Power leather suits were big on the runway. Well, they are also expensive. When you are a Lady who loves leather clothing, they are probably high on your Lust or Must-have list. The big question is how to wear a leather suit to look incredibly stylish and not like trying too hard no matter of your age.
- A Revive of the Power Suit
- A Leather Suit is Pure Luxury
- How to Get the Leather Suit Trend for Less
- How to Combine as a Jacket and Skirt Leather Ensemble
- What to wear with Your Leather Set
- When not to wear a leather suit
- What about a Leather Pantsuit?
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A Revive of the 1980s Power Suit
When watching fashion weeks for this fall/winter season I really got excited about the power suits having a comeback. Not because I am a fan of suits. On the contrary, I am more a great fan of unmatched suit outfits. This style looks just so much better on us women in midlife. My excitement was about the fact that leather suits are part of the trend. As you know, I love leather clothes since my childhood.
Sure, we loved the power suits of the 80s. However, this time around the enemble is styled quite different. See the post at the link for a guide on wearing suits in a modern way and not look old or old fashioned.
A Leather Suit Is Pure Luxury
Unlike other trends, it’s hard to find a leather skirt or pants set for a bargain. These suits are luxury items of high quality and hence have their price. However, unlike many other trends, the pieces can be worn as separates long after the trend is over. Thus, when you are willing to fork over the money or get one you love on sale after Christmas, by all means go for it. You can wear the pieces for a long time. Just make sure you stay on the high quality, classic (with a twist) side with your purchase. This means you need to know what to look for when shopping for high quality leather clothes.
How to Get the Leather Suit Trend for Less
In this post of my Leather Clothing Series, I want to illustrate how to style a trendy leather suit from clothes that you already own. I wore my straight leather pencil skirt with a tailored leather blazer. To turn the power look down and not overdo it, I added sneakers. Pumps and a structure work bag would turn the outfit or the side of bossy, iron-heart and ice-cold man-eater look. 😉
How to Create the Look of a Leather Suit …
… without owning one. In the following outfit idea, I combined my leather pencil skirt with my blouse-like leather jacket to create a suit-like look. To not look like a motorcycle bride with this leather-on-leather combination, it’s best to add something feminine. To achieve this goal, I added my unbuttoned denim shirt worn over a buttoned cardigan. For an additional lady-like touch I added a silver glass necklace that I made in a recreational class in college years ago.
How to Combine a Jacket and Skirt as a Leather Ensemble?
Like so often in style, it’s about trying what combination looks the rightest wrong to identify the most stylish look. This leather blazer would also look great with straight leather pants in black or leather trousers in a light color like medium gray or gold brown. The skirt would also work with a suede or nappa motorcycle jacket, a leather peplum jacket in black or a bright color. More on wearing a leather skirt.
Fit-and-flare leather skirts look great with a cropped leather jacket of same color for a posh look. Going for a complimentary color or pastel would play up the girly side of the fit-and-flare skirt. It would take the power out of the power suit look. But that’s a statement too. You can find further inspirations in my post on how to look great in leather-on-leather over 40.
What to Wear with Your Leather Set
For the styling of your unmatched leather suit proceed like you would do with an unmatched suit of similar style. Just make sure that your leather suit doesn’t go into the territory of Rocker Chick unless that’s the style you want. However, if you go for that look, resist the urge to wear the look at work.
When Not to Wear a Leather Suit
Be aware that this trend is a risky one dress-code wise. Don’t wear it to work when you are in the corporate field! Yes, not even when the dress code allows wearing a leather skirt or tailored leather blazer in a Casual Friday outfit. You don’t want to scare the heck out of your supervisor, right?
The leather suit trend works well at work when you are in the creative field or in a work environment where HR only cares about that you wear something at all that doesn’t fall into the category of underwear only. A leather suit of course is not how to dress for success in a job interview, not even for a job interview in the creative field.
What about a Leather Pantsuit?
When you are a regular reader you know that I am not a big fan of real suits. However, I love this “fake shorts suit” styled with leather shorts.
Do you wear leather? Have you tried the leather suit trend or do you plan on trying it out? Just curious.
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Photos: G. Kramm
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