There's almost nothing sexier than something that combines edginess with obvious femininity, so a ruffled leather jacket is an understandably sought-after item for those who love wearing that balance of toughness and daintiness.
The Ruffled Leather Jacket
Regardless of what your budget looks like, you can probably have a ruffled leather jacket, or at the very least, a ruffled pleather jacket. Sure, top designers make them, but so do more affordable brands, like Xhilaration.
If you have a standard ruffled jacket image in your mind, be prepared to find a whole new world of them. Styles range from short, loose jackets that fit almost like a capelet with wide sleeves featuring a large ruffle at the bottom, to slim-fit leather jackets in traditional colors like black and brown, with just a tiny bit of ruffle detail at the collar or along the zipper.
Still, there are leather jackets that are absolutely covered in small ruffles, like the one shown at Polyvore that is out of stock at Net-Porter.com. In addition, there are styles that are a happy medium between most of the other styles. They have long sleeves, hit at hip level, and have a couple of well-placed large ruffles dancing across the front. An example of this style is the William Rast Ruffled Leather Jacket at Zappos.com.
Find Yours
You can find a leather jacket with ruffles from several online stores. Begin your search by visiting:
- Zappos.com: You'll find jackets from brands like UGC.
- Neiman Marcus: Get jackets from designers like Valentino and Bagatelle.
- Nordstrom: This store also carries Bagatelle leather jackets with ruffles. You can also find faux and genuine leather jackets with ruffles from brands like Miss Sixty, Vince, Revue, Guess, and Gallery.
- New York & Company: Here, you'll find ruffled faux leather jackets in trendy cuts like cropped styles. They also offer a biker style with ruffles. Could there be a more striking combination?
- Target: You can get Xhilaration ruffled jackets in faux leather. The ruffles go down the front rather than being at the collar like some other styles.
- Jacqueline Jarrot: Here, you'll find a cropped jacket that's as close to "flowing" as leather can get. The sleeves are loose and ruffled, and it would look great dressed up or down.
How to Wear It
Ah, what can you not wear a ruffled leather jacket with? The ruffles dress it up enough to wear it out for drinks after work with your pencil skirt. The edgy appeal of the leather makes it more appropriate for blue jeans than a ruffled blazer, for example. You could even wear the jacket with a pair of leather pants for a look that's more chic than simply biker.
Don't forget that there are great variations on the classic leather jacket available in the ruffled type. There are light colors, cropped styles, three-quarter length sleeves, ruffled collars, and more. Choose a light shade with cropped sleeves and wear it in the spring or during summer nights when you want to carry something sleek to top off your strapless sundress when the temperature finally drops. Some have ruffles all across the front for a very dressy look.
You can always visit Polyvore, too, for ideas on how to incorporate specific leather jackets with ruffles into outfits, color schemes, and more. That way you can get several perspectives on a piece before you commit to a purchase. Find out if there are multiple ways ''you'' would wear a jacket so that you can get the most for your money. If you can wear the specific jacket you have your eye on with blue jeans, dresses, and everything in between, you may not mind paying a price that's slightly higher than what you had in mind when you began your search.
A Final Word
Leather jackets with ruffles can balance a too-masculine or too-feminine look. So whether you're wearing a white button-down with jeans and boots or a dainty dress with sandals or pumps, throwing one of these on top can give you the balance you're looking for.
