River Island's £49 leopard-print jacket is the style set's autumn hero
It is now impossible to walk down the street or scroll through Instagram without seeing at least one flash of leopard print go by. Inspired by a host of runway shows from Celine to Dior, it's arguably this season's biggest fashion trend in terms of what people are actually wearing day-to-day. And the style set's item du jour seems to be the leopard-print jacket.
I invested in one earlier this year – an oversized denim shacket from Mint Velvet – and it's proved the best decision I've made for my transitional wardrobe in ages. I was wearing it non-stop with tees and linen trousers at the end of summer, and am now swapping in jeans and fine knits for colder days. It easily adds edgy interest to all my looks, freshens up my go-to outfits, and overall just feels very me.
Had I not already got mine, I'd also be tempted by River Island's quilted leopard-print jacket, as seen on influencers India Moon and Rebecca Olivia recently (below). For just £49, this is a great way to try the trend without committing too much money. That said, as trends go, leopard print feels pretty timeless, and I don't see myself falling out of love with it anytime soon.
I'm definitely taking some styling tips from India's carousel, and am particularly loving how she's teamed a simple black dress with glossy red Mary Jane flats – my favourite colour to pair with leopard print. If you prefer to keep your palette neutral, she's also shown that leopard print can slot naturally into that, bringing a contemporary coolness to a black and cream ensemble.
Rebecca, meanwhile, has also mixed and matched her textures by wearing her leopard-print jacket with an on-trend sheer lace skirt and braided bag. Once again, glossy red shoes add accent colour, as does a red bow in her beautiful auburn hair.
Moving towards winter, you could also look at teddy jackets for that extra bit of warmth. Or, go for a leopard-print coat a la Kate Moss, who also leaned heavily into the leopard-print bag trend at Paris Fashion Week last month.
If you're struggling to shake off the tacky connotations that leopard print attracted in the past, heed our always chic fashion director Oonagh Brennan's advice. She recommends styling leopard print with classic pieces like a striped or white shirt, a navy blazer and gold jewellery. By all means go full 'mob wife', especially for the upcoming party season (if not then, then when?), but you can also combine the playful with the polished for an elegant, more understated take on the trend.
Shop some of our favourite leopard-print jackets...
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