James Dean started the trend, but you can continue it by taking his cues and donning a leather coat. The glory of leather is that it not only comes in a variety of styles but it also ends up looking better the more you abuse it. However, not all leather is created equally – certain styles will make you look more like an Italian secret agent than a total bad ass.

Outfit 1:
Introducing the bomber jacket. Although this guy has taken the coat straight from a vintage store (those kind of look like shoulder pads), his intentions are in the right place. Paired with a cigarette for added coolness and ultra tight jeans, he looks like the raddest guy in the room – or at least makes a really convincing case.

Outfit 2:
Or, you can take it all the way to Terminator, like this guy in the motorcycle-style jacket, and pair it with a helmet, a gun, and cowboy boots. The old-school motorcycle jacket is a bit more bad ass than the bomber alternative, harking back to biker gangs and the punk scene of the ’70s. The zippers add a little pizzazz and the way it’s cut accentuates your shoulders giving you a bit more of a presence.

Ladies Touch by Maggie M; a freelance writer and fashion consultant.