Three-Way Styling The Leather Balloon-Sleeve Blouse
Three looks that will dominate your wardrobe.
Fashion has leather-look fever right now, and the angry punk kid in me is feeling admittedly right at home. I’ve been living part time in my motorcycle jacket since I was 15, and I’ve found over and over in my lifelong legacy of putting clothing onto my body that there's nothing black leather won’t look good with.
This vegan pleather blouse from Zara has held up considerably well, and keeps me warm without sacrificing the chicness I aspire to ooze everywhere I go. Also, it’s PVC, so I can wear it out to eat ramen– my splattery winter meal of choice– and just wipe it down afterward like a well-kept counter top.
What I like most about this top is how versatile it has proven to be. Not only did it hold it’s own with a pair of slacks, it also paired perfectly under a knit vest, and ended up blowing it out of the water when I layered it under a cocktail dress. Whodathunk wearing a leather-look shirt would make me feel less “bad-eighties”, and more futurism-meets-vintage glam ala Bladerunner.
Unexpected is the new polished. Your Inspo awaits you below.
Fetish-Casual:
What else do you title a leather-on-vinyl ensemble? I love pairing shiny PVC with a leather texture in the same hue. In this case, it’s a great way to make an all-black outfit look surprising and insanely chic. You could honestly ditch the beret and wear this to a party, no questions asked, but that’s the kind of look I like– one that goes from the grocery store to a chic soiree without skipping a beat. Low heels and no socks keep this casual. I’m a large fan of wearing rhinestone earrings with my daytime looks, and the pops of color make the black-on-black a little playful.
Hat is Zara, earrings are vintage, glasses were purchased on the street, pants are Absence of Color, and shoes are Miista. Get the look below:
Office Dom:
Yep, I can’t stop with the leather fetish names. But seriously folks, I love how these puffy sleeves look paired under a shell top. I could have tucked the shirt in, but I opted to leave it out to add a little interest. Again, a pop of color comes this time from a vintage fuchsia beret. Camel is a great color to pair with leather if you want to tone it down a bit, which makes this a great way to look serious at a business meeting without making it obvious that you have a whip in your purse (Well?? Don’t you??). I opted for leather boots cause what else would an Office Dom do?
Hat , top, skirt, and bag are vintage, nude fishnets are Capezio, and boots are Zara. Get the look below:
Limelight Leatherette:
I wore this to a friend’s birthday party and I felt really fucking cool the whole night long. A leather blouse is the perfect way to winterize a frothy cocktail dress. I’m wearing the dress backwards here so the deep V cut creates a vest-like effect, and the sleeves really pop. The thick belt keeps this all from looking too bulky. I added rhinestone accessories to make this party-ready, and opted for black fishnets to play up the general bad-assery of a leather blouse. I now look like the worlds edgiest grandma which is kind of my whole thing anyway.
Headband is Zara, earrings and dress are vintage, fishnets are Capezio (they’re $30 but they never tear so you should really invest in a pair), and shoes are Luxury Rebel. Get the look below:
