[RayOSV]

Lots of great advice so far (mostly). I'll add that riding gear does no good if you don't wear it. Don't buy what you won't wear every time you get on the bike.

Abrasion resistance ranges from jeans (maybe 5 mph and a few feet) to mesh (OK up to highway speeds) to textile (OK at higher speeds) to leather (best at high speeds). The major difference from mesh to textile to leather is durability. As was said, many leather products have been crashed and can still be worn. Track crashed leathers usually need a little mending. Mesh will be toast after one get-off.

Think about what you'd want to be wearing with a body part (hand, foot, leg) trapped between a sliding bike and the road. This can happen 1 mile from home. We often hear about riders glad they had on their gear or wish they had worn better gear. We never hear about riders who wish they had been wearing less protective gear.