The Best Men's Suede Jackets Make You Look Like a Movie Star

The best men's suede jackets are ready for their close-up. You want to know what Michael B. Jordan, Tom Holland, and Ryan Reynolds all have in common? (Aside from the wildly successful careers…and the sculpted-by-god bodies…and all that money.) A steadfast belief in the above. For years, in fact, suede jackets have been a steady part of practically every hot male celebrity's style diet, whether they're cheesing on the red carpet, gabbing their way through press junkets, or on very relatable coffee runs.

The Best Men’s Suede Jackets Shopping Guide

• The Value Pick: Banana Republic Suede Trucker Jacket, $500
• The A-List Pick: Todd Snyder Italian Suede Snap Dylan Jacket, $998
• The Winter-Ready Pick: J.Crew Italian Suede Flannel-Lined Workshirt, $498
• The Old-School Pick: Valstar Valstarino Suede Jacket, $1,385
• The New-School Pick: Buck Mason Black Rollup Suede PCH Jacket, $698
• The Faux Suede (but Real Cool) Pick: Abercrombie & Fitch Vegan Suede Jacket, $140 $98

Why? Because they're luxe and lush and simply scream movie star. They're the secret sauce that makes attractive fellas even more attractive. Pair a smooth suede jacket with a crisp dress shirt and tailored trousers, and you're ready to own any room you enter. Toss one over a T-shirt and jeans, and you'll go from Average Joe to Joe Brrr in a heartbeat.

And yes, while the ones most favored by A-listers tend to trend expensive—Tom Ford's version goes for upwards of $7,000—there happen to be plenty of affordable and supremely hot suede jacket options out there for the taking. We’re talking velvety trucker jackets and buttery bombers, all ready to instantly transform you into your best and most paparazzi-worthy self. Pro tip? Grab one in a classic style that’s cropped right at the waist. It’ll lengthen your legs, accentuate the butt, and sync up oh-so-well with some of-the-moment high-waisted pants or a pair of classic Levi’s 501s. Here are a dozen or so bang-on options to get you started.

The Best Value Suede Jacket

We raved about Banana Republic's suede jackets a few seasons back, but we still can't get over how good they are, especially given the price. This trucker's silhouette and overall design recalls jackets from the ‘70s, but it's also a very financially approachable alternative to other extremely famous designers that shall remain nameless. In other words, It’s the best real suede jacket for the money, so if you've budgeted $500 for a suede jacket, this is the one you should get.

The Best Suede Trucker Jacket

Todd Snyder's Dylan jacket might just be more famous than any celeb. That's because it's been spotted on countless talk shows, red carpets, and just about every off-duty celeb grabbing a cup of coffee. The modern menswear maven plucks the extraneous details from the usual denim trucker jackets, leaving behind one of the cleanest silhouettes we've ever seen on a suede jacket. It's made in Italy from suede that's weighty yet totally supple, and it comes in a gaggle of different colors—something the rest of the options on this list severely lack.

The Best Suede Blouson

Buck Mason’s handsome suede jacket is made from high-quality full-grain semi-vegetable tanned sheep suede. And while men’s fashion would have you believe that brown suede is the only suede, this one comes in a sexy-as-hell pitch-black colorway. It features zippered hand pockets that are lined with velvety corduroy, an internal snap pocket to house your phone, and zippered sleeve gussets that make it easy to slip on. It’s got a slim fit and ever-so-slightly cropped hem that puts it in the black leather blouson camp, no doubt—but the stunning suede sets it apart from the crowd.

The Best Suede Shirt Jacket

If menswear’s obsession with cropped jackets isn’t your speed, remember this: Sometimes the best suede jacket is actually a suede shirt. J.Crew’s overshirt is a hidden gem that you want to dig up before it’s too late. It features luscious Italian suede with a toasty flannel lining, handy twin chest pockets, and a roomy silhouette that’s perfect for layering up with a thick turtleneck sweater. The vibes are half lumberjack, half Aspen vacationer, and completely the right move.

