Leather Clothing and Accessories
Who Wears a Leather Vest, and When?
Riders wear leather vests to keep wind off the chest with arms free; clubs wear them as colors. Fashion and event wearers do too. Who, why and when.
Motorcycle riders wear leather vests most. A vest keeps wind off the chest and leaves the arms free. Club members wear them too, as the base for their patches, or "colors". Plenty of people who never ride also wear one, as a fashion layer over a tee, a knit or a dress, or as a formal vest at an event.
This answer is part of our leather clothing and accessories guide. For what to wear with one, see leather vest outfit ideas.
Who wears leather vests
| Who | Why they wear one | When |
|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle riders | Wind off the chest, arms free, stands up to road grit | Over a shirt or hoodie, or under a jacket; perforated or unlined styles on hot days |
| Club members | The vest carries the club's back patches | Only members wear the patches |
| Western and cowboy-style dressers | Leather waistcoats appear in modern cowboy-style wear | Casual wear |
| Fashion wearers, men and women | A sleeveless layer over a shirt, sweater, tee, knit or dress | Everyday and evenings |
| Event guests | Formal vests with tailored shapes, sometimes embroidered | Events |
Riders: why the vest and not only a jacket
A vest gives a layer of leather over the chest and back without sleeves. Riders wear it over a shirt or a hoodie, or under a jacket. On hot days, a perforated vest lets air in, and an unlined one stays light.
The trade-off is protection. A vest leaves the arms uncovered, while motorcycle jackets typically have padding at the elbows, spine and shoulders. Weigh that before you ride in a vest alone.
Clubs, "colors" and the cut
In club culture, the back patches and the vest together are called the "colors" or the "cut". The word "cut" comes from early riders cutting the collars or sleeves off denim or leather jackets. That is also how the biker cut-off vest started.
The patches belong to the club, and only members may wear them. A three-piece patch, a logo with a top and a bottom rocker, does not on its own mean an outlaw club, since many non-outlaw clubs use the same layout.
Do cowboys wear leather vests?
In Western wear, the classic leather piece is chaps. Leather chaps protected cowboys' legs from cactus spines and kept their trousers from wearing out. The Wikipedia article on Western wear lists leather waistcoats among modern cowboy-style coats and links them to biker subculture.
Everyone else: can you wear a leather vest if you're not a biker?
Yes. Leather Collection's fashion vests are made for layering with jeans or dress clothes. A classic vest has a cleaner front than a biker vest and is easy to wear over a shirt or sweater.
Women's vests layer over tees, knits and dresses. Short styles sit at the waist with light tops or tucked shirts, and studded biker styles add an edge over a hoodie or denim. Formal vests, with tailored shapes and smooth linings, are made for events.
Fit matters more than who you are. See how should a vest fit? and how long should a vest be?
Where to get one cut for how you'll wear it
A Leather Collection custom leather vest comes as a biker vest with patch panels and adjustable sides, a fashion vest, a formal vest, or a film-inspired replica. Each one is cut to your measurements.
FAQ
What do bikers call their leather vests?
A vest carrying club patches is called the "colors" or the "cut".
What is the point of a leather vest?
It adds a leather layer over the chest and back while leaving the arms free, and it blocks wind and road grit.
How do I wear a red leather vest?
Treat it like any fashion vest: over a tee, a knit or a dress. Our leather vest outfit ideas page has full outfits.
leatheride Editorial Team
leatheride articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.