Love It or Haute It: Leather jackets

As temperatures begin to dip, and we head into the dreaded winter nights, people are starting to break out various outer layers to keep warm. We have reviewed flannels and capes, but we are all about options here at Love It or Haute It. So, today we will be discussing leather jackets and whether you should add them to your top-layer repertoire. 

Coco: The leather jacket has been one constant in fashion throughout the years and that is for good reason. Coming in all shapes and sizes, it has the power to make you look like the rebellious anarchist you are while also keeping you warm. Want to look like you just walked from the backstage of a Nirvana concert? Throw on the classic black jacket with silver accents. Feeling like you want to look like you just finished up discussing why life exists in philosophy class? Try the beat-up tan leather with sherpa lining. Woke up feeling like Tom Cruise? Wear a "Top Gun" (1986)-inspired bomber jacket. As these examples show, the leather jacket has transformative powers. No matter your mood or desires, you can find what you need in the leather jacket. While it is easy to see the merits of the jacket from a fashion perspective, it is important to acknowledge the practical benefits it offers. It is lightweight but also keeps you as warm as a down jacket ever will. A win-win! Nowadays, there are even great vegan options that look equally trendy, so you can look like a rock star while also showing that you care about our dear Mother Earth. Another win-win!  

Beans: While a week ago perhaps I would be agreeing with Coco, the times they are a-changin'. After watching a Netflix documentary last week, I was a changed woman. The documentary prompted me to not only go vegan but also take on a new persona. While before this I would munch down on turkey burgers four nights a week, I now find myself being passive-aggressive to old friends about the gelatin in their Sour Patch watermelons. So to be frank, leather jackets are cancelled. Animals are friends, not foes. We disrespect these animals by wearing their skin and showing it off as if to mock them in some ancient ritual. Even a vegan leather jacket perpetuates this idea. I mean, a cow can’t tell the difference between fake leather and real leather. Just imagine if a cow were to see me in a fake leather jacket! It would ruin me emotionally. I don’t think I could live with myself knowing that a cow might think I support animal cruelty. For me, being vegan is mostly about superiority and social clout. I cannot risk a misunderstanding by wearing vegan leather or second-hand leather. If you aren’t as holistic, empathetic and humble as me, then you should go for it. If I’m being totally honest, I think leather jackets look pretty awesome and might bring you as much social status as veganism.