Leather: With Good Care, It’ll Get Plenty of Wear
Dear Fashion Police: I just purchased my first leather jacket and am unsure how to take care of it.
Can it be worn in the rain? How should it be stored and cleaned?
Any other hints would be welcome.
--INTO LEATHER
Dear Into: Congratulations on your entry into leather jacketdom.
A leather jacket is a wardrobe staple, and if you choose a classic style (which we recommend if it’s your first jacket and your budget is tight), it will get plenty of wear.
Caring for leather garments is essential for prolonging their life. If you treat them well, they’ll treat you well.
We spoke with Sandy Blye of the New York-based Leather Apparel Assn., who offered these tips for caring for leather clothing:
* “A leather jacket is not a raincoat,” said Blye, although she added that getting caught in the rain is sometimes unavoidable.
If the jacket isn’t soaked, wipe it with a soft cloth and place it in a well-ventilated area away from direct heat. Never use a blow-dryer on it.
If the jacket is completely wet, take it to a professional, accredited leather cleaner (you can find one in your area on the association’s Web site, www.leatherassociation.com).
* Hang your garments on wide or padded hangers, never wire ones. This will help maintain their shape.
Never store them in plastic, such as storage containers or those plastic covers from the cleaners. These won’t allow the leather to breathe, and over time it may become very dry and eventually crack. Cloth garment bags are OK.
* Keep leather away from heat and sunlight and, if you live in a cold climate, make sure you remove any salt deposits you might have picked up while outside. Sponge with plain water, wipe with a soft cloth and air-dry.
* Don’t use any products such as silicone or wax that will form a seal on the leather and not allow it to breathe.
* If wrinkles don’t hang out, you can iron them by choosing the rayon setting, then placing heavy kraft paper on the leather side of the garment. Move the iron around; don’t let it sit in one spot.
* Avoid using hair spray or perfume while wearing your jacket, and don’t stick name tags on or put pins in it. Both can do major damage.
* Wearing a scarf around your neck can help prevent transferring makeup and oils onto the garment. This is especially important for light-colored leather.
* Take good care of your leather clothes and you won’t need to make regular trips to a cleaner. Stains, dirt, rips and tears should be taken care of by a professional.
* Blye said that suede should be cared for the same as leather; but instead of a soft cloth, use a suede brush to bring up the nap. Those new washable suede clothes really are machine-washable (the suede is chemically treated), and some are even machine-dryable. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully.
She added that specially treated washable leather clothes should be in stores soon.
Blye called us from a leather apparel trade show, so we asked her for some trend news. “Trends are really following ready-to-wear,” she said, “so we’re seeing a lot of details like topstitching, patchwork and clothes with a lot of shape. Lengths are all over, from a short bellman’s jacket to knee-length coats. The trend is really away from black--everybody knows black leather. So there’s a lot of brown, plus red, yellow, light blue. Lighter colors will be big for spring.”
The association is happy to answer any questions from consumers; you’ll find its e-mail address on the Web site.
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FROM THE FASHION POLICE BLOTTER: Medical ID bracelets are a necessity for many people with diabetes, life-threatening allergies and seizure disorders. However, until now the bracelets themselves have usually been utilitarian and not particularly fashionable.
Parkville, Mo.-based Lauren’s Hope offers a line of beaded bracelets with a medical alert tag that combines style and function.
A young diabetic girl named Lauren sparked the idea when she told her mother she didn’t care much for her clunky ID bracelet. Her mother contacted two friends who were already turning out jewelry and asked them to make something Lauren would wear. From there the business grew.
The bracelets have a stainless steel rectangular medical tag with lobster-claw clasps on either side that enable the wearer to change the beading. The bracelet choices include 14-karat gold filled beads, sterling silver beads, Swarovski crystals, sterling block letters and semiprecious stones. There are even beaded men’s styles.
The bracelets are custom-made to size and can be personalized for any medical condition or allergy. Prices start at $39.95.
Information on the bracelets can be found on the Web site www.laurenshope.com, or call (800) 360-8680.
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Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to jeannine.stein@latimes.com.
