Women's leather clothing seems limited to shoes and coats when it comes to the average woman: you won't see many ladies' leather pants at the office, and leather mini skirts and women's leather vests seem restricted to nightclub wear. So while most general retailers stick to patent leather pumps and mostly unadorned black leather coats for women, leather clothes don't have to have such a limited definition.

Leather is now seen as a versatile luxury material, and average women are buying leather in new ways (lingerie, for example). Most women love the attitude of leather, but aren't sure how to wear it appropriately. If you can offer non-traditional ladies' leather clothing, you can capture a growing market. Take a look at three ways to expand your leather business:

1. Offer a wide variety of women's leather wear.

2. Jump on a growing trend: biker-inspired leather women's apparel.

3. Include leather cleaning services for the leather clothing you sell.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make the most of the many types of leather women's apparel

Suede, shearling, nubuck, embossed -- there are many different definitions of 'leather' out there. To most women, leather clothing may not immediately include these variations because their minds go to the plain leather coats and patent leather shoes for women they most often encounter in stores. Widen the playing field by offering different leathers, and identify them as leather -- many consumers may be unaware that suede and shearling are actually types of leather.

I recommend: Brush up on suede at Woman's Passions, and learn how it can be used in new ways, including evening wear, and mixed-and-matched with other fabrics like wool and fur. See a classic suede dress at Back-In-Style.com.

Jump on the biker-chic bandwagon for women's leather outfits

For many years leather jackets and pants were identified as being for biker chicks only, and since biker culture was rebellious, it seemed off-limits to the average woman. But biker cool has entered the mainstream, and the result is biker-inspired leather clothing for women that is at once work-appropriate and biker cool.

I recommend: Learn why "Biker Chic is more than just leather jackets and bandannas" at Hot Fashion Tips. "How to dress like a Biker Chick" at eHow.com illustrates the glamour, sensuality and appeal of biker chic for the average woman. Focus on the transformation of the biker jacket at Buzzle.com, and see examples of biker wear for the stylish working woman at Cameleon Power-Sport Apparel.

Provide care and cleaning for the women's leather clothing you sell

Many women hesitate to buy leather apparel because they are worried it will be ruined by a stain or tear. Making the most of leather apparel for women means offering care after the sale to ease worried minds.

I recommend: See FAQ's on leather care and the main pitfalls of leather apparel and accessories at Leather Therapy. Get examples of small leather care kits you can sell alongside your apparel at Leatherworld Technologies.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Strike a deal with a nearby dry cleaner to send your women's leather wear customers to them in return for a discount. This will sell your products to customers who don't want to attempt their own leather care and cleaning.

Are you a business or boutique that markets specifically toward women? Leather clothes may not be something that you currently sell, but it may be something that appeals to your customers. Although most people don't think of women's leatherwear as wardrobe staples, there are a few items that most women always have in their closets.

Although women's leather vests may not be in every closet, at least one pair of leather shoes and at least one leather coat probably is. If you want to begin selling leather apparel for women, begin with the basic pieces that most women buy: shoes and coats.

You may also want to consider adding more leather apparel for women as your business grows. Before you do this, though, consider:

1. Your clientele: They likely will purchase basic leather apparel for women as gifts, but might purchase more unique items if you offer them.
2. Optional items: Offer clients the option to purchase items, even if you don't sell them at your store. Create a close relationship with a company that sells leather apparel for women, and can help you find rare items for your clients.
3. Comfort level: If you don't feel comfortable selling expensive items, for example highly detailed and fancy women's leather vests, begin with some simpler leather accessories.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

The best places to find and buy leather clothing for women

Leather clothing for women can cover quite a large area: women's leather vests, leather mini skirts, ladies' leather pants, and much more. If you are a specialty store or boutique, offer a large array of nontraditional items that customers may only find at your store. If you are a larger retail store looking to add leather apparel for women, you may want to consider just stocking up on the basics.

I recommend: MetroStyle is a website that has everything you need in terms of ladies' leather clothing. From leather mini skirts to women's leather vests, this company has women's leather clothing for reasonable prices. Newport News, LeatherSkirts.com, and Spiegel all offer nice varieties of women's leather skirts.

