‘IT’S MADE A PASTE!’
There are two things that are important to note about leather trousers. Firstly it’s impossible to mention them without conjuring up a mental image of Ross Geller getting into a slippery situation thanks to some baby powder and lotion that made a paste. And secondly, when you’re used to wearing stretchy denim day in and day out, they’re not the most comfortable of clothing options. You see I had a pair a few years ago, I think from ZARA, and with waistband stretchiness being one of my main priorities I purchased a pair that allowed me eat a large amount of pasta, but within about six months they had stretched to the point where I’d spend about 95% of my time wearing them holding them up to keep my arse cheeks concealed.
However, I did enjoy wearing them and found them to be great option for when I fancied giving my outfit a bit of oomph. This time round though I learnt from my mistakes and not only did I know to look for a pair that felt snug upon first try-on, I wanted some that actually looked like trousers – with a fitted waistband and belt loops, should the leather get a little snaggy down the line. The search was a long one and throughout the process I tested and returned multiple pairs, made best friends with the guy in the Post Office and in the end a pair from Mango one. Unfortunately they’re now out of stock but there are loads of others on the market that I’ve sourced for you at the bottom of the post if you fancy channeling some Ross Geller vibes. Here’s how I wear them day to night…
When it came to styling my last pair of baggy ol’ leather trousers that eventually ended up in a charity bag, I feel I nailed the evening ensembles, but I struggled on how to pair them with more daytime outfits in a way that wouldn’t horrify my Grandma if I donned them to a family event. My Grandma insists that she can patch up my ripped-knee jeans for me, so I dread to think what she’s going to say about these. Though through umpteen bedroom catwalk sessions, I think I’ve worked out the two secrets.
The first is that it’s all about finding your most shapeless piece and wearing that on your top half. The chunkier and bigger the better. Something billowing really helps to detract from the leather and plays into the flattering, figure hugging nature of the fabric. There’s some chunky knit inspiration in this post, if you’ve yet to fill that void in your wardrobe. The second pointer I have up my bell-shaped sleeve is that you want to wear your most casual shoe option you’ve got with them. Now I’m not talking flip flops here – although a sandal could totally work in the warmer months – I’m thinking trainers, like Vans or Converse. Together I loved how this outfit looked and it’s definitely something that I’m going to bookmark for future wear using similar pieces. In fact I wore this up to London last week and felt bloomin’ chic (plus, there’s enough give that I didn’t have to un-button my leathers at any point. WAHEY!).
SHOP THE LOOK
Now this is the easy bit. A black shirt, heels, a coat if you’re currently freezing your nadgers off in the northern hemisphere and you’re good to go. I really could just leave it there, but I’ll ramble on a little more for you incase you’re reading this at work and you fancy eking out your procrastination a little longer. With my old pair, they became my failsafe for whenever I would head out in the evening for a meal or drinks with friends. Being black they fall into my comfort zone and the leather instantly elevates whatever else I wear with it. However, because from a distance these do just look like black jeans thanks to the cut and the matte finish, they’re an inconspicuous dressy choice in a way. I wore them out to a friend’s birthday last week and it wasn’t till the end of the night that one of my mates asked if they were leather trousers!
I think they pair best with a strappy sandal, so it doesn’t look so biker chic as if you paired them with a leather boot. You can handle a bit of breeze around your toes, right? An untucked shirt on top looks lengthening and hides any possible food babies – got to love this Sezane one, it’s a classic. Then because it’s that time of year where we only get about three hours of daylight and have to set our thermostats to ‘tropical’, I throw this Jigsaw number on top, which not only breaks up the black, but gives an extra layer to bundle into before you head out into the Arctic. At least there’s no currently no chance of a hot and sweaty ‘paste’ situation on the horizon just yet…
SHOP THE LOOK
Photos by Lauren Shipley
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THE LEATHER TROUSER EDIT
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