Staples: The Leather Jacket.

From the quintessential 'biker' jacket to cropped with stretch panels, there is a leather jacket for everyone; from throat latches and elbow zips to built-in belts and shoulder pads.

It could be argued that the perfect leather jacket is a subjective pursuit, but good taste has been disputed as anything but subjective. One's own taste is what is subjective.

Good taste, or, more importantly, good design, lies in the pursuit for perfection; and if such a pursuit is defined by the endlessness of individual terms, then nobody would ever bother to do anything perfectly.

For example, the aforementioned biker jacket sells an ideal in that it suggests one has parked their motorcycle out front, however, it is highly unlikely, based on the principal of design, that a women's moto-jacket is likely to arrive on the back of an actual bike. The "inspired" is a sort of get-out of-jail-free card; or, simply a license to experiment with how many zippers, studs and buttons a single jacket can handle. In short, they can quickly slide into becoming passé, unless every feature has been carefully measured without looking like it.

When it comes to staples, clearing out the metallic adornments from one's wardrobe and choosing the invisibility that comes from the totally discreet threads of a minimal but exquisitely thought out closet is a good lane to stay in; where each item is unapologetic in its simplicity and will only garner admiration from those who understand good design.

The perfect leather jacket is like coming home. It envelopes you like a protective shell. Though structured it should appear relaxed like the second skin it already is. It should be quiet and refined, (hence the need to remove the garish use of studs and buckles), because few things undo a timeless classic quite like pockets that are no deeper than one's fingernails, buckles and zips that have no purpose, and a heavy hand on studding.

It should look like the necessity that it is, in a staple wardrobe: tasteful and intentional, and deserving every ounce of attention it gets without ever having to ask for it.

It is tempting to believe that a leather jacket exists to toughen up one's exterior, however, few things share the strength and resiliency as that of poise and self-assurance. The perfect leather jacket is slightly inhibited and restrained yet luxurious at the same time, so long as it is allowed to just be a leather jacket and nothing more.

As it ages it should soften and mold, and when you feel the weight of it arrive on your shoulders it should feel as though you never took it off.

It should be impeccably made, and as such, never date.

Such is the power of clean lines, simple design, and quality material.