How to Wear a Suede Jacket

Choosing a Style

Be retro in a suede bomber jacket. The 70’s throwback looks like a fresh update with the textured look of suede. Wear a brown suede bomber jacket with a simple white tee or layer it over a wool sweater in the winter. Look effortlessly hip by throwing your favorite blue jeans on or complete the retro theme by wearing navy slacks. Check to make sure the ribbed cuffs feel snug.

Soften up a biker jacket with suede. A boxy biker jacket is more fashion forward and softer in suede than leather. Look for a suede biker jacket in black or gray. Make people look twice when they see a biker in material other than leather. Swap a biker style with it’s slimmer cousin, a moto jacket.

Look for metal hardware detail. From a bomber to a military jacket, shiny metal hardware adds refinement and quality to suede. Opt for snaps instead of buttons, especially on a bomber jacket and check the zippers on biker and moto jackets. Make sure zippers are metal and not flimsy or colored plastic.

Find a suede moto jacket. Suede looks chic as a zippered moto jacket, because the softness of the material is an interesting contrast to the tough classic. Find one in a semi-neutral color like burnt burgundy or smoky blue and wear it with ripped jeans and dark glasses.

Substitute suede for your jean jacket. Look for a suede jacket with the same style details as a jean jacket. Find a waist length button up jacket with front pockets in suede. Dress up casual outfits with the luxurious look of suede. Plus, you can layer it over such a wide range of outfits that it may turn into your favorite jacket.

Look for colored suede jackets. When you think of suede you may think of neutral tones, like brown, tan and black, but suede comes in a variety of hues. Look for richly saturated suede jackets in colors like sky blue, olive green, eggplant, or mustard yellow. Stick to a more structured silhouette, like moto or bomber, when trying different colored suede jackets. Pair the rest of your attire with neutral or complimentary colors.

Pairing With Tops

Pair a nude jacket with a cream-colored top. Nude and cream go together like red lipstick and black cocktail dresses. Pair a nude suede jacket with a cream-colored sweater or blouse. Wear it with a soft turtleneck sweater in the fall and a silk blouse in the spring. Any basic color will work under suede—it really allows your jacket to be the star of your outfit.

Warm up dresses with a suede jacket. Warm your shoulders up by throwing a pastel suede jacket over a spring dress. Layer a fall dress with tights, and brown or richly colored suede.

Layer a white tee with brown suede. A classic white tee looks great under classically colored brown suede. Look for suede that is a rich golden brown. Wear a looser tee with a military or slouchy suede jacket. Look for a more fitted style for bombers and moto jackets. Layer an unopened collared shirt over a white tee and top it with a relaxed suede jacket. In really cool weather, cozy up by layering your suede jacket over a bold-colored sweater.

Wear suede with a vest. If you opt for a slimmer fit suede jacket with a tailored look, you can layer a vest underneath. Pair tan colored suede with a light grey vest and a white button up shirt. Wear a tie if you want to look impeccably put-together.

Finding Matching Pants

Match your pants to the tailoring of your jacket. The tailoring and structure of a suede jacket determines how formal the rest of your clothes should be. Feel free to wear slacks, a tucked dress-shirt and a belt with a structured shape and a slim silhouette.

Wear ripped jeans with your suede jacket. Most suede jackets will look great with deconstructed jeans. The contrasting textures make a perfectly stylish outfit that looks effortless. Wear ripped jeans with bombers, motos, boxy and slouchy suede jackets.

Spice up a suede jacket with statement slacks. Wear a classic neutral suede color, like tan or gray, and give yourself the perfect canvas for statement slacks. Wear bright white slacks with a nude suede jacket, black leather pants with a gray jacket, or leopard pants with black suede.

Pair light-colored suede with shorts. Springtime has its fair share of chilly days. On the ones that start and end colder, throw on a light-colored suede jacket with shorts. Look for suede in light grey-blue or blushed pink and pair it with twill or jean shorts.