Leather tops have become a popular alternative to traditional t-shirts and blouses. Consisting of upper-body garments made of leather, they offer the perfect blend of comfort and aesthetics. Leather tops feature a unique style that’s easy to incorporate into your outfits. At the same time, they are super comfortable to wear thanks to their leather construction. When shopping for a leather top to wear this summer, however, you’ll need to choose the right type.
Go With Sleeveless or Short Sleeves
You should choose either a sleeveless or short-sleeve leather top for the summer. Like traditional shirts and blouses, leather tops are available in a variety of sleeve styles. Some of them have long sleeves, whereas others have short sleeves or no sleeves. Since you’ll be wearing it during the summer, you should go with either a sleeveless or short-sleeve leather top.
Invest in a Real Leather Top
Before buying a leather top for the summer, make sure it’s made of real leather. Tops made of real leather are softer and more comfortable than those made of artificial leather. Artificial leather may look like real leather, but it doesn’t have the same physical properties. Also known as faux leather, it’s a tougher, scratchier material that falls short of real leather.
For the best value, choose a top made of real leather. Real leather consists of animal hide that’s processed and tanned. There are different types of real leather, some of which is better than others. Napa leather, for instance, is a type of premium real leather that’s used extensively in tops, jackets and other garments. Whether you’re planning to wear it during the spring, summer, fall or winter, you can’t go wrong with a top made of napa leather.
Choose a Light Color
Light-colored leather tops are typically better suited for the summer than dark-colored leather tops. Leather tops, of course, are available in different colors. The color of a leather top is determined by the dye to which it’s exposed during production. Leather can be dyed different colors. While the most common colors in which it’s dyed include brown and black, you can find leather in other colors.
With a light-colored leather top, you’ll stay cooler during the summer. Dark-colored tops are generally warmer than light-colored tops. This applies to all types of tops, including those made of leather. The problem with dark-colored tops is that they absorb and retain more heat. If you wear a black leather top outdoors, you may discover that it leaves you feeling hot. This isn’t a concern with light-colored tops. If you have leather top featuring a light color, it will reflect sunlight so that you can stay cooler and more comfortable.
Consider the Neckline
You should consider the neckline when choosing a leather top for the summer. As you may know, the neckline is the opening through which you place your head. All shirts, blouses and tops have a neckline. The size and shape of a neckline, however, can vary.
For the summer, you may want to choose a leather top with a deep-cut neckline. Deep-cut necklines are those that extend deeper down your neck than their shallow-cut counterparts. V-neck is one such neckline that falls under this category. There are leather tops with a V-neck, which feature a neckline in a V-shaped cutout. They’ll leave more of your neck exposed, resulting in a cooler and more comfortable fit during the summer.
Skip the Lining
When shopping for a leather top, you may discover that some of them feature lining. Lining is essentially an extra layer of material that’s added to the interior of a leather top. It’s typically not made of leather. Rather, lining consists of an alternative material, such as quilted cotton.
For the fall and winter seasons, lining can help you stay warm. Leather tops with lining essentially offer an extra layer of insulation that minimizes the loss of body heat. Lining, though, isn’t necessary for the summer. It may, in fact, leave you feeling exceptionally hot. If you’re planning to wear your new leather top during the summer, you should skip the lining. Instead, choose a leather top with a single layer of material that’s devoid of lining.
Look for a Loose Fit
You may want to choose a leather top that fits loosely when worn. Some leather tops are designed to fit snug, whereas others are designed to fit loosely. For the summer, you’ll experience a higher level of comfort with the latter type.
Loose-fitted leather tops allow your body to breathe. They won’t constrict your body, nor will they make you feel hot and sticky. With a loose-fitted leather top, your body will able to breathe so that you stay cool even when it’s hot outside. Some leather tops are designed specifically to fit loosely when worn. They essentially drape from your body, resulting in a cooler and more comfortable fit during the summer.
Don’t Forget to Condition It
After finding the perfect leather top for the summer, you should pick up some conditioner. Conditioners are products that are designed to hydrate real leather garments.
Leather tops can dry out during the summer. When exposed to the summer sun, as well as the summer heat, moisture will evaporate out of them. All leather garments contain moisture. Moisture is responsible for making leather soft and supple. The problem is that leather garments can lose their moisture through evaporation, which is particularly common during the summer. You can overcome this challenge by conditioning your leather top.
Conditioning your leather top will ensure that it doesn’t dry out. When you apply conditioner to your leather top, you’ll restore its moisture content. Your leather top will absorb moisture from the conditioner. In turn, you don’t have to worry about it drying out from the summer sun and the summer heat. Just remember to condition your leather top once every few months for maximum protection.