If you’ve found yourself Googling “how to style leather pants,” congratulations! You’ve just made the best purchase of your lifetime. A good pair of faux leather trousers can shoulder some of your wardrobe’s heaviest burdens with ease. They have the same versatility as a plain black pant, but the innate badassery of a classic leather jacket. As a result, these trousers have a way of making even the most difficult-to-style items feel effortless. And I’m not just saying that—it’s a mantra I personally live by.
I have every possible iteration of leather pants in my own closet, from straight-leg styles to high-waisted and barrel-leg to cargo pants (my personal favorite) as well as a pair of longline shorts that I reach for in the summer months. I love leather pants so much, in fact, I have to actively stop myself from wearing them multiple times a week—because, let’s face it, jeans simply don’t have the same effect. I’ve worn them with button-downs, ruffled blouses, blazers, and turtlenecks. Heck, I’ve even worn mine with a sweater vest (and, yes, I still looked incredibly chic while doing so).
Apart from making their wearer look like an off-duty rockstar, pleather pants are also surprisingly functional. They offer extra insulation during the winter, repel water when it rains, and provide wind resistance on blustery days. It’s for this reason that I serve some of my best ensembles during thunder storms.
This is all to say: There are infinite possible leather pants outfits—the key is to unlock them. Ahead, find out how the fashion girlies will be wearing leather pants this fall and beyond.
The best leather pants styling tips, below.
Level-Up Your Office ’Fit
Christian Vierig/Getty Images
I’ll let you in on a little industry secret: You can swap a pair of black trousers for leather pants and it almost always works. The only difference is that your boxy blazer and button-down will look roughly 45 percent cooler (a rough estimate) in their presence.
With Academic Flair
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
