Wilsons was founded “For the Love of Leather.” In 1899, Berman Brothers Fur, Wool, and Hides, was founded by three brothers. They were, as the company says, infatuated and obsessed with leather. Their inspiration came from the beauty of hides.

In the 1940s, Wilsons House of Suede was founded in California, and it was known for its suede and leather products. Both companies were acquired by Melville Corporation in 1982 and was merged as Wilsons Leather a few years later. They are currently owned by AM Retail Group, and have their headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wilsons Leather has an online retail existence as well as approximately 167 stores nationally. They also have outlet stores around the country as well, allowing customers to purchase their products either in person at a brick and mortar store or online to be delivered to their house. Their main site can be found at https://www.wilsonsleather.com/.

Wilsons boasts handcrafted, affordable products. Their brand personality is self-label as “quality, stylish, smart, genuine, cool, and approachable.”

As touched upon, there are three options for purchasing a Wilsons Leather jacket or any other of their products. The first option is going into any one of their stores nearby if it is any option. The second is online. The website has a store locator on it, making it easier to find whether there is a Wilsons Leather store near you. You can also place an order online by speaking with a customer service agent.

You can also order a Wilsons Leather product online and have it delivered to your home. Simply go through the website for any products that you may like to purchase, and add it to your cart. When you are finished shopping, you can pay for your product and check out. Wilsons Leather offers a military discount for active, in-active, and retired military personnel, spouses, and dependents who have a valid military ID. this discount can be redeemed in person by showing the ID to a sales associate. If you are purchasing online, you have to contact a customer service agent to receive the discount, which you can’t combine with any other promotions. Wilsons Leather accepts various forms of payment, including all major credit cards. However, if you have a billing address outside of the U.S., they can’t accept it. They also accept PayPal as well, which is important for any international customers.

Once you order you Wilsons Leather product, you are able to check the status of your most recent orders by visiting your account page, which appears usually about an hour or more after you have placed the order. You can track your order via tracking number, and Wilsons promises to email updates concerning the status of your order as well. Wilsons begins process the order right after it is placed, and therefore you cannot change or cancel it once that has happened. You are not charged for the item until it is shipped, which applies to whether the order if currently available or if it is backordered and takes a longer time to get to you. Wilsons Leather has various shipping options as well. Shipping charges vary based on location and whether you want your purchase to get to you in 1-2 business days or 2-7 business days, with a shorter timeframe having a higher delivery charge.

Wilsons Leather dictates a returns and exchange policy on their website at https://www.wilsonsleather.com/category/customer-service/returns-and-exchanges.do. They will refund for merchandise in original unused condition within 60 days of delivery date in the original form of payment. The refund will include the item cost and sales tax, meaning you as the customer will not get any shipping charges refunded. You can also exchange items by placing a new order and returning the original. Something really important to note is that you cannot return any PayPayl purchases to a Wilsons Leather store location, not can you return any Wilsons Leather Marketplace orders to an online store.

Wilsons also has price adjustments that they honor within two weeks of the original purchase, which I always believe is a nice thing to do and a good way to retain customers. There is nothing more unfortunate than buying something, especially if it is a big purchase, and finding out a few days later that it went on sale. Wilsons will refund your original form of payment, as long as you still have the receipt. Again, however, you must go through the same portal that you purchased from, meaning if you ordered online, you need to call a customer care agent with the information. If you ordered in store, you have to go back to the store with your receipt for the partial refund. The inability to cross over and do any business between the online and physical stores is a slight frustrating aspect and important to not forget so you don’t end up wrongly wasting your time.

If there is another issue, question, or concern that comes up, you can contact Wilsons customer service. They have an online form that you can fill out and send, or you can give them a call or email. Their hours are 8am-12am ET every day. They also have a live chat feature available on their site. Their customer service site can be found at https://www.wilsonsleather.com/category/customer-service/contact-us.do. They also have a list of frequently asked questions that is located at https://www.wilsonsleather.com/category/customer-service/faq.do?sortby=ourPicks.

Wilsons Leather carries a variety of brands. Their website, especially their FAQ page, touches upon the different brands that they carry, such as Black Rivet. They also carry designer brands and non-leather products.

Their jacket categories are broken up into leather, faux-leather, soft shell, puffer, and fabric. There are men and women’s styles, as well as other stylistic options: motorcycle, belted, trench, and wraps. Each jacket has defining qualities that vary the price. I have seen prices range from as low as $135 to $620. On their site, it explicitly shows the original price of the jacket and then slashes it down to a much lower one.

In so far as leather jackets, these prices are on the lower end of the spectrum, which holds true to one of Wilsons Leather big claims: their affordability. Some of the jackets on their online site are an even lower price than advertised, which you find out when you click on the product page. Flash sales across the board on their website, as well as other promotions (such as ones you can get by signing up for their email newsletter list) are around often; it seems that the full advertised price is rarely paid. There were jackets that I saw -albeit kid’s jackets- for as low as $83 when clicked around due to these sales. If you are a smart shopper, this is a big thing to keep in mind.

As I mentioned before, Wilsons Leather has a lot of non-leather products, and this is especially true for their coats. While I could go into detail about many of their coats, I wanted to focus on the only leather one. The overview of jackets below is only for real leather jackets (so faux-leather ones are not included). Below is an overview of some of their jackets, in both the men’s and women’s categories, highlighting some of the major features. Most of their jackets have 100% genuine leather shells.

