Men have been wearing leather ever since the first hide was skinned from an animal. Of course, leather-wear has come a long way since then. The hunters who were held in high regard back then donned themselves with the leather hides of their kills. It was a symbol of status within their village. In this day and age, wearing a great leather jacket is still a symbol of status. Anyone who is anyone has at least one, classy leather jacket in their closet.

Finding a great leather jacket can be a challenge, but there are some men who need big and tall leather jackets. That presents a whole new set of challenges altogether. In this guide, we'll give you all the information you need to know about buying a great leather jacket. We will also give you suggestions on where you can find big and tall leather jackets. By the end of the guide, you'll have all the knowledge you need to be a leather jacket expert.

Before diving in specifically to big and tall leather jackets, let's talk about what you should look for in a good leather jacket no matter what size it is. This is important because there are a lot of different leather jackets from manufacturers all over the world and they will all tell you that theirs is the best. Unfortunately this isn't true--not all leather jackets are good leather jackets. Here are a few basics you should look for right away when shopping for a leather jacket.

Price

• For most products you can usually find a great deal on a bargain priced item. Leather is different. You can definitely determine the quality of the leather jacket based on price. In fact, ruling out cheap leather jackets will drop your options down to about half of what they were when you first started your search.

Construction

• According to Wayne Gross, fashion director for East Dane, a leather jacket should last you for at least 20 years. A poorly constructed jacket is almost worse than getting low-quality leather material because your jacket will probably fall apart. What a waste of money that would be.

Feel of Materials

• There are different types of leather and some leather is better than others. The best leathers are going to have a soft, supple feel to them. They'll feel good on your skin. If a leather jacket is hard and stiff, this is indicative of a lower quality leather.

Different layers of the animal's hide gives you different qualities of leather. The top most layer, called the full grain, is the best and most expensive. This leather may have blemishes as it is the top of the animal's skin but it is also the longest-lasting as it develops a patina. This is a natural protective cover.

Next you have the top grain. This is the same layer as the full grain except that it's been sanded to give it a different look and feel. Corrected grain is just what it sounds like--the blemishes have been removed, the surface looks more uniform, and it can be dyed in different colors.

Right up under this layer comes suede. Suede has been sanded on both sides to have the soft touch to it. This layer doesn't have the natural patina and could be impossible to clean.

The lowest quality (and the cheapest) is the bonded/particle leather. This is when manufacturers take all the scrap leather, grind it down, and bond it together to make a "recycled" leather good. These low-quality leather products can be misleading. For starters, it can be labelled as "genuine leather". Be wary of products with this label on it. It could look like top grain leather and even feel like top grain leather, but it's really just some bonded leather scraps that will easily disintegrate. We don't want you to fall for a low-quality leather product so here are a few tips for spotting fake (low-quality) leather:

Pullup

• Leather has a pullup effect, meaning that it becomes discolored if you bend or fold it.
• The appearance/pattern is extremely uniform.
• The leather can't absorb leather conditioner.
• It's too smooth.
• It doesn't have the leather "smell".
• It's way cheaper than you think it should be.

Now that you know what to look for in a high-quality leather jacket, we'll address the original question at hand. There are a lot of places that sell leather jackets in all different price ranges, but plus-sized people often have trouble finding them in their sizes. What's worse is that once they do find them, the leather may end up being a low-quality bonded leather that has an inflated price just because of the size.

We did some research and found some great retailers that carry big and tall leather jackets. Out of the ones we found, we've listed the best five retailers below. Keep reading to find out what they have to offer.

Overland is a real-deal company that has a huge selection of big and tall men's leather coats and jackets. Not only do they have a comprehensive line of coats and jackets to choose from, but they also have premium quality goods. That means if you're in search of full grain and top grain leather, Overland is for you. Overland was founded in 1973. They haven't been around as long as a lot of other leather retailers, but in the few decades they've been in business they've managed to surpass century old retailers in selection, quality, and customer service.