The Best Suede Bomber Jacket

Originally released waaay back in 1935 as a response to the A-1 jacket, the Valstar Valstarino jacket has stood the test of time and endless fashion cycles to become our pick for the best suede bomber jacket. It features luxurious goat suede with a velvety nap, horn buttons, and a wool knit ribbing to keep the blistering wind out. With elements of a blouson, a golf jacket, and a bomber, you can see how much influence it had over nearly a century and it's exactly why it strolled into our winner's circle.

The Best Faux Suede Jacket

Whether you have a distaste for real leather or an aversion to expensive jackets, there are a number of great faux suede jackets on the market. This one from Abercrombie & Fitch is a handsome option that's not too on-the-nose as far as suede looks go, but offers the same essence. And because it features 10% elastane, it'll feel way more comfortable to compared to real suede. The minimalist blouson style is versatile for any dude's wardrobe so you'll never have to worry about whether it fits your vibe. On sale for less than a hundred bucks, nothing else beats it.

Plus 10 More Suede Jackets We Love

Your Suede-Related FAQs, Answered

Suede falls under the leather umbrella and can be made from various kinds of animal hides, most often cowhide, calfskin, goat, and lamb. Each animal produces leather suede with unique characteristics. Suede made from cowhide, for instance, is thicker so it's often used in heavier applications like moto jackets. Goat and lamb suede, on the other hand, are both very thin and lightweight which makes them ideal for light jackets and overshirts as well as gloves.

First and foremost—what exactly is suede? Leather is a kind of natural skin with an epidermis and several layers underneath. The outermost layers are known as full-grain leather. Scrape beneath the surface and you’ll get to the next level, top-grain leather. With some more buffing, you’ll get to the corium layer, a network of fleshy fibers that we recognize as suede. The upside of this is that suede quality tends to be more of a level playing field, meaning that there’s not as big of a difference between the $500 jacket and the $2,000 jacket.

Nubuck: Nubuck is similar to suede in that it’s made by buffing the leather to its fleshy inner layers. However, nubuck tends to have a shorter nap than suede. If suede was a few days without shaving, nubuck would be a five-o-clock shadow.

Roughout: Leather hides have two sides a smooth side which is normally used as the out-facing material. Unlike other suedes which are made by buffing the smooth side until it reaches the corium layer, roughout simply uses the fleshy underside of the leather as the out-facing material. Roughout is also known as flesh out or full-grain suede.

Shearling: Shearling is usually made from sheepskin and features the suede underside as well as the natural fleece layer on the other. The result is a truly warm, truly over-the-top material reserved for the most extra of winter fits.

Faux Suede: Faux suede is whole ‘nother can of worms you can thank Halston for. It can be made in many different ways as long as it doesn’t use any leather, but most faux suedes are engineered using synthetic materials, most often polyurethane and polyester. However, newer materials that use natural materials like mycelium are a growing source of alternative leathers.

Though leather might seem tough, suede is a slightly less capable beast. Suede is notoriously prone to water damage. Because smooth leather has a tighter grain and smaller pores, it’s much less porous and therefore somewhat resistant to moisture. Suede, on the other hand, is leather that’s been scraped away to reveal its very porous structure. If you’re not careful, that could mean water spots, not to mention a dried-out jacket (counterintuitive, we know).

You’ll want to clad your brand new jacket with a suede protector spray before you take it out for a spin. That’s rain or shine—the weather may be clear as a pair of reading glasses but you’ll never see that A/C drip coming.

To keep your suede jacket clean between wears, a suede brush can not only shoo away any dirt and debris, but it can also restore that gorgeous nappy texture. Over time, natural wear will smooth down high-wear areas. And for finer dirt that’s more settled into the nap, a suede eraser (literally an eraser) will help remove that.

Good quality suede will often feel heavy. As leather is processed into suede, layers of the hide are removed to get to the suede texture. But the more it's processed, the thinner it becomes. At a certain point, the leather starts to lose its structural integrity, making it prone to tearing. That said, lightweight suedes like goat and lamb are naturally thinner materials compared to cowhide.

Most suede jackets are lined to make it easier to don and doff. You’ll make sure the hardware—the fastening and rivets—are rock solid, too. Metal buttons and rivets are typically more durable than sewn-in buttons, but a well-made jacket will have sewn-in buttons with extra reinforcing on the inside.