How To Wear & Style Leather Year-Round (Yes, Even In The Heat)

Let’s be real (or faux, if you prefer), a leather jacket is one of the most useful pieces you can have in your wardrobe. They’ve withstood the test of time in terms of trendiness, they transcend TikTok “cores” and aesthetics, and there are endless ways to style leather throughout the year.

But why stop at just a leather jacket? There are so many other options vying for a spot on your list of must-haves. From runway-inspired long leather maxi skirts to the viral Aritzia Melina Pant, leather clothing pieces are the ultimate basics that could probably get more longevity and use than most of the other staple pieces in your wardrobe.

Styling leather is a lesson in creativity — and you don’t have to prefer urban, biker, or grungy style to participate. Traditional girly, sporty, and sleek personal style preferences are all game. The key is matching your leather piece with items that complement the season or occasion.

Whether it’s warm or cold, winter or spring, below you’ll find eight different ways to style pieces beyond a classic leather jacket.

A Leather Puffer

A classic leather biker jacket can only do so much to keep you warm. That’s why I’m a huge fan of a (faux) leather puffer jacket. It has the warmth of a winter coat, but the edge of a tried-and-true leather jacket.

While a leather puffer is an obvious choice for the winter, it also makes a great transition jacket throughout the spring and fall. Wear one with a turtleneck, a tank — whatever you choose — a leather puffer will guarantee that you look cool while feeling cozy.

Warm Weather Styling:

As a likely unnecessary disclaimer, this jacket is not intended to be worn during the summer. I do, however, think it’s a great pick until the temperature outside surpasses an approximate 62 degrees. This faux leather puffer from Abercrombie feels lightweight but will get the job done when you need a warmer layer.

For an effortlessly cool look, style your leather puffer with a ribbed tank, baggy jeans, and a fun baseball hat. The leather material adds dimension to an otherwise simple outfit and will score you major style points.

Cold Weather Styling:

In the winter, I find myself putting on the same puffer jacket day after day. Needless to say, my jacket needs to be warm and cute enough that I don’t hate it by the end of the season. A black leather puffer is the perfect solution because it’s neutral enough to wear all the time while still being an interesting layering piece.

I used my faux leather puffer from Abercrombie to spice up a casual athleisure look. You can wear this look to the gym, on a coffee date, or to run errands. Pro tip: Wear crew socks with your leggings to help stylize your workout outfit.

A Leather Skirt

Leather skirts come in many shapes and sizes — from mini to maxis, form-fitting to flowy, or somewhere in between, there’s probably a leather skirt that will fit right into your wardrobe. As someone that prefers a longer length and an angular silhouette, I knew when I saw this faux leather skirt that I had to add it to my closet rotation.

A leather skirt may not seem like an obvious wardrobe essential, but once you start wearing one, you’ll wonder how you went so long without one. I particularly love leather skirts because they work for so many different occasions. Depending on the silhouette, you can wear a leather skirt from school or work to a night out.

Warm Weather Styling:

If styled well, a leather skirt can be worn all year round. Since leather is usually a dark material, it’s important to juxtapose the heaviness with something light.

In this case, I thought a classically feminine white blouse would be ideal. You can achieve this look with a lace, linen, ruffle, or button-down blouse. I added a pop of color with a light blue purse to play into the fresh shades of spring and summer.

Cold Weather Styling:

Repeat after me: A fleece jacket is a fashion piece. Yes, that oversized quarter-zip you usually save for hiking trips and cozy days can help elevate a daytime look.

For this cold-weather ‘fit, a leather skirt and a fleece jacket are the perfect pair. Add tights (fleece-lined, if necessary), heeled boots, and a fun bag and you’ve got yourself a winning winter lewk.

Leather Pants

Aritzia’s leather Melina Pant went viral on TikTok back in 2020 and leather pants have been a closet mainstay ever since. There are so many options on the market right now. My advice for finding a pair you love is to try a pair from whichever retailer you like to buy jeans from — chances are, you’ll like how the leather pants fit too.

In addition to Aritzia, retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch, Good American, Gap, Mango, Zara, and Revolve have a strong selection of leather pants. Once you find a pair you love, the styling possibilities are endless.

Warm Weather Styling:

At this point, leather pants have surpassed the timeline of a fading trend and are an essential wardrobe item. For that reason, I love pairing mine with another classic wardrobe piece (that is also arguably a trend), ballet flats. Leather pants usually hit right at the ankle, which makes them a great silhouette to wear with flats.

Ballet flats are inherently preppy, which helps to balance the grungy or baddie vibe leather pants can give off. Another preppy pick? A striped long-sleeve or rugby shirt. Leather and stripes make a combo that is just right.

Cold Weather Styling:

When it’s really cold out, leather pants are one of the first things I gravitate toward wearing because the material (even if it’s faux) keeps me toasty warm. A long coat is the next thing on my list. Since a long coat takes up the majority of the outfit’s real estate, it’s the natural main focus of the outfit. This is great for a chilly day because (spoiler alert!) it doesn’t really matter what you wear under the long coat because nobody will see it.

Something everyone will see, however, is your bag. Since wearing a small shoulder bag over a large coat is near impossible, a tote is the way to go. I chose this bandana print option for a pop of color.

A Leather Trench

So, you bought a leather trench [*insert The Matrix joke here*]. Before you let the opinions of movie-goers from 1999 influence your decision, trust the it-factor of your new leather trench coat — or, even better, your vintage leather trench. This leather jacket style is undeniably cool and has an old-school feel to it.

If your Pinterest board is full of sleek minimalist outfits, you probably already know how powerful a leather trench coat can be. You can wear a trench with dresses, skirts, jeans, leggings or trousers. Add one to your coat closet and thank me later.

Warm Weather Styling:

Suddenly, light wash jeans and a white T-shirt is a groundbreaking outfit when paired with a leather trench. Any style of shoes can be worn with this outfit combination, but I opted for a classic pair of loafers.

For a night out, swap out the jeans for a mini skirt.

Cold Weather Styling:

Layers are key. Since a trench isn’t as thick as a bomber jacket or puffer, you’ll want to make sure it’s oversized enough to fit a sweater under.

I leaned into the moody look of the leather trench and stuck with a dark, neutral color scheme. I chose a fair aisle quarter-zip as my under layer (over a Uniqlo Heattech long-sleeve), dark jeans, and heavy leather boots.