The leather jacket has been a staple of men's style for decades now. After all, name another piece of outwear that works just as well with a t-shirt and jeans as it does with chinos, a collared shirt, and a necktie? The leather jacket emerged onto the American cultural scene as a byproduct of the post-war era, as the functional jackets favored by bikers and pilots for their durability became a fashion choice for 1950s greasers, 1970s punks, and virtually every counter-cultural movement since. Any child of the 90s knows a leather jacket wasn't just an optional accessory, it was a necessity for anyone who wanted to be viewed as remotely cool, from Uncle Jessie on Full House to Neo in The Matrix, from Dennis Rodman to D-Generation X, and seemingly every man, woman, and child who walked the red carpet at any Planet Hollywood opening.
These days, the modern man should have at least one leather jacket in their closet, though with so many different styles out there, it certainly couldn't hurt to have more if you're got the space and the budget. While a proper leather jacket can sometimes range well into the high hundreds, price-wise, these durable, dependable jackets are built to last, so consider it a worthwhile investment. Here's our favorite leather jacket for men in each of the most popular styles.
Whether you're going for a polished look or James-Dean-casual vibes, we've pulled our top picks for leather jackets to turn any dude into a stylish tough guy.
