Leather Weather

Once upon a time, leather was considered a harsh, difficult look to pull off. (Think skintight leather pants and severe moto jackets.) Now, with endless options, leather has become easy-to-wear, and appropriate for almost any occasion.

“It’s easy to take from day to night,” says Melissa Becker, owner of Alice Jane Boutique. “A good example is a leather tank. For daytime, wear it with a distressed skinny jean and a bootie. And at night, pair it with slacks or a dressier jean and a high heel.”

And if you’re still not brave enough to embrace a full-on leather garment, try something with just a splash of the fabric.

“Leather detailing is huge,” says Angela Tandy, owner of Harbor East’s Sassanova. “You’re seeing leather trim on a skirt or blouse, or leather patches on a sweater.”

The look, which blends edgy with elegant, has even been known to pop up on cocktail dresses.

“That’s the great thing about leather, it can be so versatile,” Tandy continues. “You can wear the DF dress, [above], to a wedding with gorgeous strappy heels for an elegant look or, for a fun night out, pair it with a great knee-high leather boot and black tights for something just as amazing.”

It’s important to note that you can be trendy without breaking the bank, too: Enter the increasingly popular faux or “vegan” leather.

“People can actually afford it, and they like it,” notes Priya Rayadurg, co-owner of Cloud 9 Clothing. “Years ago, it looked kind of cheap and shiny. Now, a lot of people can’t tell what’s vegan and what’s leather.”