What do James Dean, the Hell's Angels, and Danny Zuko, John Travolta's character in Grease, have in common?
Pokerun Outlaw 2.0 Leather Jacket, motorcycle-superstore.com, $310.99
Only the fact that all are identified with wearing quite possibly the most iconic fashion staple of all time -- the leather jacket. It's a rare blend of practical and cool, which is rare in fashion (after all, we live in a world where "fashion over function" is an accepted creed). Besides its counter-cultural and urban rebel connotations (association with John Travolta notwithstanding), the leather jacket is also versatile, warm and comfortable. Furthermore, it isn't strictly masculine anymore either. With the right cut and tailoring, a leather jacket can look badass and feminine, flattering a woman's body. There are drawbacks, however: if you subscribe to a vegan lifestyle or are simply a big fan of cows, you probably aren't excited to earn your cool points by wearing the tanned flesh of a dead ungulate on your back. Not to mention the fact that leather is expensive. A good, premium leather jacket will set you back hundreds of dollars.
Which brings me to my major premise: pleather, long considered an inferior product by fashion purists, is more than acceptable as a substitute for leather. That leather jacket that would have cost you around $200 is probably available for $20 at your local mall in faux leather. The artificial substitute may not be as high quality or keep you warm the way the real thing does, but to compensate, at least pleather comes in all the crazy, bright shades of the rainbow -- yes, some of us do consider this a plus.
Blue faux leather jacket, alliexpress.com, $48.90
