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Field Notes · Style
How to Style a Shearling Jacket
The short answer
A shearling jacket is a heavy, textured statement piece, so keep what's underneath simple and let the jacket lead. For casual wear, pair it with a flannel or henley, dark straight-leg denim and leather boots. For town or the office, go with a merino or cashmere sweater or an oxford shirt, wool or cotton trousers and leather shoes or boots. Match your leathers (boots, belt, bag) to the jacket's color family, keep layers thin enough that the jacket still closes, and let the shearling collar be the only fur-like texture in the outfit.
Shearling looks best when it looks like it gets worn. The men who wear it well treat it the way ranchers and bomber crews did: as the most important piece of clothing they own on a cold day, not a costume.
Below are the outfits that work for each style of shearling, a color guide, and a few mistakes to avoid. It's the advice I give when people ask me what to wear with one.
The basic formula
- One texture statement. The shearling collar and the leather are already doing a lot. Pair them with smooth or quiet fabrics: flannel, denim, merino, oxford cloth, moleskin, corduroy.
- Thin layers. Shearling is warm on its own. A shirt and one sweater is usually the most you need underneath, and the jacket should still close cleanly.
- Matched leathers. Keep boots, belt and bag in the same color family as the jacket: browns with browns, black with black.
- Straight or slim trousers. A short, bulky jacket over wide trousers makes you look boxy. Straight-leg denim or trim trousers balance the volume up top.
How to style a shearling bomber jacket
The bomber is the most versatile shearling there is. It works almost anywhere short of a black-tie event.
Weekend
Shearling bomber, a flannel shirt or a gray henley, dark straight-leg denim, brown leather boots. This is the outfit the jacket was made for.
Cold-weather casual
Wear a cream fisherman's sweater or a thick merino crewneck under the bomber, with raw denim or canvas work pants, lace-up boots and a knit cap. Zip the bomber up and turn the collar up against the wind.
Smart casual
Put the bomber over a crisp oxford shirt and a thin navy or charcoal merino sweater, with gray wool or cotton trousers and brown chukkas or dress boots. Espresso and black bombers read the sharpest.
Travel
A plain tee or henley, dark jeans and clean leather sneakers or chelsea boots. Throw the bomber over the top. It's short enough to sit in comfortably on a plane or in a car.
How to style a shearling blazer or car coat
A longer, tailored shearling like our Big Sky Blazer is the one to wear to the office or to dinner.
- Office: shirt and tie or a fine-gauge turtleneck, wool trousers, leather dress boots or brogues. The coat goes over the top the way a topcoat would.
- Over a sport coat: check the fit in the store first. The blazer needs room in the shoulders for a tailored layer underneath.
- Dinner: a dark turtleneck or a quarter-zip sweater, dark denim or chinos, polished boots.
How to style a shearling barn coat
The barn coat is the most rugged of the three, and it looks best in rugged company: a heavy flannel or work shirt, a thermal underneath, canvas pants or heavy denim, work boots or ropers, a leather belt with some heft to it. A wool felt or waxed cotton hat finishes it. In town, swap the canvas for dark denim and the work boots for clean leather ones.
How to style a western shearling jacket or vest
A two-tone western yoke, like our Jackson jacket and vest, calls for Western clothes without tipping into costume.
- Jacket: a pearl-snap or chambray shirt, straight-leg jeans, a belt with a plain buckle, and cowboy or roper boots. Leave the bolo tie at home unless you mean it.
- Vest: over a flannel or a denim shirt in fall, over a thermal henley on a working day, or under a waxed jacket when it turns cold. A shearling vest over a hoodie is the unofficial uniform of cold mornings at a ranch.
