Styling the Classic Wolverine Leather Jacket

Styling the Classic Wolverine Leather Jacket

 

Get ready to feel an overwhelming amount of nostalgia. No matter who you are, everyone can identify with X-Men a little bit. We all have some inner “freak” in us and know what it’s like to feel like an outsider. Because of this, we thought we’d share some insight on what it would be like to style Logan’s classic leather jacket.

Wolverine has had a few different costume changes throughout the years and with each sequel in which he appears, but the mens leather jacket have always been a staple. For this look, we’re going to focus on the most iconic jacket he wears: a soft brown leather with tan stripes around the elbows.

Now, at first glance, this jacket breaks a few of the cardinal “rules” of fashion—rules we have no problem breaking. We do, however, express caution when you choose to wear this particular jacket. Brown jackets are a little harder to match than black motorcycle jackets, but don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

What You’ll Need To Style This Look

In order to achieve the look we’re going to go for with the X-Men Wolverine leather jacket, you don’t need a lot. However, we do want to steer you in the right direction with this best quality brown leather jacket, which can be more intimidating than the usual black. Instead of being able to pair just about anything with it, we want you to reach for some more specific pieces of clothing for this one.
Her are the thing we feel you should grab!

  • Wolverine’s leather jacket. Clearly, you’ll need Wolverine’s jacket. There are lots of different versions available online, but we’re talking about the most iconic jacket from movie about the man himself: X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Look for high quality materials in a dark brown leather.
  • Some X-Men movie jacket inspiration. How better to get you in the mood for your big purchase? Seeing Wolverine kick ass himself will give you the confidence you need you dawn this iconic jacket.
  • Blue jeans. As usual, we highly recommend you wear jeans with your leather jacket. However, for this look, we recommend you stick with blue jeans, which will complement the brown of the jacket.
  • T-shirts. This is the best time to use your favorite t-shirts. The simpler the better, but graphics and logos work, too. For this, we especially recommend v-necks. We’ll get more into the details later!
  • > Metal accessories. We don’t normally go into accessorizing, but what with the spirit of Wolverine’s power, for this outfit, we think it’s more than appropriate.

Instructions

STEP 1: Watch the X-Men Series

We doubt you haven’t seen this classic series, but if you’re going to be borrowing from the character, we recommend you do him a favor and check him out in his prime. Wolverine was Hugh Jackman’s milestone role that put him in the limelight, and not only is it an iconic and award-winning performance, but it’s one all kids want to emulate as they grow up. For the sake of really getting into character and feeling the excitement you felt when you first watched X-Men, we suggest giving it another go and letting the nostalgia inspire you—especially now that you can fit in the jacket yourself.

STEP 2: Purchase Your Wolverine Jacket

When you’re looking for the right Wolverine jacket, you’re probably going to come across multiple different options. It’s fine if you want to go with one of the newer versions, but for this outfit, we are going to focus on the original real deal. This iconic leather jacket is a warm brown color with colored stripes wrapping around each arm at the elbow. When we refer to Wolverine’s jacket from here on out, we will be referring to this particular design.

Depending on where you purchase this jacket, you could be looking at a variety of different prices. We do recommend you stay away from any stores that sell cosplay costumes—these pieces will be significantly cheaper, but are most likely made with low-quality materials and won’t be genuine leather. For such a replica jacket, you want a quality leather jacket. They may look good on screen, but ultimately, we believe we should make your purchase from a reputable company. So research customer reviews of the best sellers before moving your order from the wishlist into the shopping cart.

Classic Wolverine jacket
STEP 3: Grab a Pair of Jeans

Due to the rich brown color of Wolverine’s jacket, we are adamant about one thing in particular: blue jeans are your best option. Brown is a strange “neutral” because it’s actually not that neutral and looks best when it’s complemented by other colors. In this instance, nothing beats the classic blue jeans—we recommend a loose, relaxed fit throughout the leg to keep it casual. Dusty or washed-out pairs look especially good with the natural ruggedness of this jacket.

Brown and black is a tricky combination, and we think adding black to the bottom half of this look is just too much. We feel the same way about white or your bright, crazy colors. We especially recommend you steer clear of your khakis. If anything looks more overwhelming than an entire outfit of black and brown, it is an entire outfit of different browns, which will come off as dull and uninteresting.

STEP 4: Minimize Your Layers

Layering with your leather jackets is an important step. As usual, you want to keep it simple and light beneath your Wolverine jacket, especially because this particular jacket is a little bulky. The Wolverine jacket—even if you chose a different version than the one we’re focusing on—is pretty warm, so there’s no need to add too many layers.

Now. I know we just said that you shouldn’t beef up on too many neutrals. However, a little sliver of a solid white or black v-neck beneath your jacket is a classic and unbeatable look. To be honest, any basic t-shirt in a muted, tame color looks great with this kind of leather jacket. This isn’t the best jacket for formal occasions, so we recommend not trying anything outside of casual.


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STEP 5: Get Creative with Your Shoes

Here’s where we don’t mind so much what you wear with your Wolverine leather jacket. If you’re wearing this jacket, chances are you are going to a casual event or having just a regular day. It’s not a look we recommend for formal occasions.

Our favorite thing to pair with the Wolverine jacket is a decent pair of boots or sneakers. We recommend a sturdy pair of shoes that will balance out the bulkiness of the top half of the outfit. Converse or low-tops are going to disappear beneath your jeans. A good pair of dark hiking boots or some worn sneakers look great with this jacket. We think darker pairs look better, but feel free to experiment with brighter colors.

STEP 6: Accessorize

You can’t do Wolverine justice without incorporating a little bit of steel into your outfit. With this jacket, we especially like to add worn steel or antique gold or silver. Tarnished-looking colors are rugged and masculine, complementing the effortlessness of the jacket perfectly. You can add necklaces, earrings, or even cuffs around the wrists—and don’t forget about a solid belt.

The only thing we really think you should stay away are faux dog tags—actual dog tags you’ve earned are, of course, a different story and we’d never tell anyone not to wear them. However, when we’re doing looks inspired by fictional characters, we try to stay inspired without re-creating the whole costume. Wolverine’s dog tags are pretty iconic, so if you don’t want people to see the comparison, keep them at home or tuck them under your shirt.

Unique Wolverine jacket

Conclusion

At the end of the day, you have an excellent new Wolverine brown jacket that not only makes you feel like a mutant badass, but is unique and eye-catching enough to garner compliments from everyone. It's something new and fresh, compared to a biker jacket, cafe racer or a simple black leather jacket. It’s a great addition to your wardrobe if you’re a low-key fan or you regularly go to conventions in full costume. Everyone should own a brown jacket, and what better way to incorporate it than with Wolverine’s very own.

Let us know what you think and if this tutorial was of any help to you! Did you find it helpful or would you style Wolverine’s leather jacket differently?

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