I just posted on my leather jacket thread how much I like both of these on you! Can't help with the choice between them, they both look great to me.

Sveta, this is SO interesting!! Our perceptions are totally different.

To me, this leather did not feel "substantial." Of course, I had nothing to compare it with except the other jackets in the store, most of which (including the red one) felt MORE substantial. So I thought, of the brown jacket, "Oh. Sort of an indoor/outdoor jacket."

Meanwhile, I found it cut much tighter than most of the others I tried, particularly in the shoulders. And ALL the jackets were snug in the shoulders on me. They fit....but only just. They didn't feel roomy in the body, either, but then I was wearing a very small, snug size in both.

I put on the next size up in the red jacket and the SA thought I was swimming in it. I had to agree. It was just too big.

Hmm. Maybe I just do not fit the product except as an indoor jacket, and maybe I need to go to Toronto to see the other options - lighter weight indoor type coats.

Thank you so much for weighing in.

Thank you also Shannon. Shannon, how did you discover the one you eventually bought? Did you have to try on lots of styles? Kingston does not have a huge selection, but it's not tiny, either.

I just typed out a reply, detailing why I'd vote for the red...

Lost my post (posting from hotel room is why!).

Love the red on you - the colour is amazing, and I think you should get the raspberry red jacket, hands down. Gorgeous on you! Much better than the taupe/camel-ish one.

You can't go wrong with this softened-up red jacket. As a fellow blonde, I sometimes find that the so-called neutrals aren't always the default, 'best option' for me - in many cases, it turns out that an actual colour looks way better. And although I don't have a leather jacket (yet!), last year, I ended up buying a teal, tweedy-looking winter coat. Not camel, not grey, not navy, not black...and yet, the colour looks much better on me than the usual neutrals do.

I think that's what's going on here too - the raspberry red looks incredible on you and I don't think you'd regret buying it at all.

Hmm...I just remembered that you have a fabulous red winter coat - and I could see why you might want a different colour for a leather jacket. Still though...if it comes down to a choice between these two - definitely the red.

Hope that helps, and doesn't confuse too much.

Sveta, I hope you come back ... I just looked at the pics blown up of your jacket - it is true it fits much looser in the shoulder than the one I tried on. I couldn't try a size up in that because they didn't have it, but I can't imagine I'd have been able to layer under even at a size bigger. Or two sizes bigger, for that matter! It would then have been far too long in the arms for me as well, and also in the body. This was the size that was the right length and "fit" the shoulders (very snugly) at the shoulder point. Although Angie is right - the brown was more snug than the red and I thought perhaps TOO snug, too, although the SA (of course!) assured me not.

Well, no decisions yet.

Hi Suz! I have lots of opinions.

Both jackets look good on you but I'm not too fond of the first color. I would hold out for that perfect taupe.

Danier is willing to order in jackets to be shipped to your store for you to try on. They did that for me. What shows up as in stock online does not necessarily match what is available in store. The teal blue jacket I tried on in store shows as not available online. Contact them and give them a list of the styles and colors you want. Don't limit yourself to what's in stock in your local store.

The second jacket you tried on comes in a Navajo and Grey colorways as well. I think you should try them out in case one is your "perfect taupe"

This one comes in taupe but it's more moto, less avant-garde:
http://www.danier.com/leather-.....px?lang=en

This one is very dramatic:
http://www.danier.com/leather-.....px?lang=en

I think the taupe version of Shannon's jacket would also look spectacular on you!

My SA assured me my jacket should be snug too. I wore it today, mostly open but I also zipped it closed for about half an hour and I think it did stretch out a bit. I had no issue fitting a long sleeved shirt underneath but I would never expect to be able to fit a jacket. Although the body is snug, I have lots of room in the arms. If the arms were snug, I wouldn't be able to layer under.

Also, I want to encourage you to hold out for the "right" jacket because frankly speaking with the financial investment that goes into them, they have to be a 10. The other alternative is to thrift something to hold you over for the time being.

Sylvie, thank you so much!

I did call about one style that is not available anywhere in my size, alas...

However, I didn't ask about others, and that is a great idea. I mainly just went to the store to find out what my size in the jackets is. I had never tried one on before.

As to your particular recommendations....thank you!

I actually tried the first jacket you linked to. It is clearly an outdoor jacket (in my mind) both because of style and also because it just felt heavier overall than the other two. It was "okay" but not great on me. IRL the colour actually did not look as good as the colour on the jacket I pictured here. And I didn't want all the detail - e.g. epaulets, etc. It felt too fussy to me.

I like the looks of the super dramatic one you linked to. But it is much more of a true brown than I want, and also would be long on me, I'm sure.

