Belts aren’t the only fashion accessories made of leather. In addition to belts, you can find wristbands made of leather. Leather wristbands can enhance just about any casual outfit. Whether you’re wearing jeans and a t-shirt or shorts and a polo shirt, you may want to accessorize your outfit with a leather wristband. How do you choose a leather wristband exactly?
Look for a Real Leather Construction
Don’t assume that all leather wristbands are made of real leather. While some of them are, in fact, made of real leather, others are made of faux leather. Faux leather is artificial leather. It consists of a substrate that’s coated in a synthetic, plastic-like material.
Wristbands made of faux leather are typically cheaper than those made of real leather. As the saying goes, however, you get what you pay for. Faux leather wristbands are typically weaker and more susceptible to damage than real leather wristbands. Furthermore, they aren’t as soft. You’ll get more use — and experience a higher level of comfort — by choosing a wristband made of real leather.
You can find leather wristbands made of napa leather. Napa leather is real leather. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s just any ordinary type of leather. Napa leather has a finer grain than that of most other types of leather. The fine grain of napa leather results in a super-smooth, almost silk-like texture.
Stick With a Classic Color
While leather wristbands are available in dozens of colors, you should typically stick with a classic. Classic colors include brown and black. Leather garments have featured these two classic colors for over a century. You can find jackets, shirts and other leather items in brown and black. Leather wristbands, of course, are also available in brown and black. You can’t go wrong with a brown or black leather wristband.
As long as you choose a leather wristband in a classic color, you’ll be able to wear it in most if not all of your outfits. Brown and black are two of the most popular classic colors in which leather wristbands are made. Brown is slightly more traditional, whereas black is a more modern color. Regardless, you should consider sticking with one of these two classic colors when choosing a leather wristband.
Check the Number of Pieces
Some leather wristbands feature multiple pieces. As shown in the adjacent photos, the Elvis Leather Wristband sold here at LeatherCult consists of three separate pieces. It features a main wristband piece as well as two secondary pieces. The thinner secondary pieces are designed to slide through the holes of the main wristband piece.
Multi-piece leather wristbands are stylish. They offer a more unique appearance than single-piece leather wristbands. You can still choose a single-piece leather wristband; some people prefer them over their multi-piece counterparts. Regardless, always check the number of pieces before buying a leather wristband.
Make Sure It Fits
You should choose the leather wristband that fits. Some leather wristbands are longer than others. And different people have different-sized wrists. If you make the mistake of choosing a leather wristband that’s too short for your wrist, you won’t be able to wear it.
How do you know whether a leather wristband will fit? Fortunately, some of them are available in universal sizes. Universally sized leather wristbands are designed to fit most people. They have one or more buckles, which you can adjust in a similar way as a belt.
Inspect the Buckle Material
Even if a leather wristband is made of real leather, it may feature other materials in its construction. Most leather wristbands have one or more buckles. And buckles aren’t made of leather; they are typically made of metal.
Before buying a leather wristband, inspect the buckle material. You should look for buckles made of a strong, durable metal. Metal buckles can last a lifetime. You won’t have to worry about them breaking, cracking or otherwise failing. As long as the buckles are made of real metal, they’ll offer countless years of use.
Plastic buckles, on the other hand, may fail. Plastic is weaker than metal. Bumping into a plastic buckle could break it. And depending on the type of leather wristband, you may or may not be able to replace a broken buckle. Therefore, if you discover plastic buckles, you may want to choose a different leather wristband. Leather wristbands with plastic buckles are prone to damage that will inevitably shorten their lifespan. You’ll get far more use out of a leather wristband with metal buckles.
Coordinate With Other Leather Garments
If you’re planning to wear it with other leather garments, you should choose a leather wristband that coordinates with those garments. Leather garments are undoubtedly popular. Many people wear a leather jacket, for instance. Whether you have a leather jacket, leather shirt, leather shorts, leather vest or any other leather garment, you may want to accessorize it with a leather wristband.
Leather wristbands will match most leather garments. With that said, some of them coordinate better with leather garments than others. You should typically choose a leather wristband in the same color as the garments with which you intend to wear it. If you want to wear a black leather jacket, for instance, you should choose a black leather wristband. If you want to wear a brown leather vest, you should choose a brown leather wristband.
In Conclusion
A leather wristband is a smart investment for anyone who appreciates the look and feel of leather. Consisting of an adjustable band that’s worn around the wrist, it will introduce textures and colors to your outfits. When choosing a leather wristband, remember to look for a real leather construction, stick with a classic color, check the number of pieces, make sure it fits, inspect the buckle material and coordinate it with other leather garments.