Leather Up for Fall

If vintage Frye Boots make you weak in the knees, then you should take a walk inside The Cow’s Outside. This leather goods store is a bastion of leatherworking talent. It’s also a great place to find a piece for your fall wardrobe that no one else will be wearing.

“We do custom work, restoration of old leathers. We’re full service,” says store-owner Jason Streck. He took over the business in 2001, but it has been in his family for more than three decades. “I’m a fourth generation leathersmith. I have three kids and they all know how to make belts already, so hopefully we have a fifth generation ahead.”

This SoNo storefront has all the usual suspects you’d expect to find in a leather goods store—biker jackets, boots, even Stetson hats for the Fairfield County resident channeling her inner cowgirl. But they also have vintage pieces—like those Frye Boots and jackets from the late 60s and early 70s—each restored by hand. You’ll find trendier looks too, especially in footwear. But it’s the vintage wear—and the skill required to restore it—that makes The Cow so special.

“We’ll restore your leather, clean it. Boots too,” Jason says. “I always tell my clients ‘Your only responsibility is to own it, look good in it. Bring it back to me and I’ll take care of the rest.’” The restoration work he’s talking about is an art form in itself. “As leather ages, the moisture dissipates,” he says. “The lack of moisture forces the pigment out of the leather. That’s why you get those gray areas around the cuffs and creases of a jacket. We can fix that.”

Mosey on over to The Cow’s Outside, located at 81 Washington Street in South Norwalk, or call them at 203-866-2668.

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