Ask Angie: How to choose the right shade of brown leather?

Beth

I've been on a mission to find my #1 HEWI, a cognac leather jacket, for almost three seasons now. But the recent blog discussion of the resurgence of the color brown and its variants has me thinking, as have several forum posts related to NAS leather jackets in various browns.

Being a person who frequently misses the forest for the trees, I'm wondering if cognac is maybe not the color I should be going for after all? I love it for its depth and richness, and I'm still obsessed with my cognac boots, but the color does skew orange, which is a deadly shade on me. Maybe this is why it remains a HEWI?

I still have the Marc NY chocolate jacket from NAS, trying to decide if it's a keeper. If I do keep it, I can't justify a cognac jacket too. Maybe chocolate is the way to go, though (I know it doesn't sing to you!)?

What it really comes down to are two questions:
Do leather colors matter in terms of complexion as much as textile colors? For example, most warm colors are a no for me, including most shades of orange. Does that translate the same to leather or is there more flexibility?

Second, is there a leather color that is more versatile than others? I can see cognac with cream and navy, etc, but chocolate seems less dramatic? Default black seems so much easier...:D

(I added two unstyled pictures as color examples)

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11 years ago

Shopping

13 replies

Latest reply was from Eliza

Echo

Veteran

It is very difficult to judge when the first picture doesn't show your face. It's hard to determine whether the colour flatters you when there is no you to compare it to! That said, chocolate brown is making a big resurgence this year and is very current. If chocolate is your shade, now is the time. And that dark brown jacket really does look stunning on you. While I cannot tell with the cognac, the darker brown looks great on you.

ETA: I didn't answer your questions. I do think that flattery is just as or more important in outerwear as in regular clothing. A scarf can mitigate a bad colour near your face, but that's a lot of work to require one to look good in something, IMO. The dark brown looks good on you without any intervention, so that may be a good thing.

The shade that's most versatile will depend on your wardrobe. Black or a colour light enough to contrast with black is better for me, but dark brown works beautifully for many people. It functions as a neutral and goes with virtually any other colour; it's a perfect alternative to black for many people.

11 years ago

Anonymous

Agreed - can't tell much without seeing your face:) But - for what's it's worth, I have leather jackets (not outerwear unless worn in fall; they function as a blazer would) in both a cognac (caramel) and a chocolate brown. They both mix with a lot in my closet - easily - but I have to wear different makeup and work a little harder to make sure the chocolate doesn't make me look dead. That's my answer to your question regarding the importance of colour for outerwear - and agreeing with echo - scarves are great to mitigate the effects of a less than flattering colour - but it is a lot of work. (as is working with different makeup).

11 years ago

Anonymous

Oops - sorry! Rereading this and seeing it's an Ask Angie. Nevermind

11 years ago

Beth

Veteran

Aw, Lisa! Any "Ask Angie" is really an "Ask Angie and all of YLF". There's such wisdom here, and I value every one of your thoughts. In fact, it was previous community input on another post that had me pondering these questions in the first place.

11 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

I think cognac, or the one shown, is not the best color for your coloring (when worn as a jacket) unless you will live in a black turtleneck.
Chocolate looks great as a color, but I get your point about outfits. I have a dark chocolate brown jacket that I love, but it doesn't go as well with black pants, one of my wardrobe staples (despite mixing black and brown, which I do).
Random thoughts:
--If you will wear the jacket a lot with jeans, chocolate looks great, especially with tops in teal, berries, even gray, light enough to contrast. Not so good with black tops.
If you will wear a lot of black bottoms and tops, consider a brown that is not cognac, not deepest chocolate--but still cool, maybe a mid-brown, specifically chosen to give more contrast with black. These can be HEWI's too as more of the mid-brown's skew warm-orangey.
--Consider not brown but cool family--burgundy or oxblood. I got such a jacket last year for the specific reason of having trouble coming up with a color that was a good medium "dark" for my hair, and yet contrasted with black, gray, and camel colors.
I also had to let go of the idea that one leather jacket would go with everything. Color, collar, length, fit all work differently with my pants vs. skirts. Instead I try to have "enough" leather-jacket-looks to enjoy it.

11 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You are a Veteran, Ms. Preppy Delight of Fabness, and I know your gorgeously lovely face well.

Personally, I prefer a dark chocolate on your complexion, Beth. It's richer, less orange and extremely flattering. It's also more versatile in my mind. Works with cognac accents, acts as black, and looks brilliant with all the shades you love to wear.

The thing is though - does dark brown make you happy? If it does - you are sorted. If it doesn't - head straight back to cognac.

