Leather is used to make dozens of garments. In addition to jackets and trousers, you can find chaps made of leather. Leather chaps have been around for centuries. In the 1800s, cowboys in Texas and the surrounding southern states often wore them. Leather chaps, however, have since become a popular fashion garment among the general population. Even if you have no plans of herding cattle, you can still wear leather chaps.
What Are Leather Chaps?
Leather chaps are defined as a lower-body covering consisting of leggings and a built-in belt, both of which are made of leather. Chaps are available in other materials. Some of them are made of artificial leather, for instance. Artificial leather chaps look like their real leather counterparts, but they are made of a synthetic material rather than organic and real leather. Regardless, all leather chaps are lower-body coverings with legs and a built-in belt.
Leather Chaps vs Leather Trousers
While they are both lower-body garments, leather chaps aren’t the same as leather trousers. The main difference between them is that leather chaps aren’t joined at the crotch. They have an open front and back section at the crotch. In comparison, leather trousers — as well as other types have trousers — are joined at the crotch.
Another difference between leather chaps and leather trousers is that the former has a built-in belt, whereas the latter does not. Most leather chaps are designed with a built-in belt. You can see an example of a built-in belt by checking the photos above and below. The leather chaps depicted in these photos have a built-in belt. Using this belt, you can adjust the leather chaps so that they stay around your waist without causing discomfort.
You can still wear a belt with leather trousers. But to do so, you’ll have to wear it manually as an accessory. Most leather trousers have belt loops. You can wear a belt with them by sliding a belt through these loops, followed by fastening the buckle.
Advantages of Wearing Leather Chaps
You might be surprised to learn that leather chaps offer protection for your legs. This is actually why they were originally worn by cowboys. Cowboys, of course, are known for riding horses. While riding a horse, their legs may rub against the back of a horse, resulting in pain. Leather chaps offer an answer. They’ll cover and protect the rider’s legs.
Many motorcycle riders wear leather chaps for this same purpose. Riding a motorcycle have a similar effect on your legs as riding a horse. It will cause your legs to rub against the motorcycle, which can lead to chafing and irritation. If you experience leg pain when riding either a horse or motorcycle, you might be want to invest in leather chaps.
There’s no denying the fact that leather chaps are comfortable. They are typically made of the same soft and supple leather that’s used in the construction of jackets. With their leather construction, you can wear leather chaps all day long.
Leather chaps are stylish as well. They offer a unique appearance that’s not available in traditional trousers. If you’re tired of wearing the same outfits day after day, you might want to consider leather chaps. With leather chaps, you can change up your outfits to create a unique appearance.
Disadvantages of Wearing Leather Chaps
Leather chaps are designed for use with standard trousers. Since they aren’t joined at the crotch, you’ll have to wear them with trousers. You can’t wear leather chaps by themselves. Instead, you’ll have to wear them over standard trousers.
Like all leather garments, leather chaps require maintenance. Maintaining your leather chaps will make them last longer. In turn, you’ll get more use and value out of them. How do you maintain leather chaps exactly? Maintenance consists of a few basic steps, one of which is spot cleaning. If you notice your leather chaps are dirty, use a damp washcloth and soap to spot clean them
Conditioning is another step to maintaining your leather chaps. You can condition your leather chaps by applying a leather conditioning cream or lotion. Conditioning isn’t designed to clean leather. Instead, it’s designed to moisturize and hydrate leather so that it doesn’t dry out. Conditioning your leather chaps once every few months will promote a supple texture while simultaneously protecting them from dehydration.
There really aren’t any other disadvantages of wearing leather chaps. Leather chaps are comfortable, stylish and offer protection for your legs. With that said, you’ll have to wear them with trousers, and you’ll have to maintain your leather chaps.
How to Choose Leather Chaps
When choosing leather chaps, make sure they are made of real leather. As previously mentioned, some of them are made of artificial leather. You can save a couple of bucks by choosing artificial leather chaps, but they won’t offer the same benefits as those made of real leather.
You’ll need to get the right size when choosing leather chaps. Just because they have a built-in belt doesn’t necessarily mean that all leather chaps will fit your body. Some of them might be too long, whereas others might be too short. For the perfect fit, you can order custom-sized leather chaps.
Leather chaps are available in different colors. You can find them in black. Black is the most popular color in which leather chaps are made, so you can’t go wrong with this traditional color. You can also find leather chaps in brown. Along with black and brown, leather chaps are available in alternative colors like red, white and yellow.
You should check to make sure the leather chaps have a built-in belt. While most leather chaps are designed with a built-in belt, some of them lack this feature. And if they don’t have a built-in belt, they may not stay on your waist. Following these tips will help you choose the right leather chaps.