The café racer
The café racer is the motorcycle jacket for riders who wanted a jacket rather than a costume: a straight front zip, a band collar that closes with a snap or a short zip, no belt, no lapels, and pockets kept to a minimum. Everything about it is restraint.
Who it is for
Someone who wants the leather without the hardware. A café racer reads as a plain jacket from across a room and as a leather jacket up close, which is why it works over a shirt where a biker would not. It is the silhouette most often bought by people who thought they did not wear leather jackets.
Cowhide or lambskin
The men's café racer is cut in full-grain cowhide, which gives the clean lines something to hold; the women's is cut in lambskin, which lets the same lines drape. Both are close-fitting through the body and end at the waist.
Fit
Close at the shoulders and chest, the band collar sitting against the neck without pulling when the zip is closed. It is worn over a t-shirt or a fine knit. The fit note on each product says which way to go between sizes; for this pattern, it is usually down.