What colors go with a shearling jacket
| Shearling color | Wear it with | Leathers | Go easy on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso or dark brown | Indigo denim, navy, charcoal, cream, olive | Dark brown, oxblood | Black trousers |
| Whiskey or tan | Dark denim, white, cream, forest green, gray | Medium brown, tan | Head-to-toe tan |
| Sandstone or light brown | Navy, dark denim, charcoal, rust | Tan, light brown | Light khaki trousers |
| Black | Gray, charcoal, black, white, deep blue | Black | Brown shoes |
| Gray sand | Navy, charcoal, black, cream | Dark brown or black | Pale grays |
What to wear under a shearling jacket
- Best: flannel shirts, henleys, oxford shirts, merino or cashmere sweaters, thin turtlenecks, thermals.
- Works: a hoodie under a bomber or vest for a casual look, as long as the hood lies flat.
- Avoid: puffy vests, thick fleece and chunky cardigans. They fight the shearling for space and make the jacket fit badly.
Styling shearling for women
The same rules hold. A shearling bomber over a fitted knit, slim jeans and ankle boots is the classic look. A longer shearling coat works over a midi dress or tailored trousers. Keep the rest of the outfit simple and let the jacket be the statement. Our current shearling line is cut for men. A smaller men's size gives women a relaxed, slightly oversized fit; compare the chest and sleeve measurements on the size chart first.
Mistakes to avoid
- Wearing it too big. Shearling adds bulk. A jacket a size too large looks sloppy and lets the cold in.
- Too many textures. A shearling jacket with a fur hat, a fuzzy scarf and a sherpa hoodie is too much.
- Costume Western or costume aviator. Pick one reference and keep everything else plain.
- Mismatched leathers. Black boots with a whiskey jacket look like an accident.
- Keeping it pristine. Shearling looks better with creases and patina. Wear it.
"From figment to finish, style to durability finally a jacket that goes from paddock to bar or restaurant and turns heads at every stop."
John S., verified buyer, Shearling Leather Bomber Jacket
Find your shearling
Bombers in five colors, the Big Sky Blazer, the Durango Barn Coat, and the Jackson jacket and vest. $549.95 to $1,195
Shop shearlingCommon questions
How do you style a shearling jacket?
Keep everything underneath simple so the jacket leads: a flannel, henley, oxford or merino sweater, straight-leg denim or trim trousers, and leather boots in the same color family as the jacket. Keep layers thin enough that the jacket still closes.
What do you wear with a shearling bomber jacket?
Dark straight-leg jeans, a flannel shirt or henley and brown leather boots for everyday wear. For a smarter look, an oxford shirt and thin merino sweater with wool trousers and chukkas or dress boots.
Can you wear a shearling jacket with a suit?
A longer tailored shearling blazer or car coat works over a suit or sport coat if it has room in the shoulders. A short bomber over a suit usually looks mismatched because the suit jacket hangs below it.
Can you wear a hoodie under a shearling jacket?
Yes, for a casual look, especially under a bomber or vest. Choose a mid-weight hoodie and make sure the hood lies flat under the collar.
What colors go with a brown shearling jacket?
Indigo denim, navy, charcoal, cream, white and olive all work well. Keep boots and belt in brown. Go easy on black trousers and black shoes.
What shoes go with a shearling jacket?
Leather boots are the natural match: lace-up work boots, chukkas, chelsea boots or cowboy boots depending on the style. Clean leather sneakers work with a bomber for travel. Match the leather color to the jacket.
Is a shearling jacket casual or formal?
A bomber, barn coat or western jacket is casual to smart casual. A longer tailored shearling blazer or car coat can be worn over office clothes and even a suit.
Should a shearling jacket be worn open or closed?
Both. Worn open it looks relaxed and vents heat indoors. Zipped with the collar turned up it is at its warmest. That versatility is one of the reasons the style has lasted since the 1930s.
Can women wear men's shearling jackets?
Yes. A smaller men's size gives a relaxed, slightly oversized fit. Check the chest, shoulder and sleeve measurements on the size chart before ordering.
Xan Hood founded Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. in 2009 and leads product development on its leather and shearling outerwear. He writes about how to wear things that last.