A leather jacket is worn close to the body, so fit matters more here than with almost any other piece of outerwear. A long coat can hide a little extra room. A short leather jacket shows it. Here is what to check, from the shoulders down.
First, a word on materials. Most jackets in our leather jackets collection are made in PU leather, in finishes from smooth and matte to pebbled and lightly distressed. Each product page describes the material and finish. The fit advice below applies to any leather jacket, whatever it is made of.
Shoulders first
Start at the shoulders, because they are the hardest part of any jacket to alter. On a fitted cut such as a moto or a racer, the shoulder seam should sit right at the edge of your shoulder bone. Not inside it, and not hanging past it.
- Look in a mirror from the side. The sleeve should fall straight from the shoulder, with no dent or ridge below the seam.
- Cross your arms, then reach forward. You should feel the back of the jacket, but it should not pull hard across your shoulder blades or ride up your neck.
Relaxed and oversized cuts are different. Some bombers and biker jackets are made with dropped shoulders, where the seam sits lower on the arm on purpose. If the description mentions dropped shoulders or an oversized fit, the seam is meant to sit past your shoulder.
Sleeves and length
Sleeves on a leather jacket should be a little longer than you might expect. With your arms at your sides, the cuff should reach the base of your thumb, or just past your wrist bone. Sleeves ride up when you reach forward or hold a steering wheel, so a sleeve that looks right standing still can end up short in use. They should be slim without being tight, with room for a light knit underneath.
Body length depends on the cut, but most leather jackets are short by design.
- A moto, biker or racer jacket should end around your belt, at the hip.
- A bomber ends at the waist or just below, usually held by a ribbed hem.
- Longer styles, such as car coats and trench coats, are a different garment and fit like an overcoat.
If a moto or racer jacket covers your back pockets, it is too long. If you can see your shirt between the hem and your belt when you stand straight, it is too short.
Moto, bomber or racer
The three classic cuts are meant to fit in different ways, so judge each one on its own terms.
Moto and biker jackets
The classic moto, also called a biker jacket, has an off-center zip, wide lapels that snap down, and often a belt at the hem. It is meant to sit close. Zipped up, it should feel snug across the chest without the zip straining or the lapels bowing open. Most men wear a moto open, so check that it looks clean that way too: the front panels should hang straight, not flare out. Some biker jackets add wide faux shearling lapels, and you will find those in our Shearling & Suede collection.
Bomber jackets
The bomber is the most forgiving shape. It is cut fuller through the body and gathered at the waist by a ribbed hem, with ribbed cuffs to match. A little fullness above the hem is right, but it should not balloon. The hem should sit at your waist or the top of your hips, not lower. Our PU leather bombers sit alongside other fabrics in the bomber jackets collection.
Racer jackets
The cafe racer is the cleanest of the three: a straight zip, a small band or snap collar, and no lapels. With so little detail, the fit does most of the work. A classic racer is trim through the chest and waist, short at the hip, with slim sleeves. Some modern racers are cut short and boxy instead, which is a deliberate style, so check the description for the cut.
Between two sizes
Every product page has a general size chart, in inches, for standard US outerwear sizes from XS to XXXL. It is a guide rather than a measurement of each jacket, and fit varies by style. To use it well:
- Decide what you will wear underneath. A tee needs less room than a hoodie or a heavy knit.
- Read the description for the cut. It often says whether the jacket is trim, fitted, relaxed or oversized.
- Compare the chart with the size you wear in other jackets that fit you well.
If you are still between two sizes, size up, and size up if you plan to layer over a heavy knit. A jacket with a little room still looks right worn open. One that is tight across the shoulders never will, and you should not count on any jacket loosening with wear.
When it arrives, try it on indoors over the layers you plan to wear, with the tags still attached. If the size is wrong, you have 50 days from delivery to start a return or ask for an exchange. Email support@wolfandcoat.com first with your order number and we will reply with the steps. The full terms are in our refund policy.
