A suede jacket has the one thing a leather jacket cannot do, which is look soft. The word itself comes from French gloves from Sweden, and the cloth has been making clothes feel more expensive ever since. This is how to pick the cut, color and care for a jacket that lasts.
The Suede Jacket, and Why Texture Beats Color
Gloves from Sweden
The word suede comes from the French gants de Suede, which means gloves from Sweden. For a material named after a pair of gloves, it has done well in the outerwear department. A suede jacket reads as warmer, softer and slightly more romantic than leather, and it avoids the tough-guy undertone. After seasons of puffer coats and technical shells, a suede jacket is the garment that looks like you are going somewhere nice. It is what you wear when you want the jacket to feel like a sweater.
Choose the shade carefully
Camel, chocolate and tobacco are the traditional suede colors for a reason. They look expensive, they hide wear, and they go with almost everything in a fall wardrobe. A cognac suede is a little warmer and a little more 1970s. REISS makes a relaxed suede jacket that sits at the hip, and AllSaints does a more rugged version with a collar you can turn up. Black suede is harder to keep clean, since dust shows. If you are buying one, I would start with a dark tan.
Pick the cut for your life
A suede jacket in a cropped, boxy shape is the easiest to wear with high-waisted trousers and jeans. A longer car coat style works better over dresses and skirts. A flight jacket, like the ones from Lauren Ralph Lauren, brings a more casual, aviator feel. Maje and Sandro make versions that lean French with slimmer sleeves and a clean collar. Picture her in a tobacco suede jacket with a white tee and straight jeans, leaning against a bookshop doorway. The jacket does all the talking.
Care without fuss
Suede does not like water, but it is more forgiving than people think. Apply a suede protector spray before the first wear, brush the nap with a soft suede brush, and let it dry naturally if you get caught in the rain. Never use a hairdryer. For small marks, a suede eraser works wonders. Store it on a wide hanger and not in a plastic bag. The jacket will develop a slight sheen at the elbows, and that is what makes it look worn in rather than worn out.
What I would skip
I would skip heavily embellished suede unless you plan to wear it as a statement. Studs and fringes date quickly. I would skip faux suede if you want the real feel, since the synthetic versions tend to look flat. And I would skip very pale colors like cream or light gray, because they show every mark. A suede jacket should be something you reach for every fall without thinking about it.
