How to Take Care of Leather, According to a Stylist | Who What Wear

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As temperatures cool down and fall settles in, it's finally that time of year when we can pull out our favorite leather pieces—jackets, boots, and bags that make any outfit feel instantly polished. Leather season brings with it all the excitement of styling these timeless pieces, but caring for leather properly is essential to keeping them looking their best. Recently, I was shocked to discover a few mistakes I'd been making for years in caring for leather after watching Liz Teich's video, where she shared some game-changing tips.

I convinced Teich to give me more details on making the most of our leather purchases, so read on to learn the mistakes to avoid and rules to follow.

Tell me about your career path so far!

I've been a professional stylist for over 15 years. I got my start working for a once-popular clothing brand called Chaiken (RIP along with Barneys, where they sold!) and then working as an art director creating ads for brands like Maybelline. My favorite part of those jobs was the hands-on creative part, seeing the concepts come to life with a stylist, so I quit the 9-to-5 life and assisted some of the top NYC stylists for years before I gained enough experience and a portfolio of my own work to get signed with an agent. I realized that I had so much expertise and knowledge to share, so I decided to start my own blog, and that's how The New York Stylist was born.

When I became a mom nearly eight years ago, I connected with so many new moms that were also struggling to find their identity in fashion with a new life and body, so they came to me for help. I first offered my services virtually, and now, I have a team offering personal styling services both virtually with women all over the world and in person in the NY area. It led to me transitioning my focus on social media from more of my behind-the-scenes and lifestyle content to exclusively just tips and tricks, which are ideas that mostly come from my sessions with women, and I think to myself, "People need to know this!"

How have you witnessed the leather trend evolve throughout your career?

I think people are more keen on sustainability and investing in their wardrobes now, especially with people shopping less fast fashion than before—women who once opted for vegan or faux leather, which is often made from plastics that will not wear well over time [and] look, feel, and sound fake.

Do you have any tips for finding consciously sourced leather?

Of course, leather can be not as sustainable too, so it's important to look for either recycled leather (Agolde, Hyer Goods) or conscious leather that uses vegetable tanning that doesn't pollute the waterways (i.e. Sézane, Chloé). You also can't go wrong with vintage leather—just use my trick of wrapping it in newspaper for a few days to absorb any smells!

"People forgetting to protect and care for their leather. They tend to buy beautiful leather bags, shoes, and clothing, but they get upset when it doesn't wear well. Investing in a leather kit, like Jason Markk, can help that as well as getting to know a leather repair or cobbler to fix anything."

"Leather stretches, so people tend to forget that. I often tell clients to size down in leather because it heats up with your body heat and will stretch. Leather pants especially will get loose through the day."

"How you store your leather is just as important. I often have clients that have beautiful leather bags and shoes, and they let them get smushed, or they don't put something inside the shoes, like shoe shapers or boot trees, after wearing. Think of your foot like a balloon, expanding and heating up the shoe, and then when you take out the foot, it deflates the shoe, and that's how you get the creases over time, which are tougher to repair. Little things in maintenance of leather can make a major difference over time. With proper care, leather should last for years, and it's one of the best investments you can make in your wardrobe."

The perfect leather jacket.

I want all the hardware on my belts.

Slouch.

This jacket is so pretty.

The runway has seen this, and I want to see it on you next.

Bring on the leather.

The perfect excuse to plan a vacation.

A very pretty pair of shoes.

A forever classic.

Here for the feather moment.

Flat boots get the most wear from me in the winter.

I wear my leather trench coat almost every day.

My dream outfit for Art Basel.

These pumps elicit an emotional response from me.

Stellar price point for real leather.

The '70s called, and they want their shorts back.

Etched in my memory.

The uptown version of a leather jacket.

Sierra Mayhew was always destined to work in fashion, but she didn't know it at first. Growing up with no choice but to wear a rotation of school uniforms and activewear, her love for fashion really blossomed when she moved away for college and was able to finally define her very own personal style. Shortly thereafter, she interned at Elle magazine and instantly knew that editorial was for her. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, she worked for ShopBazaar, contributing regularly to Bazaar.com, and finally made her way to Who What Wear, where she is an associate editor. When she’s not working, you can catch her always trying to catch a flight, trying the latest fitness craze in New York City, or exploring luxury vintage boutiques.