This is the 2nd round of our Best Leather Jacket Series, where I test out and review popular leather jackets from well-known and some lesser known brands in pursuit of the perfect fit.
In this ASOS Barneys Originals leather jacket review, I’ll breakdown how their jackets feel & fit, the design & construction, a simple way to style it, and whether or not they’re worth it.
Let’s dive in.
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About Barneys Originals Jackets
First off it’s easy to tell that Barneys Originals biker jackets are designed for style over function. The two jackets here are made with 100% sheep leather which is the lightest of all commercial leathers and is very soft to the touch, similar to lamb leather.
It’s worth noting that there’s a difference between sheep leather and sheepskin leather. The latter has the sheep hide with the fur left on, while sheep leather or lamb leather has the fur removed before the tanning process.
Now about the jackets, they are super soft and supple without the need for a break in period like some other leather jackets like the Schott Perfecto which is made with rugged bovine leather produced from steers.
According to the UK based brand, they use a range of different leathers from cow to sheep, and goat. You can find out what type of leather the jacket is made from by checking the inner care label.
Now without further ado, let’s start off first, with the Barneys Originals black quilted biker jacket.
Barneys Originals Quilted Leather Jacket Review
How it Feels
The Barneys Originals leather feels soft and light, but not quite as soft as my Peter Manning lambskin leather jacket. It doesn’t feel like nice, high quality leather, but it’s not cheap faux leather either, it’s somewhere in the middle.
It has a quilted navy, 100% polyester lining. It’s fully lined with a soft, absorbent cotton material inside called wadding. It gives the jacket more of a mid-weight feel with light insulation for colder autumn days or warmer winter climate.
» Related: You might like this Peter Manning Leather Jacket Review.
How it Fits
Based on appearance, I think the jacket fits really well. It’s more fitted than the AllSaints Milo biker jacket I reviewed last time. The arm holes sit even higher and the jacket is cut shorter. It’s a size XS.
What you can’t see is that it fits too tightly, especially through the arms, to the point that it feels constricting. The lining of the sleeves feels even more padded than the rest of the jacket which leaves them uncomfortably tight. It literally feels like a muscle fit, which isn’t how a leather jacket should fit. I definitely won’t be able to layer anything underneath beyond just a basic t-shirt, which would be unfortunate.
Zipped up, the jacket is uncomfortably restricting. Sure, it may stretch over time, but even if it did loosen up, it’d still be too tight as I can barely cross my arms.
Also the sleeves (of course) run slightly long for on my frame. I know moto jackets are designed this way so that when you’re riding your motorcycle the extra length allows for your wrists to remain fully covered. But this jacket is clearly designed for style only and so, it’s meant to look the part, which it does.
» Related: You might like this The Jacket Maker Review of the popular biker & bomber.
Design & Construction
The jacket’s design features a quilted pattern across the sleeves which gives off a padded appearance. There’s also a slim quilted stitching along the sides and down the back of the jacket.
The jacket also has an epaulette design detail with a silver studded button that matches the buttons on the lapels.
It’s made with solid YCC zippers, not YKK. The difference being, YCC is from China and YKK is from Japan. These zippers have a much slimmer design than the bulky zippers found on some of the AllSaints leather jackets. And it’s much easier to actually zip up. I personally prefer the smaller zippers on this jacket.
There’s a front zip, sleeve zips and vertical pocket zips in the front. And there’s also an angled zipper on the left breast which is perfectly positioned as it makes for easy access into the pocket.
And finally on the inside of the jacket you’ll find two interior pockets for convenient storage.
The Bottom Line
While I love the way it wears, I don’t love the way it feels. If you have a similar height and build as me, this jacket probably isn’t your best bet. Maybe if you’re 10 lbs lighter though.
Related: If you’re enjoying this article, you might like this AllSaints Leather Jacket Review too.
Barneys Originals Belted Biker Jacket Review
How it Feels
There should be a quick break in period for the Barneys Originals belted biker jacket. Again, it’s made with soft 100% sheep leather that actually feels pretty durable, though only time will tell how it holds up. It is quite lightweight for a leather jacket though.
It’s got a black 100% polyester lining and also has the wadding material that provides some insulation. Out of the two jackets, this one’s lighter and I think it shows in the way that it fits.
How it Fits
Just like the quilted biker jacket, this one visibly fits me nicely. The arm holes are high which is a great detail for a leather jacket just like how you’d want your suit jacket to fit.
