3 Easy-but-Stylish Ways I'm Wearing the Leather Trend in 2020

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I can't talk leather without bringing up Ross Geller's infamous pants incident that resulted in "some sort of paste!!!" on Friends. Now that it's out of my system, I can tell you how utterly obsessed I am with the trend. Of course, leather jackets and pants are nothing new, but according to Spring and Summer's most wearable trends for 2020, the concept of leather dressing is more prominent than ever. I, in turn, am here to explain how you can wear this trend IRL, because even though I love a luxe leather (or faux-leather!) piece, I know how tricky it can be to pull off with ease.

I tend toward neutral colors, and find black and brown leather pieces to be most versatile and easy to wear. The perfect starting point for a stylish leather outfit! Despite the fact that I subscribe to a rather minimalist aesthetic, I find that leather pieces with clean lines and minimal embellishment are best regardless of your chosen silhouette, be it a buttery-soft leather dress, high-rise trouser, or oversize shirt. My third hot tip? Let a single leather piece be the focus of your outfit, then ground it with wardrobe basics like jeans, a plain turtleneck, or a simple black boot. Trust me, your look will stand out whether that's the aim or not. In fact, you'll likely emphasize the exquisiteness of a leather item by streamlining the rest of your outfit.

Without further ado, ahead, keep reading for three ways I'm wearing the leather trend now and into Spring. Then, shop all of my outfits head to toe — I've managed to source most of my exact pieces and similar styles with affordable alternatives in the mix, too.

Ways to Wear Leather: A Dress

A leather dress can seem daunting, but once you try one on, I promise you'll be hooked. This shirtdress silhouette is perfectly polished for the office or a nice dinner — a classic that's instantly made modern by way of the vegan leather fabric.

Ways to Wear Leather: A Dress
POPSUGAR Photography | LauraLajiness

Ways to Wear Leather: A Dress

When styling this leather dress, I took the neutral route by teaming black and brown together (I know what you're thinking and yes, this is "allowed") with a pop of ivory. Since this length hits me just below the knee, a tall boot felt right nestled just under my hemline.

Ways to Wear Leather: A Dress
POPSUGAR Photography | LauraLajiness

Ways to Wear Leather: A Dress

With a black turtleneck as my base, I was able to style my dress slightly open and with the sleeves pushed up for a little volume. Plus, the layers add dimension to my muted look, which is further amplified by my gold chain-link necklace.

Ways to Wear Leather: Pants
POPSUGAR Photography | LauraLajiness

Ways to Wear Leather: Pants

As I said, I instantly feel Ross Gellar's distress when thinking about leather pants, but these buttery-soft trousers are so far from maddening. With a high-waist and self-tie belt, I tucked in a slim-fitting cardigan (styled as a top!) which created a very flattering and elongating line for my 5'4" frame.

Ways to Wear Leather: Pants
POPSUGAR Photography | LauraLajiness

Ways to Wear Leather: Pants

Though neutral, the rich brown hue of these pants feels really elevated with my off-white basics — one of my go-to palettes when I'm feeling fatigued by black.

Ways to Wear Leather: Pants
POPSUGAR Photography | LauraLajiness

Ways to Wear Leather: Pants

For a playful pop, I choose a sky blue bag — a big color trend for 2020! — and finished my look with pearl earrings, black sunnies, and delicate gold jewelry.

Ways to Wear Leather: A Shirt
POPSUGAR Photography | Laura Lajiness

Ways to Wear Leather: A Shirt

As you can see, I'm very much here for a layered turtleneck moment, choosing a slim-fitting white style as the base to my oversize leather shirt (this one is also vegan leather!).

Ways to Wear Leather: A Shirt
POPSUGAR Photography | Laura Lajiness

Ways to Wear Leather: A Shirt

Keeping the rest of my look simple, I opted for straight-leg jeans, black ankle boots, and a brown bag because I'm clearly addicted to mixing black and brown together.

Ways to Wear Leather: A Shirt
POPSUGAR Photography | Laura Lajiness

Ways to Wear Leather: A Shirt

When styling an oversize leather shirt yourself, consider fasting just a button or two to define your shape, or wear it open in lieu of a jacket.