardrobe, rather it has been timeless and I don’t believe it will ever lose its appeal and will likely remain a cornerstone of the fashion world.

Kim Kardashian

Arguably one of the most talked about people on the planet this year has been Kim Kardashian. She is known for her starring role in ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’, from which she has become incredibly wealthy and illustrated by being named the highest paid reality star in 2010. More recently she has been known for her relationship with American rapper Kanye West. The couple have been talked about all around the world, even more so for their newly born baby North West. With the fact she has won numerous awards for her reality television series, sold a huge number of her own fragrances and has over 18 million Twitter followers, Kim is obviously right at the top of stardom. Being a model, fashion designer and at that level of fame, the things that Kim Kardashian wears are a massive talking point.

Whilst she would stir up the most attention for her lack of clothing on occasion, Kardashian has recently been seen wearing a great black leather jacket showing whilst she may sometimes wear some of the most glamorous dresses ever seen, the iconic leather jacket finds a way into her wardrobe. The beautiful understated jacket that is sported by Kim shows that even whilst just becoming a mother she can be as stylish as ever. A timeless and truly vintage design, this would be a great purchase for any woman looking for a leather jacket versatile enough to complement a healthy variety of outfits and looks. If made with the correct high quality material, then this should definitely be at the top of any wish list.

Katy Perry

Maybe one of the most talked about celebrities in recent times, Katy Perry is known all around the world.  We all know her for the hits she has had in the charts, the fragrances she has produced and of course her short marriage to the actor/comedian Russell Brand. More recently she has been in the spotlight for new album ‘Prism’ which has been released just this month. Whilst she is most known for her music, Katy is also known for the outfits she has stunned and shocked audiences with since she began as an artist. From when she was seen with a dessert themed bikini in the video of ‘California Gurls’ alongside Snoop Dogg to when she was seen with 12 different costume changes as she hosted the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards! 

More recently, she has been seen wearing a great leather biker jacket when promoting the release of her new album. With not so many shiny metal buckles or zips, this is a more understated smooth look that Perry has opted for which some fans may not be necessarily used to. We can see that has definitely been an evolution of the singer’s clothes and as she moves into her fourth studio album, we can see that she has gone for a timeless classic that any fan who wants to replicate their favourite performer must have! 

The Denim Jacket Re-Worked in Leather

The denim style jacket re-worked in leather, combining these two cornerstones of fashion world. The highly acclaimed iconic style is a firm favourite which we never seem to fall out of love with. The versatility of denim and leather is unparalleled, both prevail no matter what the latest trend is dictating and a union of the two is nothing more than a match made in heaven.

 

Latest Leather Finishes

Everyone wants to look the part but don’t be fooled into thinking you have to break the bank and buy overpriced high street brands in order to get the look you desire.
There are plenty of alternatives, more than likely manufactured in the same place to the same quality, just paying for a label which sits on the inside.

The key fashion finishes are as follows and can all be found within our biker and bomber ranges too, as well as some of the slim fit blazers:

• Tumbled waxed – this produces a lovely soft finish as well as greater colour definition with darker colouring concentrated at the seams for a subtle antiqued colour patina. Waxed finishes will gain an increased “aged look” the more they are worn.

• Washed – this delivers a creased come crinkled finished and is great as you can scrunch up your jacket in your bag when you are not wearing it without any worries.

 

• Hand burnished – accentuates the vintage appeal of the leather which gives it a worn-in appearance. The colour is applied by hand to give a unique varied colour definition where the colour is more concentrated and darker around panel areas as well as across many of the seams.

• Heavily oiled – leather is soaked in special oils to create another version of an aged patina and vintage colour that has soft tone variation throughout in a silky soft finish as the leather has been well nourished in the processed.