Sale alert: Summer leather

If you wear leather, in a word: summer. 

You can pick up some terrific buys now that make an expensive material nearly a steal. Ignore the high temps, think fall, think investment. (I still wear wear some leather pieces bought ten to twelve years ago.)

You've got to pick and choose among the offerings from the Canadian mall chain, Danier, but when they restrain the urge for embellishment, they provide items at a fraction of the cost of designer leather. 

And when Danier have a sale, there are leather bargains indeed.

The lambskin leather t-shirt was my go-to garment of my fall through early spring. It's on sale, $79 from $229. You can't order online, but there are phone and e-mail options here. Fit is true, back of tee is a heavy double-knit; a small hidden side zip provides more hip ease if you need it.

Web site lists sizes as XXXS-XL, but who knows what's available till you call or e-mail.

If you like your leather in luscious caramel, this classic lambskin blazer is also greatly reduced, $269 from $449, in sizes XXS-XL.

 

If you are in the S-M-L range, you could have a hip leather t-shirt dress for fall; was $299, now $149.

I'd also pick the popping patent shopper, reduced from $149 to $99; available in black and turquoise, too. 

Lafayette 148 take leather way beyond basics. I saw this supple suede draped front jacket in a boutique last spring, now it is far less on the web site, $269 from $898, in quite a few sizes.

This is not all leather, but cut me some slack, it's a drop-dead jacket, the Ports 1961 Taureg Utility jacket with leather flaps and belt. On sale from $1,250 to $529 at Saks. Probably overpowering on petite women, but on average to talls, a shot of tailored drama.

Do you notice a lot on sale now? 

Stores are careful to not send out desperate signals like they did in 2008, but I see 50%-60% off signs everywhere.

The days are already shortening, the stores slowly filling with fall looks, and leather will be wearable before you know it. For the right item, I like 60% off and a short summer vacation for the new purchase in the back of the closet.