Spring Forecast: Sunny with a Chance of Leather

Style.com image from Marni's Spring 2011 Fashion Show

The luxe of leather has certainly come back with a vengence during the last year or so. It's not that leather was ever really "out," but anyone who's been watching fashion has more than likely noticed that traditionally casual pieces are now being made in the non-traditional fabric- leather tees, shorts, shifts and cropped jackets have suddenly become the new gold standard. And, for spring, designers have kept hold of that idea and taken it one step further by adding a dose of color or a hint of effortlessness!

Elie Saab on Style.com

Costume National on Style.com

Michael Kors on Style.com

Hermes on Style.com

Burberry Prorsum on Style.com

Suddenly, leather looks so much less constricting and so much more carefree and nonchalant. I used to picture leather pants as super tight, rock-n-roll pieces that only certain brave souls with amazing figures could get away with. But now, leather pants have taken on the same look as your favorite work slacks. How do these designers do it?

In stores now, you can see the leather casually draped into a skirt (a la Haute Hippie below) or chicly cut into a an a-line day dress (Jenni Kayne). The look is less daring dominatrix and more approachable girl-next-door.

Haute Hippie leather skirt on Shopbop

Marc by Marc Jacobs draped bustier top on Shopbop

Jenni Kayne shift dress from Shopbop

Camilla and Marc leather jacket from Shopbop

The new leather pieces are sumptious, soft and seasonless, which is great news for someone who might have sprung for leather shorts at the end of last summer...For spring, I'll be grabbing a khaki trench and a white silk top to add some easy breeziness to my shorts. But maybe this winter, a drapey Camilla and Marc jacket would be useful too...