11 years ago

Eliza

Veteran

I appreciate this question. Very tricky color combo on some of us, with the orange tones in cognacs. I have the same dilemma with wearing the color near my face. That particular dark chocolate is elegant on you. Love it so much with your coloring and it is just a beautiful jacket, likely with longevity. Good luck with your decision.

Interesting points about chocolate's versatility, Angie.

11 years ago

Beth

Veteran

Echo, your point about chocolate standing in for black is one one the thoughts I have. As I get older, black is becoming too stark for me, and chocolate is the perfect alternative. And you're right about the level of effort necessary to mitigate a color that's not right. It's a lot of work when there might be a better answer.

Lisa, I agree with you that the two colors would probably perform very different functions. Maybe I need two jackets (oh you enabler!)?

Unfrumped, you pointed out something very obvious and I smacked my forehead in a "duh" moment: I'm going to spend some time really looking at my existing wardrobe to see what color will work better with what I already own, instead of what I imagine in my head. Wise words, and I'm taking them to heart. I really needed your practical reminder. Thanks!

Angie, you never fail to make me smile and feel good. Thank you. *smooch* I suspected you might lean in the direction of chocolate.:) Cognac makes me a bit happier, but I can always wear it as an accent (and away from my face) rather than as the main attraction (Smythe elbow patches, I'm looking at you...) And that Marc NY jacket is so nice!

Eliza, it really is tricky, isn't it? Are you more of a chocolate girl, too?

11 years ago

carter

Veteran

Between these two, definitely chocolate! Chocolate also matches my hair, and orangey cognac makes me look like I have jaundice. Another color that works for me is kind of a mid brown. I've always called it saddle, but saddle now seems to be used almost interchangeably with cognac. There's no apparent yellow/orange in the mid brown, so it works for me yet seems more casual than a dark chocolate. Mine is in a very heavy bomber jacket that is past its prime. I'm still searching for this color in a lighter weight more current leather moto.

11 years ago

shiny

Veteran

This is so weird, I was wondering this same question just today!

I have an allergy to brown clothing in general, since there was a time (less than 10 years ago but pre-YLF) when all you could find anywhere was brown. Especially for us petites, who typically get offered only limited color choices -- two neutrals and if you are lucky, one non-neutral but always whatever is the trendiest. During this time, chocolate brown was THE navy of today. So choice was black or brown... and cranberry. Which I love, but how many cranberry tops can someone own??? I tell you, it's friggin' maddening...

I've totally digressed but on the issue of cognac there does seem to be various shades of cognac, some with blue/red/cool undertones and some with orange/yellow/warm undertones. That is what I'm discovering. Chocolate brown is a little more reliable for those of us who look better in cool shades. I have a cognac jacket and shoes that seem cool to my eye, and mesh better with my skin tones. I have cognac shoes and a handbag that are more warm, and don't mesh quite as well, but still work fine because they aren't worn close to my face. All these recent additions work fine... now I just have to get over my brown phobia.. I am working on it... I find that the more I wear these items, the more it feels "right."

11 years ago

Anonymous

Even though I look best in warm tones, chocolate is better on me than cognac because I have chocolate eyes. There are slightly warmer and cooler dark browns. I don't think that you can go wrong with either color.

11 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I definitely like the chocolate jacket better on you, Beth. I, too, look good in the dark, cool browns but not cognac next to my face. Like Carter, I've recently gotten a tan belt that is probably going to be the closest I get to cognac. I have some caramel brown shoes that are going to be my nod to cognac, too.
To your question about leather versus fabric colors, I think the shades of leather are just as important as those for fabric, when they are in garments worn near the face, if you're thinking of how they flatter your skin, hair, and eyes. But I do think you can wear a leather jacket in any shade of brown as a neutral in a way that wouldn't work as well with, say, a wool jacket. With the wool, I'd want it to match or coordinate with the colors in the outfit in a more deliberate way than I would the leather. Same goes for denim--I'll wear a denim jacket over clothes that have blues that don't match the denim, and I think it looks fine. If it were just a blue jacket, I'd kind of want the blues to match.

11 years ago

Eliza

Veteran

Beth- you rock that brown jacket. I have not worn chocolate brown in at least 5 years. Your post, as well as the helpful responses, have me thinking about the possibility of a leather jacket in chocolate. I am not interested in adding dark brown to the rest of my wardrobe (very happy with lots of other neutrals), though somehow the leather jacket route has some appeal. I will no longer rule it out immediately and will try some to see how they work.

I also have cognac booties and would wear those, as well as a cognac bag. . Just know it would be very hard to successfully sport that color in a jacket. Too much pink in my skin tone.

Thanks for starting this conversation.

11 years ago

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