Leather coat: fashionable return of Matrix and Co.
Just like the bell-bottom jeans, the leather coat is an artifact of the 2000s - one that can be seen again. For the last twenty years, it has had a less bad reputation than other trends from back then. Maybe that's why it has crept back into fashionable everyday looks almost unnoticed. We reveal how you can find the right coat for you.
How do you know the Y2K leather coat?
Leather coat. A piece that sounds unusual at first. They are a dime a dozen. As a thin transition jacket, it shows itself for a few seasons but again increasingly as a fashionable companion. Only recently we brought back the jeans trends of the 2000s. What's happening right now is called the Y2K look: Trends from 20 years ago are finding favor again. This also applies to leather coats. Back then, unisex coats were worn in black à la Matrix as well as in camel, bordeaux and olive - and were inspired by fashion-conscious (and important at the time) tv series characters like Buffy, Angel, Sabrina the Witch and Carrie Bradshaw. Fast-forward two decades, and it's suddenly back in the mainstream - as are bell-bottoms, bucket hats, tribal patterns and sheer mesh tops.
Finding the right leather coat
The slightly more chic fashionistas tend to wear the smooth leather version. While it also brings shine into play, it doesn't impose itself as much as a glossy leather specimen - which is, after all, deliberately pleasing itself in the dominant role by exuding a slight fetish vibe. Suede is a rarer sight at the moment and more popular for winter coats. Depending on how much you like to stand out, the choice is quickly made for the gloss level.
For the color, it is best to proceed as with other items of clothing. Jackets in particular should blend in with the rest of your wardrobe and not contradict your style. Do you like to wear color? Then a red or burgundy coat might actually suit you well. If you prefer a more muted look anyway, go for the classic Matrix accessory (if only Keanu Reeves had known back then what brand he was going for). But a dark khaki or olive shade is also rather restrained. Perhaps even a little more than a long black coat, which is often associated with the Goth scene, which by the way seems to have disappeared from the mainstream. Those who love earth tones, which include ocher, camel, umber, cinnamon, curry, or mustard yellow, for example, also tend towards the brown-beige color spectrum when buying a coat.
Always listen to your gut feeling when it comes to color - it's known to never be wrong. Experimentation is not advisable with such an expensive garment.
Speaking of expensive: If you want to save money, you might take a look at vintage platforms, where you might even be able to buy an original piece.
Determining the right coat length
When it comes to length, it depends a bit on your body size, but also on your preferences for the rest of your clothes. Do you prefer to go out in dresses and skirts or in pants? Because long skirts tend to peek out of the coat, it may look strange if the coat ends ten centimeters above. In combination with pants, the length is rather variable. There are wild speculations about the body size. The most important thing is that the coat and body measurements correlate. Fashion experst give about the tip to let the hem end a hand width above the knee. If you like a tad longer or shorter anyway, you'll be glad to know that what really matters is that the waist sits high and you emphasize it. This way, the eye focuses on the center of the body and it doesn't matter, for example, if you are a little shorter and wear a coat in maxi length - this optical "steering" also stretches.
Often forgotten, but an enormously important question: Does the coat have pockets? If you prefer to stow your hands in the pockets when you walk - or even warm up in them - you definitely need side pockets. Of course, they're also practical if you're a candidate for loose tissues, loose change, or other odds and ends you like to keep handy. In all other cases, of course, it does not matter so much. Once you've decided on smooth or shiny leather, color, length and pockets, you can move on to completing your Y2K look. How about a pair of flare jeans, for example?
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch
