How to Style Leather Skirts

Leather is a distinctly winter fabric. While it can be worn year round and can be found year round in accessories and shoes, as an article of clothing, leather is primarily reserved for those cooler seasons. Leather can be an intimidating fabric to wear and work with, and is the epitome of toughness. But, this fabric can elevate and outfit in a snap. When paired with contrasting textures, feminine details and softer tones, leather can be chic, soft, feminine, and elegant.



1.Feminine Details. The quickest way to add a touch of softness to a leather skirt is to pair it with feminine details. A sure fire way to achieve this is with a printed blouse or a blouse made of soft fabrics like chiffon or silk. Even a solid color blouse with feminine details such as peter pan color or a tie neck adds a heaping dose of femininity.
Add some embellishments with your scarves, shoes. Go for sequins, embroidery, or lace. Another way to achieve a soft feminine look, as well as a nice long vertical line is to pair your leather skirt with a pair of tights and ankle boots. Preferably in matching neutrals. I particularly love the look of this navy blue leather skirt with a white tie neck blouse. An air of whimsy is added with the hot air balloon print. Add some gray tweed flats and you’ve have a dashingly feminine way to wear leather.

2.Softening the Blow. Leather can be a bit tough for work, but when paired with a neutral blouse like the classic white blouse, it immediately becomes effortlessly chic. Similarly, a leather skirt paired with any other neutral blouse is immediately chic, and much softer. However, don’t limit yourself to neutrals. Doing a monochrome with colored leather like burgundy or forest green can be just as chic. Simply look at this picture of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex; to see that leather can look super soft and chic.

Even Queen Letizia of Spain can rock leather and still look approachable and feminine. Another way to soften the tough look of leather is with layering.

My favorite look is adding a graphic sweater and layering it over a plaid button down. If you don’t like the sweater over the plaid blouse look, another way to achieve a similar layered look is with a v-neck sweater and a silver shimmer tank top, pair that with a green faux leather skirt and a pair of black flats and you have the perfect outfit.

3.Contrasting Textures. Nothing softens the look of leather more, nor creates visual interest more, than contrasting textures. Suede plays up a more casual look, but can run the risk of being a bit on the tough side. Opt for suede in a color like burgundy or cream. Tweed, grows up leather and creates a crash of textures that’s vintage meets modern. Silk or chiffon with leather is gentle and feminine. The perfect contrast for a party or a date. If you want to maintain a work appropriate look, contrast your textures with a touch of panache by layering a blazer over a cable knit sweater and add a scarf. When it comes to mixing textures, I am particularly fond of a rugby sweater paired with a leather skirt and a gray blazer. This outfit is both tough and preppy with a navy blue faux leather skirt, blue/gray rugby striped sweater, gray blazer and gray tweed flats.

4.Punch of color. Going monochrome with leather is elegant, chic and put together. Just go back to those photos of Queen Letizia and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Their look, though is perfectly work appropriate for the average working woman. But what if you want something a touch more casual or a touch more party ready. Add a pop of color. A monochrome look like Queen Letizia’s would be just as effective with a pop of color in her shoes.
You can achieve the same look. Say you have black leather skirt paired with a dark blouse (gray or black) and a dark jacket. Pep up your step with a scarf, purse, or pair of shoes in a bold color. My personal favorite is red, hot pink, blue or green. However, a pair of sequined shoes in silver or pink would be just as fabulous. This outfit reminds me a lot of Rizzo from Grease. I paired my black moto faux leather skirt with a gray knit blouse and black flats. For a pop of color I added a winterberry red scarf.

If you don't want a solid tough look, like the first outfit, then a try mixing neutrals and prints with a pop of colors. This snowflake inspired blouse with subtle silver shimmer pairs well as a neutral and as a pattern. The pattern is so soft and subtle that it takes a back seat to the bold colors and print of the galaxy print ballet flats. I played up the black leather skirt with a black wicker clutch and then played up the color in the shoes with a bird blue headband.