Give it the care it deserves...

Good leather can last a lifetime, so purchasing a good quality leather product is worth the money it may cost you up front. You don't need to buy a leather jacket every year just because the one you bought last year looks... ehm... let's say used.

Especially if you wear it daily.

Personally, I wear leather all year-round. For spring and summer I have shorts and tops, light leather dresses, and skirts. For autumn and winter I’m armoured with all types of jackets, pants, leggings, or coats. So no - leather is not exclusively for cold times of the year. However, I have to say that when summer is really hot I prefer a swimsuit over leather :-D

At the same time, you should know that a real leather piece captures heat so you stay warm on cold summer nights and comfortable all winter long.

Real leather has many other great qualities. It is very fire-resistant and it ages with grace. You rarely find this feature in other types of materials. ;)

Leather gives us a lot (me especially, if you read my other stories), but requires a bit of your attention in return to be able to last long-life.

Here are some hints which can help you, so your leather pieces can be handed down for generations:

The first task in deciding how to treat and care for your leather is simply asking what you want it to look like. A pair of leather boots for weekend cottage don’t need as much attention as a pair of classy dress shoes. A moto-jacket will likely be naturally more beaten up than a jacket you wear around town. It also comes down to taste. Some people want a clean, polished look, while others are okay with scratches. To some it means that leather lives its own life and ages in its own way. Think about what you want your leather to look like, and then apply an appropriate treatment.

No matter what you want it to look like, keep leather away from direct sunlight/heat. Sunlight speeds up the process of fading, and heat can damage your leather piece. If a leather item gets wet, don’t even think about putting it in front of a heater or using a hair dryer. Never! Just like skin and other fabrics, when leather gets wet and then heated right away, it can shrink and dry out too quickly. Rather, let it dry naturally, even if it takes a lot more time.

Regarding treatments, I personally don't clean leather since my clothes never really get dirty. And if one day I do need this service I will take it to professionals to do the job.

For some of you wearing your leather clothes or boots in conditions where they can get dirty I would recommend taking them to a cleaner when needed, or simply buy special products for cleaning for the type of leather your piece is made from. Just be careful - no matter the quality, using standard soap (or a soap that contains alcohol) will damage the leather.

On the other hand, you should condition your leather regularly. Leather, like regular skin, dries out over time and requires hydration to keep its smooth texture and grain patterns. Leather conditioners work as a ‘skin moisturizer’ by keeping the surface moist and crack-free.

“Be it leather shoes, a leather bag, a leather jacket, or leather anything, leather is leather.”

Well, as true as this statement is, leather differs in quality and texture. It is not advisable to use the same kind of conditioning method on all leather types, due to their differences in layers.

I condition my jackets every 6-12 months because they’re exposed to different types of weather and conditions. How often you want to do it depends on you. Just let it dry out before re-applying.

And if you are curious about my boots collection, it is polished regularly.

Polishing doesn´t help to protect them from the elements, but it does keep them looking new and shiny. It’s also useful if the pollish has a moisturizing element, killing two birds in one stone.

And don’t forget to match the pollish with the colour of the leather!

To sum up, I recommend you to pay attention to leather and care for it if you want your clothes to last for generations. I believe that if you show care, it always comes back to you - whether its leather clothes, people or anything that has a value to you.

Give your leather clothing the recognition it deserves and let it shine in any situation.

With a good treatment it can stay by your side for a lifetime.