Men’s Jackets

• Wilsons Leather vintage side lace leather with patch-the shell is genuine leather and the body lining is 100% cotton. The sleeve lining is 100% polyester and the filler is 100% polyester. It has a zipper front with short collar and zippered cuffs. There is quilted detail on shoulders and arms, side lacing, and an arm patch. It has two zippered hand pockets and two zippered chest pockets, as well as a fully lined interior with one snap pocket and one zipper pocket.
• Wilsons leather vintage mock collar leather moto jacket with zipper pockets- genuine leather shell with 100% polyester lining. It has a zipper placket with mock collar with snap tab and zipper cuffs. There are two zipper hand pockets and two zippered chest pockets. There is contrast stitching on the sides and a fully lined interior with one snap-closed pocket.
• Designer brand leather cycle jacket- polyester body and sleeve linings. Has a zipper placket with snap tab collar and double snap closure at the bottom. There are zippered cuffs and a banded hem with adjustable snap sides. It has two zipper hand pockets and two zippered chest pockets.
• Wilsons Leather vintage moto leather jacket with hood-cotton body lining and polyester sleeve lining. The hood is made of about half and half percentages of cotton and polyester. There is a zipper placket with snap tab collar, and the hood is removable, with a storm collar and tie string. There are zippered cuffs and air holds for ventilations under your arms. There are two zippered hand pockets and chest pockets. The interior is fully lined with one snap closed pocket and one zipper pocket.

Women’s Jackets

• Wilsons Leather front zip lamb scuba jacket- has an asymmetrical zip packet with notch collar and button detail, as well as shoulder epaulettes. Has two zippered hand pockets and lace up sides, with a fully lined interior.
• Marc New York promo leather jacket-genuine leather shell with polyester lining. Has an asymmetrical zip placket with notch collar and button detail. There is quilting on the shoulders and lower back, with banded cuffs with zippers. It has two zippered hand pockets and a zippered chest pocket, as well as a fully lined interior.
• Wilsons Leather asymmetrical zip jacket with size lacing-genuine leather shell with polyester lining. Has a full zip placket with stand up scuba collar and two open hand pockets. Its interior is fully lined.

Choosing the perfect jacket for you is no small decision. It is an investment in how you are going to look and feel for the near foreseeable future.

A few things to consider when you are shopping for a jacket is your sense of style, your needs, and your budget.

First, your needs. Will you be wearing this jacket in the warmer or cooler weather? Do you want a hood to cover your ears or possibly any rain? If you are wearing it in the cooler weather months, features such as an extra zip lining will be helpful in keeping you cozy and warm. If you choose to wear the jacket in warmer weather months, you can pick a lighter style, or even a jacket that has a removable lining, one that you can wear through multiple seasons.

Are you a person that travels with a purse or a bag? Or do you travel light? A question like this can help you decide how many pockets you may need, depending on whether you need to store a wallet or just keys.

The next thing to consider is your sense of style. What jacket speaks to you, that you can see yourself wearing? The jackets vary in color and style, and they have different cuts to fit your body in different ways. Think about what jackets appeal to you, since jackets are worn so often.

The final, big element to consider is your budget. Are you able to spend money on the higher priced jackets, or do you need to stay in the lower range? While Wilsons Leather jackets are more affordable than other leather jacket companies and brands, it is still a financial invest for you to be making. Figuring out your budget can help you possibly narrow down your selection choices as well.

Once you have purchased a Wilsons Leather jacket, it is important to take steps to make sure that your jacket lasts as long as it can. This can be done by giving it the proper care.

For each jacket, there are different care instructions. There are two ways you can access these care instructions of you are not in-store: online or by phone. Each product page has descriptions of the jacket, as well as how to care for it. Many of them state that the jackets must be cleaned professionally. The product page also includes the fabric composition, country or origin, and exact dimensions. The Wilsons Leather site states that if you need any further instructions after reading that, you can call their Customer Care center for any other questions.

Wilsons Leather also had products to help you care for your jacket, such as spray protector. They also have leather lotion for their finished leather, which cleans, moisturizes, and preserves the leather. Other products, such as leather cleaner wipes, are also available.

The major pro for the Wilsons Leather Jacket is the price tag. If you want a leather jacket and you don’t want to spend a hefty amount of money, this company is definitely one looking into. Their affordable prices allow them to cater to a smart shopping, yet still fashionable demographic.

The main question to ask, however, is whether the jacket is that of quality. Some complaints state that they are not a good quality.

The major complaint about Wilsons Leather is their customer service. Many consumers have issues with returns, exchanges, and general refunds. Customer service can either make or break a company, and here the issues reported seem to be a somewhat regular occurrence.

Wilsons Leather does not have custom made jackets as an option, where as other companies, such as Independence Brothers, does. They make custom jackets for a product that really reflects every part of you, and shows your sense of style and fashion.

Overall, it is important for you as the consumer to do research and read reviews and choose your jacket with care. At the end of the day, it is your jacket. As I have said before, a leather jacket can change your mindset. Fashion is a powerful thing, and leather jackets are not just clothing or outwear made to keep you warm. It is an extension of yourself and your personality; it is a statement. It can transform your day for better and project confidence and the person you want to be to the outside world. Whether you purchase a Wilsons Leather or an Independence Brothers jacket, you need to make sure it is the best version of yourself in that jacket.