Men’s Brown Leather Varsity Jacket — Striped Rib Trim
Original price was: $ 310.$ 269Current price is: $ 269.
Free worldwide shipping · duties paid · 30-day returns
- Free worldwide shippingDuties paid · 4–9 working days
- Free sizing adviceSend height, chest and usual size
- 30-day returnsUnused, tags attached
- Full-grain leatherNever bonded or “genuine”
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Varsity jacket cut entirely in brown leather — no wool body — with a shirt collar, centre zip, welt hand pockets and cream-striped ribbed cuffs and hem.
- Full-grain leather throughout, including the sleeves and body.
- Striped rib trim is the only decoration — no lettering, no contrast sleeves.
- Free worldwide shipping, 4–9 working days.
- 30 days to return anything unworn with tags attached.
- Description
- Additional information
- Size Chart
- Reviews (5)
Description
A varsity jacket built entirely in leather rather than the usual wool body with leather sleeves. Warm brown throughout, with a pointed shirt collar, a straight centre zip, welt hand pockets and knitted cuffs and hem striped in cream and brown.
All leather, not a two-material jacket
The traditional letterman is melton wool with leather sleeves, and the seam between the two is the first thing to go. This one drops the wool entirely: same silhouette, same striped rib, one material. It is warmer than wool in wind, less warm in still cold, and considerably more durable at the shoulder.
The stripes
Cream and brown bands at the cuffs and hem are the only decoration on the jacket, and they are what makes it read as a varsity rather than a plain bomber. Everything else is deliberately quiet — no chenille patch, no contrast sleeves, no lettering.
The leather
Full-grain hide in a smooth mid brown. The body panels are cut long and clean with few seams, which is only possible with good hide — the fewer the seams, the larger the usable area each panel needs.
How it is cut
Easy through the body, gathered by the rib at the hip, with the shoulder shaped rather than dropped. Take your usual size over a t-shirt or a knit. The rib absorbs a half-size difference, which makes this one of the more forgiving jackets to buy online.
What to wear it with
Straight jeans or black trousers and trainers. It is a casual jacket and stays casual — the striped rib stops it ever reading as tailoring, which is either the point or the reason to buy something else.
Looking after it
Condition the leather twice a year. The knitted trim needs different care: do not let it sit stretched or crushed, and spot-clean it rather than wetting it, since the stripes can run if they are soaked.
Shipping, duties and returns
Free worldwide shipping, 4–9 working days. Import duties are settled before dispatch where the carrier supports Delivered Duty Paid to the destination country; where it does not, duty is charged locally and we will tell you which applies before you order. Thirty days to return anything unworn with tags attached. Questions to info@cordwainleather.com or +34 614 79 27 86.
Size chart
Measure your chest around the fullest part with the tape level. Jacket chest is the finished garment measurement and runs larger than your body, because the jacket has to close over you. Between two sizes, take the larger.
| Size | Your chest | Jacket chest | Sleeve | Shoulder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 36–38 in (92–97 cm) | 42 in (107 cm) | 25.5 in (65 cm) | 18 in (46 cm) |
| S | 38–40 in (97–102 cm) | 44 in (112 cm) | 26 in (66 cm) | 18.5 in (47 cm) |
| M | 40–42 in (102–107 cm) | 46 in (117 cm) | 26.5 in (67.5 cm) | 19 in (48 cm) |
| L | 42–44 in (107–112 cm) | 48 in (122 cm) | 27 in (68.5 cm) | 19.5 in (49 cm) |
| XL | 45–48 in (114–122 cm) | 52 in (132 cm) | 27.5 in (70 cm) | 21 in (54.5 cm) |
| 2XL | 48–50 in (122–127 cm) | 54 in (137 cm) | 28 in (71 cm) | 22 in (56 cm) |
| 3XL | 50–52 in (127–132 cm) | 56 in (142 cm) | 28.5 in (72.5 cm) | 23 in (58.5 cm) |
Still unsure? Email your chest and shoulder measurements to info@cordwainleather.com and we will come back with one size, not a chart to guess from.
Questions about varsity jackets
What is a varsity jacket?
An American school and college jacket — also called a letterman — awarded for making a team, with the school’s letter sewn on the chest. The recognisable form is a wool body, leather sleeves, a striped ribbed collar, cuffs and hem, and snap fastenings. Everything sold today descends from that, award or no award.
What is the difference between a varsity jacket and a bomber?
Mostly the trim and the collar. Both are hip-length with ribbed cuffs and hem, but a varsity carries striped rib and usually a shirt or snap-front collar, where a bomber has plain rib and a stand collar with a zip. A varsity is the more decorative of the two; a bomber is the more neutral.
Does a varsity jacket have to have a wool body?
Traditionally yes, and the wool-and-leather combination is where the style comes from. But the defining features are really the striped rib and the proportions — which is why an all-leather version like this still reads as a varsity immediately, while a wool jacket with plain rib does not.
Can an adult wear a varsity jacket?
Yes, with one adjustment: skip the lettering. A varsity with a large chenille letter, team name or year on it reads as borrowed costume on anyone who did not earn it. A plain one in a single colour, as here, is simply a bomber with striped trim and nobody reads it as a school jacket.
Do the stripe colours matter?
Only to the extent that they decide how loud the jacket is. Cream against brown is a low-contrast pairing that keeps the stripes quiet. Strong contrast — white on black, red on cream — pushes the jacket firmly into statement territory, which is fine if that is what you want from it.
Can the ribbed trim be replaced if it wears out?
Yes, and it is the repair this style most often needs, because knitted rib wears through long before leather does. A tailor can unpick and replace the cuffs and hem band — matching the stripe exactly is the hard part, so most people replace all three pieces at once in a plain colour.
Additional information
| Size | 2XL, 3XL, Extra Large, Large, Medium, Small, XSmall(XS) |
|---|
Size Chart
Jack Morrison –
The brown shade gives this jacket its character. The product design feels considered rather than overly busy. The overall look is easy to picture with everyday outfits.
Nathan Brooks –
The brown shade makes this jacket stand out for me. I prefer this sort of straightforward styling. It has a more understated appearance than some similar designs.
James Walker –
This jacket has a clean look, and the brown shade is a nice touch. It is the detail I would point out first.
Amelia Foster –
The shape of this jacket is appealing, especially with the brown shade. It has the kind of look I generally prefer. I appreciate the focus on the smaller design details.
Lucy Parker –
I like how the brown shade works with the rest of this jacket. The proportions in the design are appealing. The product title and details made the design easy to understand.