Pros:

• Overland offers full grain and top grain leather coats and jackets.
• The product line includes a comprehensive selection of big and tall sizes.
• They are a U.S. based company and manufacture their products in the U.S.
• Free shipping and handling applies to all purchases and they offer free shipping for returns.
• Overland has a 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy.

Cons:

• They only have sixteen locations throughout the U.S.
• The products are very expensive.

Wilson Leathers has been handcrafting leather goods since 1899. Starting from a small operation in Minneapolis, the American company was first named Berman Brothers Furs, Wool and Hides. In 1988, they expanded to the west coast and became the Wilson Leathers that we know today.

They carry a large range of leather goods including products for kids. The big and tall section has very nice selections, but unfortunately there aren't that many products in this category. Wilson Leathers has an online presence as well as locations in 39 states. It's important to note that their online products are not interchangeable with their brick and mortar store products. If you buy something online, you must return or exchange it online. The same applies to store purchases.

Pros:

• They carry up to 3XLT in big and tall.
• This company has been selling manufacturing/selling leather goods for over 100 years.
• Their leather goods are handcrafted.

Cons:

• They have a very small selection.
• Most of their products are a low-quality leather.
• They are a U.S.-based company but their products are made in China.

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, normally called Jos. A. Bank, is an upscale retailer that specializes in high-quality menswear. In fact, they are one of the largest menswear retailers in the United States with over 500 locations. Headquartered in Freemont, California, Jos. A. Bank has been providing quality clothing since 1905. Like Wilson Leathers, Jos. A. Bank has a big and tall section but only offers a few choices. The choices that they have are made from high-quality leather although it's not full or top grain. At the very least, their online sales is integrated with the sales from their brick and mortar stores so you can get customer service for your purchase in any capacity.

Pros:

• Jos. A. Bank has some of the best customer service around--they offer 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
• Their leather is high quality.
• They have so many locations that it is easy to find one just about anywhere.

Cons:

• They have a very small selection.
• Their sizes only go up to a 3XLT, but they don't often have anything bigger than a 2XLT.
• They are a U.S.-based company but their products are made overseas.

This company has a nice selection of upscale men's big and tall leather jackets. They carry all qualities of leather, even full grain. Their collections of products are made up of some of the top name-brands such as Tommy Bahama, Peter Millar, Toscano, Polo Ralph Lauren, and more. They also have their own branded line of high-quality products. The business began in Westport, Connecticut in 1989. It is a small business--they only have two retail locations with the second one being in Charlotte, North Carolina. Despite this they reach people all over the world with their online presence.

Pros:

• They have some of the largest big and tall sizes available.
• They have several products that are full-grain and top-grain leather.
• They have an in-house tailoring department.
• The company is a U.S.-based business and many of their products are manufactured in the United States.

Cons:

• They only have two retail locations in the whole country.
• Their products are very expensive.

Big Men might be a small company but they have a great selection of men's big and tall leather jackets. The family-owned and operated small business has been around since 1946. They have excellent customer service and their products are top-quality. Some of their leather jackets are top grain, but most of them are not. With this being said, make sure you know what you're buying before you buy it. Big Men started out in Boston, Massachusetts but eventually relocated to Farminham, Massachusetts. They have only one retail location so it might not be feasible to shop with them in person. This is why they keep their website updated regularly.

Pros:

• They have some of the largest big and tall sizes available.
• They have a range of quality of leather with a range of low to high prices.
• They have an in-house tailoring department.
• Their customer service is one of the best around.

Cons:

• They only have one retail location in the whole country.
• Their return/exchange policy is tight, especially since they only have one retail location.
• They are a U.S.-based company but they sell imported products.

Buying a leather jacket is a big deal. It's an investment--something that costs a lot of money and should last you for a couple of decades. This is why you shouldn't take buying a leather jacket lightly. We hope that you've enjoyed reading our guide and that the information can help you in your search for the perfect big and tall leather jacket. Feel free to leave any comments below and share the article with other leather coat shoppers.