Leopard. It’s everywhere. And I mean everywhere!
It’s been around for a while—and at this point, I don’t see it as a trend, but I look at it as a neo-neutral. I mean, come on—look at the colors—brown, black, tan—even white is thrown into the mix. All neutral colors—how can you not love a leopard print?
Hey girlfriend–don’t get your knickers in a twist. I’m not gonna wear YOUR skin. I’m all about the fake! Just take a look at my hair!
Now—mind you, I’m not big on “prints” in my clothing. Floral prints remind me of tablecloths or grandma’s curtains. Other prints are just way “too-too” for me. Other than plaids and stripes, I’m a solids girl.
Many women will think this is a “darling” dress–but for me it’s just too busy and reminds me of…
…this floral tablecloth that I have. I happen to like this floral print because you can’t notice the stains!
Ohhhh…I do have a pair of gold and black brocade fancy pants that I absolutely love. In fact, I purchased them before this past Christmas and they are now in my collection of festive holiday wear.
My festive Old Navy fancy pants–about as wild as I get!
I’ll stick to a basic, simple, classic color scheme and let textures and a couple of accessories add that something extra! And believe me, I’m not much of an accessory person so I really do keep it simple!
I keep it simple. Solid colors and a fun accessory like this yellow necklace. That’s enough for me.
It’s a safe bet to say that there are a number of women like me. You love wearing great clothes that are classic and timeless, but you want you clothes to be a reflection of your personality. You prefer subtle rather than “in-your-face”.
But I gotta admit—I’ve got a soft spot for the leopard print. I love it—and sometimes, I think this wonderful animal print can be overkill. But then again, it all depends how you wear it, what your taste is and what your style is.
If you’re more on the tame side, you want just a splash. If you’re on the wild side—more is more!
I’m on the tame side and for me, and those like me, simpler the better.
I’ve seen a plethora of leopard jackets and coats online but many are offered from online companies that I would be cautious to purchase from and many are sold on eBay. The fact is, I would want to see what I’m purchasing IRL when it comes to buying a leopard print jacket. It’s on my list of things to buy but since it is a trendy item, I don’t want to spend a ton of money. I’ve been searching, in vain, for a while. And even with the January sales going on now, the elusive Leopard print jacket/coat I’m searching for remains a dream.
I LOVE this coat from Fashion Nova but would be hesitant to order–sizes could run very small, IMHO. But, if I did have a leopard coat, this is what I have in mind.
Let’s take a look of what’s out there and a look at how we tame fashionistas can wear Leopard.
I went to King of Prussia Mall yesterday in search of, perhaps, one item that would satisfy my desire for a leopard accessory. Here’s what I saw..
I stopped by Chico’s to see if any of the military jackets I saw online were in store. None were. But I saw these leopard-print jeans I have to admit that they are really adorable but I like the leggings I ordered much better.
H & M was well-stocked on this little leopard print clutch. It looked cheap–if you’re gonna do leopard, make sure it doesn’t look cheap.
Next stop–Old Navy. These are marked $19.99 but are on sale for $4.99. At $4.99 these look tacky –the “gold” tie just makes the slippers look worse.
Another sale item–leopard ballet flats. No. The cut of the shoe is awful. Had there been room for toe cleavage and the toe area narrower, these would not be that bad.
Honest opinion here. I LOVED these gloves at Forever 21. At $5.00 and IRL, they looked much pricier. They were “one-size fits all”. That one size must be for toddlers because I couldn’t even get the gloves on my hand. Too bad because these were great!
Last of all, I spotted a cute pair of leopard print heels at DSW. If I was back in an office environment, these would have come home with me!
Gotta say, I dig these shoes!
So–did I end up getting anything? Yes! I purchased a very thin leopard belt at Old Navy. The belt was $3.99. I also picked up a fake leopard “collar” at Forever 21. The collar was $7.00 in a twofer. I think I’ll send the second one to Oona!
The faux leopard collar. Chippy is confused–he thinks its a toy for him. But it’s mine!
There is a reinforced slit at one end and the other end slides through. A great buy–and two for seven bucks! This is very well made for the low price!
I added the very thin leopard print belt to my collection of leopard accessories. My leopard print trimmed gloves and the wider belt from Nine West–that belt is about ten years old!
So–how does one wear this leopard print in a tame fashion?
Here’s the fabulous leopard collar one end pulled through and…
…pulled over to the side. I’m wearing this with a black shirt and black leggings. Sticking to an all-black or all dark brown color palette with this collar really showcases the fun of the collar while allowing the rest of the outfit to stay away from the competition!
In the fall with a different sweater (and different hair)…
…and for a late summer/spring look, a denim jacket (for air conditioned buildings) with a white tee is perfect for casual Friday or a lunch date! The star is still the skirt (and yet, a different head of hair!)
A winter look with tights! See how much I love this skirt? And I keep to a very simple palette!
Next are the belts. I like the thinner belt with the combination of a one-color ensemble. I would wear this with my black tee-shirt dress or a simple black knit maxi dress–as long as the dress is one neutral color and the cut of the dress simple.
The thin leopard print belt can break up the monotony of a one-color ensemble without making it look boring!
Same outfit–thicker belt. This belt can also work with jeans and a crisp white shirt or a black sweater or tee. The basic rule is keep it simple and don’t mix any other prints.
And I might add, this belt has held up well over the years!
Next –the gloves!
The cuff on these gloves can be worn turned down…
..for a longer looking line, turned up. I would not wear the leopard collar or a leopard scarf if I’m wearing these gloves. I know–I’m weird but I only like one print at a time!
I forgot a couple of other leopard items I found in my closet!
These shoes I got at a Nordstrom sale a long time ago. I still haven’t worn these out yet!
And sometimes you just can’t pass up a buy at the Dollar Tree!
for a buck, the scarf is too short to wear as a regular scarf so I’ve been styling it to hide my turkey neck! Look! My wig hair matches the colors in the scarf! Still a fun buy and adds something to a plain black sweater!
And–the leopard print leggings from Chico’s!
Hi! Welcome to the sun room!
I love these leggings–but I’m lazy and didn’t straighten out the front seam! These are so comfortable!
In the stock photo on Chico’s website, the model is wearing these with athletic running shoes. Sorry, but they look horrid with running shoes. In fact, I would never wear these leggings while exercising–they are just too cute. However, if not wearing these in an athletic way, stick to a simple black ballet flat and a black top. It looks more classic, timeless and polished.
I just adore these leggings!
Whaddya think? Are you a tame girl? Do you like the leopard for the tame–or are you wild and would shake the leopard print up a bit? What’s your choice??
Leopard is fun..and can turn our tame clothing personality into a bit of a wild child. Hey–you like Van Morrison? I love him..and I love this song about Wild Night! From 1971 when I was 16 and much wilder than I am now!!!