Where to buy leather shoes for women

When buying leather shoes for women, you have a lot of options. You can buy designer shoes that are very expensive, you can purchase discount shoes that are inexpensive, or shoes that are moderately priced. If you want to sell a large number of shoes, you need to offer your clients a nice selection of shoes and pricing.

I recommend: Shoes.com has a great variety of leather shoes for women. This website offers styles from designers as well as reasonable prices. Shoenet.com offers shoes at discount prices. This website lets you buy shoes by the case at a greatly reduced rate. It even lists the manufacturer's suggested retail price (msrp) for each pair of shoes. Some websites offer a nice variety of leather shoes for women, but have designer names and prices. For the largest selections, visit ShoeMall.com, Endless, and Nine West.

Find and buy leather coats for women

Winter coats, dress coats, suit coats, spring and fall coats; there really are a lot of choices out there when deciding what types of coats to sell. Begin by considering your location and your clientele. This will give you the best insight as to what types of coat products to sell.

I recommend: MyLeather.com is a great place to find leather jackets and other leather items, such as women's leather vests. It is a wholesale company that offers products directly from the manufacturer, however, there is a minimum order of $300. Bulk orders and pricing are available. Jillian Distributors offers leather jackets and other leather apparel for women at greatly discounted prices. The downside to this website is that you can't just search for women's items, so you may have to scroll through unnecessary items to find what you are looking for. Overstock.com has a great variety of designer leather coats for women.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When possible, try to purchase coordinating products. Even if you don't display them together, this will help you build complete women's leather outfits for your clients.
• •  Buy timeless pieces, not just passing fashions trends. You don't want to be stuck with a lot of trendy clothes that you can't sell because they went out of style too quickly.

Providing the proper tools and resources for understanding the unique qualities of womens leather wear for employees should translate into sales. Leather apparel for women sales education and training should include the numerous benefits of leather apparel for women, which will aid in convincing customers to invest in higher-priced leather pieces.

Leather womens apparel can look chic when dressed up, perfect for rebel-spirited rock-and-rollers, worn as a protective layer in cold weather, durable for manual labor, and is even breathable for wear in warm climates. Some industries in which leather clothing for women might be sold include the following:

1. Leather shoes for women requires a specific knowledge separate from that of other shoes.

2. There are specialty markets, such as club wear that might include leather mini skirts or womens leather outfits for bikers.

3. Womens leather wear in the form of coats and jackets for outerwear is a classic style that sells from year-to-year as styles change.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find the perfect fit in womens leather clothing

Finding the proper fit for customers is extremely important; leather apparel for women must be tailored to fit snugly against the body to get a sleek silhouette. Not many people fit perfectly to a size, including women; leather pants, skirts or coat sleeves will need to be hemmed for a perfect fit. Consider providing alteration services to provide the best customer service.

I recommend: Use the guide on how to measure correctly for the perfect fit provided by Biker Leather and Clothing. There are also tips provided by Wilson's Leather on how to take measurements for leatherwear.

Educate employees on the care of womens leather clothing

Some women might be hesitant to purchase clothing that is prone to scratches and stains that cannot be washed. Make sure employees are knowledgeable in ways to care for leather and can even demonstrate how to use products to ensure sales.

I recommend: Obenauf's Leather Preservatives offers all the products needed to care for leather apparel as well as instructions on how to use them. Leather Magic offers ways to use preventative care for leather apparel, how to remove stains, fix tears and much more.

Recognize all of the different types of leather used for ladies leather clothing

Sales people should be able to recognize the different kinds of leather, understand their intended uses, and know which clothing styles work best for different types. For instance, full grain leather is extremely strong and durable and hides scratches so is ideal for shoes, while suede is ideal for coats since it is softer and warmer.

I recommend: Read about the different leathers commonly used for leather clothing and the different processes used to treat them provided by Image Leathers. Scribd.com features an academic article about the construction of women's leather garments, and the different types of leathers commonly used on pages 2 and 3.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Bring customers back for more by offering supplies for the care, repair and maintenance for leather apparel for women.