Now to your fit explanations. This is becoming more and more interesting every time somebody pipes up! You got the same advice I did about fit, and I would have been able to wear a long sleeved shirt or a thin knit under the ones they told me were the right size; nothing more.

On me the fit IS very snug in the arms, however. The body of jacket 1 was snug through the bust area (as were a couple of others, prompting me to laugh like crazy because as everybody knows, I have ZERO bust!!!!). I don't think it's really the "bust" per se that is snug - it's because of my shoulders/ arms. (I am not an IT but have a strong shoulder line!)

Jacket 1 was snug on the body as well...but not at all uncomfortably so.

Jacket 2 was less snug overall (body and arms) but again, the snuggest place was the shoulder/arm area.

When I sized up in that, it was just way too big overall.

The brown in that jacket was in store - it is too dark. The grey is...well...GREY...not taupe. And while I like grey and expect it to be one of the colours in my wardrobe, I am pretty sure the raspberry would be more flattering to me. I tried on another jacket in that grey and thought it was just "okay."

Back to peruse the website to see if there are other styles I could get ordered in, though. Thank you for that tip!

Sorry Suz if I confused you. I guess leather jackets are very subjective to different people.
Yes, my jacket fits differently in the shoulders than yours and that's why I can comfortably layer under it. However it is not big and fits well, it just roomier than other jackets if it makes sense. It feels more substantial in leather than my other two jackets - I agree there are even more substantial jackets in the store but this one just does not feel right to wear indoors for me, I would be too hot in it. It can be subjective though and it may work for others including you
BTW Danier has a similar jacket to the red one in their outlet section:
http://www.danier.com/leather-.....px?lang=en
It looks very similar and 3 times cheaper. No red though but nice neutrals... and small sizes are available only!

Thanks, Sveta.

Yes, it seems totally subjective about the fit, or very much dependent on body type, perhaps more so than other clothing - which makes sense in a way since leather conforms to the person's shape over time.

Also, because you are tall and have long arms and a long body, you can order "up" in one of Danier's jackets and not be sized out. In other words, it will just be bigger in the body but not too long in the arms or too big in the shoulder (looser, but not "too big" and still fitted in shape.

Whereas for someone as small as me, if I order up a size, the whole thing is badly proportioned for me. I was actually surprised at how well it fit to begin with (i.e. shoulder, sleeve length, length of jacket) but the minute I put on the next size up, I was swimming - sleeves WAY too long, body way too wide. The shoulders were fine, but nothing else was. So body type clearly influences what you can do with one of these jackets.

And I actually agree with you about the weight of these. They felt "outdoor" weight to me, as well - lightweight outdoor, but outdoor. Which is why I was having trouble imagining layering OVER them. And I CAN'T layer under...which leaves me wondering if maybe a leather jacket is just a total indulgence that will quickly become a closet orphan in my climate.

I LOVE that jacket you linked to, Sveta. But alas -it is not available in my size in any colour but dark brown and that is not one of my neutrals. The red one is actually the remake of this. I called about it, hoping to get it. But it's just not there. Too bad!

Just as a small aside, I have successfully layered over my leather jackets with zero issues, since I get mine pretty darn fitted.

ETA: And I don't really size up in my coats at all, either. I think it's just that second skin effect of the jackets.

Yep, height might have a play in the fit too. This is one thing I love about Danier that the jackets have long sleeves and roomy shoulders but slim body. I have wider shoulders but very narrow back and chest and very often jackets which fit well in the shoulder are puffing on the back. Never with Danier though, they usually fit like a glove. So I can see a problem for somebody with narrower shoulders: you fit the shoulders and the body may be too tight... Oh well, I guess we are lucky that manufactures don't base clothes on the same body so we have some fit variety
I cannot size up in their jackets as well - the fit would be off, too big in the body.
One of the alternatives for indoor leather jacket is perforated panels. Even if the leather is not super thin perforated panels make it breathable. Like this one:
http://www.danier.com/leather-.....px?lang=en
As for a small variety in your Danier store: they can order a jacket for you in the store. Sometimes they charge a deposit but that one time they ordered it for me they did not charge me anything. I did not buy it in the end and that was OK.

Again, I am sorry if I confused you

Thanks, Rae and Sveta! And NO need to apologize, Sveta! -The confusion was important and necessary. For a big investment purchase like this I really need to think through how I will use it and what makes most sense for me. I don't want a closet orphan.

The reason I am looking at leather jackets is last year I LOVED my moto/trench cross made of horrible plastic. (It cost $9.) I mean I really loved it! So I thought a leather jacket would be a no-brainer. But now I think of it, that jacket was thinsulate lined outerwear. Maybe that is the type of jacket I need to investigate first.

More thinking!

I really like both on you but do love the red one the best!

Meredith! Great to see you! We have been missing your posts.