How to Style Leather Pants This Fall Like the Street Style Set

If you’ve found yourself Googling “how to style leather pants,” congratulations! You’ve just made the best purchase of your lifetime. A good pair of faux leather trousers can shoulder some of your wardrobe’s heaviest burdens with ease. They have the same versatility as a plain black pant, but the innate badassery of a classic leather jacket. As a result, these trousers have a way of making even the most difficult-to-style items feel effortless. And I’m not just saying that—it’s a mantra I personally live by.

I have every possible iteration of leather pants in my own closet, from straight-leg styles to high-waisted and barrel-leg to cargo pants (my personal favorite) as well as a pair of longline shorts that I reach for in the summer months. I love leather pants so much, in fact, I have to actively stop myself from wearing them multiple times a week—because, let’s face it, jeans simply don’t have the same effect. I’ve worn them with button-downs, ruffled blouses, blazers, and turtlenecks. Heck, I’ve even worn mine with a sweater vest (and, yes, I still looked incredibly chic while doing so).

Apart from making their wearer look like an off-duty rockstar, pleather pants are also surprisingly functional. They offer extra insulation during the winter, repel water when it rains, and provide wind resistance on blustery days. It’s for this reason that I serve some of my best ensembles during thunder storms.

This is all to say: There are infinite possible leather pants outfits—the key is to unlock them. Ahead, find out how the fashion girlies will be wearing leather pants this fall and beyond.

The best leather pants styling tips, below.

Level-Up Your Office ’Fit

I’ll let you in on a little industry secret: You can swap a pair of black trousers for leather pants and it almost always works. The only difference is that your boxy blazer and button-down will look roughly 45 percent cooler (a rough estimate) in their presence.

Allegra K Faux Leather Pants

$40

Amazon

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Gap Relaxed Houndstooth Blazer

$198

Gap

With Academic Flair

Technically, these are leather shorts, but this outfit idea was simply too good not to include. Style your leather bottoms—shorts, cropped, or full-length pants—with a cardigan or sweater vest, pearls, and loafers to give the edgy staple a preppy feel. The mix of aesthetics will give your overall look an eclectic vibe.

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Michael Kors Pleated Leather Bermuda Shorts

$298

Michael Kors

$298

Saks Fifth Avenue

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Lillusory Striped Cardigan

$37

Amazon

With a Sporty Kick

Like a simple black pant, vegan leather pants can adapt chameleon-like to any ensemble. They can go punky, academic, or sporty—and the latter can be accomplished with a bomber jacket, jersey, and a pair of trendy sneakers.

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Lululemon Reversible Bomber Jacket

$198

Lululemon

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Adidas SL 72 Sneakers

$100 $70 (30% off)

Nordstrom

With a Delicate Gauzy Top

As you’ll soon come to learn, their luxe texture is one of many reasons to love leather pants. Play up the smooth matte finish with a gauzy top and a pair of metallic pumps. Combined, these contrasting textures make for one extremely interesting outfit.

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Ganni Peplum Blouse

$215

Amazon

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Dolce Vita Byanca Heels

$50 $47 (6% off)

Amazon

$140 $86 (39% off)

Zappos

With a Pop of Baby Pink

Maybe it’s the Hot Topic kid in me, but I’m currently in my “baby pink and black” era—and I’d encourage everyone else to join me. A baby pink blouse, jacket, or handbag will add an unexpected dose of the saccharine to the edgiest bottoms in your rotation.

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Reformation Veda Kennedy Studded Leather Pants

$398

Reformation

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Call It Spring Reinaa Slingback Heels

$55

Nordstrom

With Leopard Spots

A quick scroll through my Glamour author page will reveal that I’ve included this advice in nearly every story I’ve written in the past year—but in my defence, it truly never gets old. Leopard print makes everything feel chicher, whether you’re styling it with plaid, polka dots, silk, or (you guessed it!) a pair of leather pants. In this case, leopard booties and wide-leg pants make for the perfect night out look. If you don’t have ankle boots in the print, a shoulder bag or other accessory works just fine.

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Sansths Leopard Belt

$15 $12 (20% off)

Amazon

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Sunhufa Leopard-Print Hobo Bag

$21

Walmart

With a Fair Isle Sweater

Another easy way to play with textures is by introducing your favorite cashmere knit into the mix. The combination of toughness and soft creates a juxtaposition that’s pleasing to the eye. And fair isle is going to be one of fall 2025’s leading fashion trends, so this winter outfit is guaranteed to be a good one.

Boden Edie Fair Isle Sweater

$159

Boden

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Madewell Low-Slung Baggy Pants in Faux Leather

$148 $74 (50% off)

Madewell

With a Longline Coat

This combo is a fashion week favorite because it feels straight off the runway. Wear leather pants with a long trench coat of the same fabrication to double down on the luxurious look. While I don’t expect anyone to be wearing a denim bralette as pictured above, a fitted tank or T-shirt works just as well. Add a pair of badass sunglasses to finish the overall cool-girl aesthetic.

Trendy Queen Long Leather Trench Coat

$60

Amazon

Michael Kors Long Faux Leather Trench Coat

$215 $140 (35% off)

Nordstrom

With Unexpected Pops of Color

Black leather pants are always a fail-safe option, but burgundy or brown leather pants (or other jewel tones) can bring a bit of excitement to your wardrobe. If you do decide to go the more daring route, embrace even more different color trends throughout your look, like a pair of neon shoes. The bolder, the better.

Flabelus Happy Place Mary Janes

$168

Free People

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Jeffrey Campbell Pesky Shoulder Bag

$245

Nordstrom

With a Simple T-Shirt

My most controversial fashion opinion is that I hate the jeans-and-a-T-shirt look. I think it’s boring and lazy. There, I said it! But when you trade jeans for a leather pants look (or even leather leggings), fashion’s most-worn ’fit immediately looks intentional and stylish. Just be sure to add a few accessories, so it feels fully styled.

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