A great pair of leather pants can create a cool and edgy look on both men and women. If you are looking for the best ways to style a pair of black leather pants, look no further, we have compiled a list of the most gender versatile looks for you to try today.
Black leather pants can be worn countless ways, but tend to look best when fashioned in the following ways:
- Casual
- Professional
- Alternative or grunge
- Night-out
- Biker
These outfit types look great when styled around a pair of leather pants and are easy to pull off for both men and women.
Tips on fit, accessories, and footwear will keep you looking sharp in your black leather pants. Styling leather pants is easy and fun when you're armed with the basics. Read on for a general guide on how to fashionably style a pair of black leather pants for both men and women.
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How To Style Black Leather Pants
1. Casual
A casual style is probably one of the most commonly worn looks for black leather pants. This is a very open look with endless options. Easy to put together, casual is a great way to go for people trying to style their leather pants for the very first time. Beginner-friendly, you can't go wrong with a leather pant casual look.
To look casual in a pair of black leather pants, opt for a plain or graphic tee or tunic and a corresponding leather jacket or fabric blazer. Wear footwear that is casual and in-season. Tennis shoes, flats, and even sandals look great with a pair of black leather pants. Keep accessories to a minimum and style hair in a daily-wear type of way, something simple that says minimal effort was put into the look.
What Goes With Black Leather Pants?
When it comes to the casual style, just about anything will go with black leather pants. The dark, neutral color of the pants allows for nearly any color top to be worn. The biggest tip to remember when styling a pair of leather pants is to keep the top opposite of the bottom as far as fit. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, make sure if the pants are loose to pair them with a tight-fitting top.
What Goes With Black Leather Pants For Men?
Men are no exception to this opposite fit rule. If the pants are tight, try to add a jacket or accessories with some depth, like a scarf.
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If the pants are more boot-cut or loose, pair with a tighter top. Again, there are exceptions to this rule, specifically in that tighter pants can surely be worn with a tight top in a way that is fashionable. Looser bottoms, however, should always be paired with a tight top to avoid looking sloppy and unbalanced.
What Shoes Go With Black Leather Pants?
Black leather pants are very versatile and can be worn with just about any shoe. Heels, pointed flats, men's dress shoes, leather loafers, and boots all look great with leather pants. The only footwear that looks particularly bad with leather pants are fabric slip-ons, boat shoes, and knee-high boots. The right knee-highs could be worn if you are going for an alternative look, but generally do not pair well with leather pants.
Click here to see these Calden black leather dress shoes on Amazon.
2. Professional
Leather pants are not typically the first pick when heading into a workplace setting, but can certainly be worn in a professional manner. The trick when trying to look professional in a pair of black leather pants is to keep the rest of the fit classy and put together.
How Do You Make Leather Pants Look Classy?
To look classy in a pair of leather pants, pair them with a classy-looking top and accessories. Dainty and minimal jewelry and belts look best. Make sure your accessories aren't too flashy. For women, a ruffled chiffon or silk blouse or a layered sweater will give off a professional and classy look when paired with leather pants. Men should opt for a tightly fitted sweater top or button-up under a blazer.
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If you opt for a leather jacket instead of a blazer, this all-leather look can be very difficult to pull off in a professional setting. Not to say it can't be done, but make sure to check out our thoughts on if a leather jacket can be business casual for further tips and tricks on how to rock a leather jacket in the workplace.
3. Alternative or Grunge
It's probably no surprise that leather pants look great in an alternative or grunge style. This is definitely the most androgynous of all the looks and should be worn pretty much the same for both men and women. A tattered or graphic tee with a chunky belt is a great start when styling leather pants in this fashion. Add a beanie and flashy accessories like big necklaces to really make the look come together.
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Dark or vibrant makeup goes great with this look. Steel-toed boots, combat boots, and chunky heels look fantastic when seeking an alternative look. Tattered clothing and accessories with studs, gold, and silver look great as well. laid overshirts go nicely when seeking a leather pant grunge style. Fingerless gloves and mesh are also often worn with black leather pants to give off a rocker vibe.
Click here to see these Accmor faux leather fingerless gloves on Amazon.
4. Night-Out
For a night on the town, wearing leather pants is a great choice. The dinner or bar date look is typically a combination of casual and professional. Footwear should be kept casual, strappy heels, fashionable boots, or a clean pair of tennis shoes look nice. The top should be more of a professional or elegant appearance but can be sexier than what would typically be worn in an office setting.
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For women, a top with a plunging neckline, cold shoulder, or open back is a great option to add some sex appeal. Men should wear a tight-fitting shirt with a blazer. Keep everything well fitted, clean, and sharp. Make sure fabrics needing ironing are in fact wrinkle-free and add a few basic accessories like a layered necklace for women or a simple chain necklace for men.
Click here to see this PJ Paul Jones men's casual blazer on Amazon.
Can You Wear Black Leather Pants in Spring?
Black leather pants can certainly be worn in the spring. Make sure if they are genuine leather to keep them dry if it is rainy or wet out. The night-out look goes great with leather pants in the springtime. Both men and women can get away with showing more skin up top in this setting, keeping them cooler as the springtime humidity and summer heat approaches.
5. Biker
Very similar to alternative or grunge, biker is a rough-around-the-edges look. Leather is actually extremely practical and used by many motorcyclists to keep safe. This look usually has an all-leather feel and looks great on both men and women. Traditionally worn with leather boots and little to no accessories, the biker look is utilitarian in style.
Click here to see this Ly Varey Lin faux leather biker jacket on Amazon.
Under a leather jacket, many people wear cutoff shirts in the summer and regular old long-sleeved tees when the weather is cooler. Sometimes people wear chains for a more dramatic look. The chains are typically draped from the waist or hip. It has to be said, though, that this style is really more used for sport and may look drastically out of place if not being worn during actual biking activities.
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Black Leather Pants are Stylish and Easy to Style
For the most part, black leather pants can be styled very similarly to any other pair of black bottoms. They can easily be worn with just about any top or accessory you would wear with regular pants but add an interesting and edgy look to the overall outfit. If you are wearing faux leather pants, check out our post on how to wear faux leather leggings for even more tips and tricks on how to rock this look.