While I’m not moving, the jacket fits perfectly, but it becomes restricting when I start to move my arms around and especially when I cross my arms. The jacket doesn’t allow for too much range of motion like the AllSaints Milo biker jacket.
As I mentioned before, you want it to feel like you’re wearing armor, not shapewear. The lining is lighter than the other jacket and there’s no excess padding through the sleeves which makes for a much more comfortable fit.
Design & Construction
This Barneys Original biker jacket has a more minimal design than the quilted jacket. It features the standard asymmetric zip fastening and notch, press-studded collar. There’s also
There’s no quilted patterns and it’s void of any sleeve zips. Which makes for a more simple style. Furthermore, there’s no shoulder strap, but there is a belt that’s mostly for stylistic purpose as you can’t actually remove the belt. You can, however still fasten the belt to tighten up the bottom hem.
What’s unique about this leather jacket is that there’s a right zipper pocket, but no left zip pocket. Instead on the left, there’s a small button pocket with an angled zipper that’s accessible with your right hand.
Unlike the other jacket, this one is equipped with smaller YKK zippers that are slightly more difficult to zip and unzip. There are two interior pockets on the inside of the jacket. Finally, I noticed a gash in the leather which certainly indicates a QC problem and a deal breaker for many.
The Bottom Line
If I had to choose between this Barneys Originals jacket and the quilted one, this one is provides a better, more comfortable fit, and the belt is a nice finishing touch that the other one doesn’t have.
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Are ASOS Leather Jackets Good Quality?
Based on my experience with these ASOS Barneys Originals leather jackets and especially my ASOS Design Suede bomber jacket, they make good quality jackets, especially for the affordable prices.
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I’ve had my brown suede leather bomber from ASOS for several years now and it’s held up extremely well; the nap of the suede is still thick, soft and smooth feeling. The jacket has a substantial weight as well, which makes it a great fall outer layer.
Are Barneys Leather Jackets Good Quality?
It depends on your definition of good, but in short, they are decent quality leather. It’s not the strongest, roughest and toughest leather out there—far from it. But it does make for an excellent daily beater jacket. It might not last for a decade, but given the sale prices, it makes for a worthwhile investment.
Related: If you’re enjoying this article, then you might like this ASOS Design Biker Jacket Review too.
How To Style It
There are a myriad of ways to style the iconic motorcycle jacket. I think the best ways are to keep your outfit simple. Oftentimes you’ll see men wearing a basic white or black t-shirt under a moto jacket with skinny jeans and sneakers.
And so that’s what I decided to do with this fit. I paired a clean white tee (could be longer, like a longline tee), with blue stretch skinny chinos, and white sneakers. A super simple and easy look that isn’t for everybody, especially the skinny pants, but I’ve found skinnies fit the overall rakish aesthetic of leather jackets.
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Is It Worth It?
At the ASOS Barneys Originals prices, it’s certainly an entry level leather jacket. When on sale, it’s more than half the price of the AllSaints Milo Biker jacket which I still consider an entry level jacket as well. Barneys Originals leather jackets retail around $400-$450 which is wildly overpriced for a leather jacket of this quality.
But of course, you’ll never have to pay that much for a Barneys leather jacket. They often go on sale for 50% or more off the suggested retail price, dropping it down to $150 over at the Barneys Originals website and as low as $121 on the ASOS website which makes it a much more economical option.
Check Barneys Originals Prices
Wrapping Things Up
Ultimately, with the substantial price tag that men’s leather jackets can carry, my leather jacket pick up is certainly going to be an investment piece. Though I can’t say that the ASOS Barneys Originals leather jacket would be one, since it’s comes in at around $125.
While the ASOS Barneys Originals biker jackets look stylish and fashionable on my frame, they’re entirely too tight to the point that it’s uncomfortable to wear.
Out of the two biker jackets, the belted Barneys leather jacket fits me better than the quilted jacket. But even at the low $100 price point, I still wouldn’t buy either of these jackets because the fit just isn’t there. And even if I sized up to a small, the jacket would be too long in the body and sleeves.
And so the quest to find the best leather jacket (for me) continues. And of course, if you have any biker jacket recommendations, I’m open to suggestions.
What do you think about ASOS Barneys Originals Leather Jackets?
Let’s continue the discussion over in the Gentlemen Within Private Facebook Community.
Looking forward to seeing you in there.
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