Thursday, September 13, 2012

Leather — the trend that won’t go away

GALWAY ADVERTISER
Hands up, who has a leather jacket? If you answer yes, whatever you do, do not throw it away. If you answered no, now is the perfect time to make this all important investment. Leather is simply a trend that will not remove itself from society. So much so, it really cannot be called a trend any longer, it is a staple piece which should form part of every capsule wardrobe. Black, brown, dark berry shades, whatever your preference, this season is all about the longevity and versatility of leather. Catwalk trends vary – from full length leather coats at Michael Kors and Alberta Ferretti, to trousers by Yves Saint Laurent, dresses from Fendi, to the all-out bizarre and showstopping looks by Gareth Pugh and Rick Owens (look up these designers on the net to see the full shows). The high street collections are safer, but are impressive interpretations of the hottest designer looks.


The easiest piece to add to your new season wardrobe is definitely the jacket. I have several, from an Armani blazer style jacket to my favourite biker jacket from All Saints which is now in its seventh year. Despite being hard wearing, leather does tarnish, so I keep mine in dust covers just to keep any damp or, even worse, moths away. This season’s styles are numerous; short jackets, either smart and fitted or more edgy, are all-round cuts to suit everything in your wardrobe. I really like wearing biker jackets over floral dresses to balance a very girly look with something with a little attitude. An easy way to wear a leather jacket is to just introduce some detail, such as sleeves on a trench coat, sew some leather elbow pads onto a coat, or look for something with leather lapels and collars.


Treat yourself: