We all know that a leather jacket is a wardrobe staple and one of the most versatile pieces to exist. It makes for a great choice of outerwear when you want to add a little spunk to your outfit without wearing a full coat. It creates a more edgy look regardless of what it is paired with and so makes it a favorite for many.
Have you noticed however that you tend to pair your favorite leather jacket with mostly jeans and pants? A lot of people tend to reserve their leather (or faux leather) jackets for skinny jeans or less formal pants. If that’s your case, then today’s blog post would prove to be pretty handy. I would be discussing the different ways you can pair your leather jacket with a dress.
Seeing as leather jackets tend to be worn during cold weather, a lot of these looks would reflect this. However, a leather jacket does not have to be reserved for the colder months as you would see from this post. Sometimes you just want to add some sass to your look on a Summer night and wearing a leather jacket is a great way to do that.
Whether you are working with a real leather jacket or a faux leather jacket, the same guidelines and tips can be applied to create chic looks with your dresses. If you are looking for the perfect leather jacket to add to your wardrobe, I invite you to check out my post: 6 ways to wear a moto jacket. I have a list of great options of leather and faux leather jackets which would be very helpful.
Get the look HERE
Don’t forget that although a black jacket is the most popular, you can definitely add a brown leather jacket to your wardrobe. Brown leather jackets are equally as versatile, and you can read up more on them and where to find the perfect one on my post: how to style a brown leather jacket. You could easily pair a brown jacket with both blue and black jeans as well as a midi skirt to create cute outfits.
I do not believe that every dress can be paired with a moto jacket. You would probably not wear a leather jacket on top of your prom or wedding dress for example. I would like to share my favorite types of dresses to pair with a leather jacket in case you need some help there.
I have divided them into the three lengths of dresses we typically see. Under each type, I would be referencing an example of each dress which would pair nicely with a leather jacket.
Get the look HERE
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through the links, at no cost to you.
i) Maxi dresses
Maxi dresses tend to be paired with leather jackets during the fall and winter season. It’s a great way to transition your summer dresses into the Fall and I have spoken about this more in my blog post HERE.
I would not recommend you style your evening gown with a leather jacket but there are many other maxi dresses you could pair with lather jacket.
Floral maxi dresses or maxi dresses in bold prints are both great candidates. Also, maxi dresses in a solid color work well. In terms of sleeves, you could choose your strapless, long-sleeved as well as short sleeved maxis seeing as your arms would be covered by your jacket sleeves.
Get the look HERE
ii) Midi dresses
A great way to add some edge to your midi dresses Is by pairing them with a cropped jacket. You can play around with different colors of leather jackets to create different looks. One of my favorites is a white leather jacket, which would soften up your edgy look.
Both form-fitting and loose midi dresses work to create this look. The general rule is: the darker the midi dress, the darker your leather jacket.
Get the look HERE
iii) Mini dresses
One of my favorite ways to style my mini dresses for a night out is to pair them with a leather jacket. This is a fun way to create a sexy look without trying hard. You could complete your look with a pair of black tights for an extra layer of warmth. A pair of knee boots are a great choice of footwear during the colder months. If not, a pair of high heels will do the trick.
Get the look HERE
Now that you know that all lengths of dresses can be paired with a leather jacket, let’s discuss some great ways to style them. Regardless of your body shape and personal style, I hope you find this post to be a useful guide.
Anyone can rock a leather jacket with the right dress. Here are some of the best ways to style a dress with a leather jacket.
1) With a mini black dress
Create a different look with your LBD by pairing it with a leather jacket the next time you’re stepping out for a night on the town. On cooler days, opt for an LBD with long sleeves and add a pair of tights underneath.
You could also throw on a pair of thigh-high boots to really take things up a notch. You could create a chic all black look by going for a black leather jacket and a pair of black boots. For date night, choose a pair of black strappy sandals.
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2) With a sweater dress
A sweater dress is a great option to pair with a leather jacket during the winter months. For some extra warmth, choose a long sweater dress and wear a pair of leggings or tights underneath. You could also choose a sweater dress with a turtleneck to protect your neck.
To create a beautiful contrasting look, choose a sweater dress in a color that compliments your leather jacket. For example, a dark brown leather jacket would look great paired with a dark green, white, yellow or burgundy sweater dress. Complete your look with a pair of boots.
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3) With a strapless dress
One of the best ways to turn your look from super sexy to edgy is by throwing on your favorite black leather jacket. A strapless dress in a neutral color could be paired with heels, boots or mules to create a cute outfit. Interestingly enough, even a more formal strapless maxi dress can be paired with a leather jacket. This is a trend we have seen many times on the red carpet so why not give it a shot?
Get the look HERE
4) With a pencil dress
An easy way to take your leather jacket style to the office Is by pairing it with a knee-length or midi pencil dress. I remember pulling this look off when I used to commute by bus to the office. I would pair my black midi pencil dress with a pair of ballet flats and throw on my black faux leather moto jacket.
I thought I was such a badass and you could say I was. Opt for a pencil dress in neutral color to be on the safe side, especially if your office has a more conservative dress code. You could complete your look with flats like me or a pair of pumps if you’re one to wear heels at the office.
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5) With a sheer maxi gown
A sexy outfit you have got to try the next time you’re on vacation in Paris is a sheer maxi gown paired with a leather biker jacket. Sexy sheer maxi gowns are able to be paired so nicely with leather jackets because the two balance each other out.
The transparency of the dress combined with the toughness of the leather creates a stylish look you could wear for a fancy brunch, date night or even a birthday party.
THIS maxi dress would be perfect for this look.
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6) With a floral dress
A classic look you could easily create on a cool Spring or Summer night is to pair your cute summer dresses with a leather jacket. This works with both long and short floral dresses. You could even pull this look off for a farm wedding and choose a pair of cowboy boots to complete your look.
Style tip: the easiest way to make this outfit more appropriate for the cold weather, wear a sweater on top of your floral dress.
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Get a similar green leather jacket at an affordable price HERE
7) With a dress in a bold color
Stand out in your leather jacket outfit by opting for a dress in a bright and bold color. A black leather jacket may be overwhelming to some and so feel free to opt for one in a softer color such as white or brown.
Show off your effortless style at your next dinner party by pairing the brightly colored dress in your closet with a leather jacket in a different color. Complete your look with a pair of high heels
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8) With a shirt dress
A white shirt dress can be taken from basic to chic by pairing it with a faux-leather jacket or leather blazer. This is a classic look all of your favorite fashion bloggers have probably worn. It doesn’t have to be a white shirt dress that you opt for as even a denim shirt dress works to create a cute outfit.
The choice of footwear is practically limitless as it depends on the occasion you are headed for. Add a belt around the smallest part of your waist to accentuate it as desired.
Image source here
I hope you have gotten inspired by my list of best leather jacket outfits to create with a dress. Make good use of all of your wardrobe staples in this company and have fun pairing them with different items in your wardrobe This list is definitely not exhaustive and so I invite you to try even more different styles and let me know how they work out.
Do check out my post: 8 shoes to wear with a shirt dress for some more shirt dress outfit inspiration.
I also have a post titled 7 shoes to wear with dresses in the winter if you need some inspiration in that department.
Until the next post,
XOXO
Theankaraqueen