A reader recently admonished me for my efforts with the Miraclesuit swimming cossie when – she had kindly deduced from my byline picture – I didn’t need one. Maybe I do, maybe I don’t – are you liking the air of mystery? – but sometimes the selfless fashion writer has to plunge into turbulent waters on behalf of others.

And so it is with motorbike jackets. I am not really a motorbike jacket type. We all have our chemical intolerances; mine is quilting. If you imagine the Queen in a boyfriend shirt or Miley Cyrus in Hardy Amies, that’s how very wrong I look in black leather. I’m not sure why. That’s the psychology of fashion for you.

But leather is in this winter. Admittedly, it’s often in, because deep down it’s a classic. They were wearing leather doublets back in 1562, gadzooks. It is not radical. But this season it’s in as in ubiquitous. The leather jacket will be to late 2008 what the military jacket was to 2004. Women who are normally about as hard-edged as a Nigella Lawson cupcake are swapping their sequined cardies for a biker jacket. Or they will be. Or they are thinking about it.

At least I am, along with my fellow cutting-edge fashion colleagues. Since we are motivated alpha types, we have also been looking. And trying on. Here’s what we’ve found. Black leather is harsh and only really works on the very young, the very old, the very tanned or the very pale. It helps to be Parisian. Otherwise, brown is an excellent alternative.

How to get dressed: the Miraclesuit

Although you should always be cautious of any label with 'miracle' in it, this swimsuit does the job

BACKGROUND

• How to get dressed: handling wet weather

• How to get dressed: Staying in season

• How to get dressed: Sunglasses

• Why everything is now designer

If dry cleaning is no object, a pale colour with a name like putty, stone or sand is a wonderful option. Another name might be expensive – and anyway, these colours don’t really work in the Perfecto, motorcycle style.

Leather is very good for changing the dynamics of an outfit. If that sounds pretentious, then you must be British. Every outfit has an energy. If there’s leather in it, it has more. Slip it into the mix with a ballgown, a pair of boring chinos, a tweed skirt, a floral dress, and you’ll see what I mean. But it must be a neat cut – nothing baggy or tricksy.

Everyone could use a little leather jacket of some kind. Here, in descending order of price, are some of the best sources: Alexander McQueen, Celine, Mike & Chris, Burberry Prorsum, Jigsaw and Topshop. In fact, despite being the cheapest at £120, the one that worked best for me was Topshop’s (right; www.topshop.com) – probably because it had short, puffed sleeves and there wasn’t very much of it.

So I’m sorted. Except that now I’m wondering whether having a leather jacket isn’t just a little bit too obvious. That’s the dilemma of fashion for you.

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