Fashion focus on: Leather
“I haven’t seen this much leather since Mardi Gras!” My friend commented as we sat people-watching in a Surry Hills cafe. A group of girls had just strolled by, one wearing black leather pants, another in a maroon leather skirt and the third in a vintage suede buttoned up vest. And I believe it’s true, now more than ever due to the ingenuity of designers and revival of rock’n'roll fashion, leather seems to be our fabric of choice. It had a brief stint in the early nineties as the jacket of choice for celeb bad girls (think Kate Moss, Winona Ryder and Drew Barrymore) but now is being adorned by almost every fashionite, no matter what persona.
In the distant past though, leather was pretty much confined to shoes, briefcases or those who wanted to express their anti-establishment attitude. Bikies, punks, rock stars, hippies (though theirs was more the suede variety) and women in Guns’n'Roses music clips all adorned leather, forming a tribe of rebels and a stigma of danger.
Now, I wear my leather skirt to business meetings. My friend who teaches kindergarten owns not one, but two pairs of leather pants. Has the modern woman embraced her inner rebel and become more comfortable in her own skin? (or the skin of a cow?) Or has the stereotype of a leather-clad social misfit gone the way of Blossom or Tencel jeans, never to be heard of again?
Either way, as winter is closing in on us I am happy to embrace this easy-to-wear trend. Leather is like a more formal version of denim, but with the same level of versitility. As long as you don’t clash too much (eg: brown leather bag with black leather skirt), you can’t go wrong.
So here is my top five leather accessories….
Leather pants
Usually reserved for heavy metal guitarists, leather pants have made a sly return to mainstream fashion. Flattering, warm and increasingly versatile, leather pants give any outfit an edge and instant sex appeal. To pull this look off, team with a white t-shirt (preferably long and strategically torn), a long cardigan and lots of messy hair. And a big dose of confidence won’t go astray either.
Leather headband
This is good entry-level leather accessorising. A nod to rock’n'roll but still looks rather sweet in an Audrey Hepburn kind of way. If you have some old leather lying around at home, this can be a fun homemade project too, I have been known to cut up old leather bags to create bracelets as well! Get creative.
Leather T-Shirt
I am not saying this look is timeless but for right now, I love it! So unexpected and edgy. I have been lusting after a leather T-Shirt for some time now and think it would look best with either a tribal or floral printed skirt or bleached jeans, as in picture above.
Faux Leather
Love the look but don’t want to wear the real thing? No problem. So many labels have used synthetic leather (pleather) to creative the same effect, without the moral dilemma. There is also great wet-look leggings and T-Shirts that are not as expensive or thick. Perfect for a night out dancing.
Leather skirt
This is my number one leather wardrobe item. Wearing this with an old white t-shirt or even my boyfriend’s flannel shirt is not only comfortable, but feels so stylish. It’s like a get-out-of-jail free card any dressy occasion. Team with a round-collared T-shirt for sweet sophistication or an old Metallica T-shirt for the full rock star look.
Labels on my radar: Sass and Bide, Bardot, Camilla and Marc, Alexander Wang, Josh Goot, Dotti, Forever New, Witchery, Country Road, Sass Clothing, Ladakh, Willow, Saba, Decjuba
