Daniel RidingWhile the focus on colour this Autumn/Winter has allowed us to enjoy a new and fresher way of dressing for the colder seasons, there are many ways to enjoy innovative trends right now. While this sudden affection for colour is somewhat fresh and fun, we must not forget the trends that appeal to the darker side of a man’s dress sense. As the days grow shorter and the darkness prevails over the seasons, it is expected that wardrobes and clothing become darker and more austere. I have heard many a colleague and many a cohort imply how boring dressing darkly can be.
Something happened this season in fashion, and the evidence is clearly showing how designers have embraced innovation and creativity with the gusto of any creative minded individual. Colour has been enhanced and utilised this AW13 which is something that we don’t feel has been developed so intently in previous seasons. But we are not here to talk about colour; we are here to look at how leather has made its way back into the wardrobes of many stylish men.
Discretion
When we think of black leather, we think of bikers, rock ‘n’ roll and maybe a gothic implication or two. Black leather is a fabric and texture that has to be thought about quite intently and carefully because of the bondage related connotations. Your outfit should be edgy and stylish not borderline sadomasochistic.
The way to wear black leather this season has taken a more powerful approach, some of us see clothing as armour and this is the direction black leather pieces should be seen in. When we speak of armour we don’t mean full body armour and defence, suggesting that an outfit dominated by leather is not an intelligent style decision and may imply your style hero is Mr. Christian Grey. Trust us when we say that there isn’t a man out there who wants to look 50 shades of tragic intentionally.
Subtlety
By all means allow yourself to embrace the idea of a head to toe black look, but when implementing black leather into your outfits you may want to inject it with a hint of subtlety and limit yourself to one or two pieces. Many pieces we have seen recently have embraced the idea of different fabric combinations, for example a nice tailored blazer could have black leather sleeves or leather pocket details.
It’s all about composition and you really need to be smart here in choosing the best piece for you. It doesn’t even have to be an item of clothing; it could be a statement accessory like a contemporary style bag or a stand out pair of leather shoes. Three brands that really know how to work magic with this trend is Givenchy, Saint Laurent and Rick Owens; so it would be a wise move to take a look into their campaigns and collections for extended inspiration outside of this article.
Products
So with the idea if inspiration clearly in one’s mind, take a look at the many pieces we found ourselves inspired by while obsessing over the black leather trend. You will find only style here, so relax, scroll through and take a look at some of the amazing pieces we have found for you.
Conclusion
So now hopefully you may not feel as intimidated by black leather as you previously thought, or maybe you needed that little extra nudge to just go for it. There is nothing scary about black leather unless you see someone head to toe in it, they either have really bad dress sense, or you took a wrong turn down a back alley somewhere. Black leather is a tongue in cheeky nod to harsher ideas of dress, and in reality can be quite playful as well as being edgy and modern. Whatever the occasion or style, you can implement a little bit of black leather into you look. So what are you waiting for? Don’t you think it’s time you took a visit to the dark side? You may want a return ticket, a one way ride is a bad idea and no one wants to stay in the land of leather forever. Embrace your rebellious nature and have fun with how you dress by injecting a little bit of black leather into you look.