In an effort to up my jacket game for spring, I recently purchased this leather bomber jacket from Quince. It’s been a game changer for my wardrobe. My style is pretty basic, and I usually just mix and match my regulars to create different looks. BUT what I’ve discovered in the last few months as I’ve really attempted to discover my true style is that I LOVE having something edgy in my outfit. Sometimes it’s just a pair of cool sunglasses, sometimes it’s a nonbasic shoe choice, sometimes it’s a bold pendant necklace, and sometimes it’s this ‘makes me feel like a cool mom’ leather bomber jacket.
There are many leather jackets on the market in tons of different styles, but let me tell you why I like this one in particular. First, it has very minimal hardware. Personally, I don’t love the look of a leather jacket with shiny silver hardware on it. I just think it looks too ‘biker’ for my taste. Besides the very matte zipper in the front and on the chest pocket and the buttons on the cuffs, there is no other hardware. I like wearing my gold and silver jewelry and I don’t want the hardware on my leather jacket to clash with it.
Second, it has a beautifully lived in distressed look which just makes it look a bit vintage and cool. This is specific to the brown color; the black does not have this same distressing. And while we’re talking about colors, I think brown leather is a bit easier to style as well, it’s a little less edgy and bold.
Third, the oversized fit is perfection. I adore the fit of this leather jacket! I didn’t want anything too cropped or too tight.
Fourth, the PRICE! Genuine leather jackets can be $$$$, but this one comes in at $250. Quince keeps their prices low by working directly with manufacturers. I can’t get over the quality of this jacket for the price. And just so you know, I have worked with Quince in the past as a partner (and I have an upcoming collab with them soon) but I purchased this myself and just really love the brand.
This jacket comes in and out of stock so just sign up for the restock notification to get emailed when it it’s back in your size. I’m wearing the XS here.
Now that I’ve gushed about this jacket, I do have other jackets to shop at the bottom of this post. I realize this bomber jacket style may not lend itself to the dress requirements of a more formal office or work situation. I’ve linked other options that are a bit more dressy if need be as well as lots of different price points. All the outfits I’m sharing below will work with different styles of leather jackets with a few minor tweaks here and there.
Here’s some general styling tips for leather jackets:
A leather jacket is a statement unto itself so for me personally, I prefer to keep the other elements of my outfit more subdued and refined. You won’t see me styling my leather jacket with a pair of leather pants, but that’s just me.
Allison Bornstein talks a lot about creating ‘tension’ in an outfit to make it more interesting, and I found this to be especially relevant when styling a leather jacket which can read very edgy. For this reason, I prefer to style it with more feminine or soft pieces like a blouse or sweater.
A leather jacket is probably something you’ll remove once you reach your destination so you’ll need the rest of your outfit to work without the jacket. Plan for that by making sure you’ve styled the rest of your look how you want.
How To Style A Leather Jacket
Outfit One: Sweater + Trousers + Boots
I wanted this first look to work for an office or more formal situation. This is an outfit that would definitely work once you remove the leather jacket. We’ve got a sweater with a tee underneath (I chose navy because I love how it pairs with black and browns), a pair of black trousers (I plan to have these hemmed, FYI) and heeled boots. I like how the softness of the sweater looks with the hardness of the leather jacket. I added a belt and some jewelry to finish the outfit.
Variations Of This Look:
Swap the boots for loafers or ballet flats.
Swap the sweater for a fitted cardigan.
Play around with different color combinations (this would work with any sweater and trouser.)
Make this outfit more spring friendly by pairing with a light weight knit tee and a pair of elevated sandals.
Outfit Two: Tee + Cotton Pants + Ballet Flats
For a more relaxed springtime look, a leather jacket paired with a tee and cotton pants gives a laidback but cool vibe. I used some of my favorite springtime pieces for this look, but it could easily be adapted for items you have in your closet. I chose a lightweight linen blend tee (any tee will work) and a cargo style cotton pant. You could swap these pants for any utility style pant you have or even a chino. The idea is that they would have a bit more structure than the trousers in the first look. Because this outfit looks a bit more masculine, I went with my Mary Jane ballet flats for footwear.
Variations Of This Look:
Swap the pants for a chino or any more structured pant you have in your closet.
Swap the tee for a sweater in a relaxed fit. Wear it front tucked or untucked.
Switch the ballet flats for flip flops or even sneakers if you love a more casual look.
Outfit Three: Button Down + Jeans + Ballet Flats
For this casual chic look, I wanted to show how a leather jacket pairs with a button down. For this style of jacket, I preferred to have the button down tucked in to polish it up a bit, but if your leather jacket is longer and more dressy, you could wear the button down untucked (just play around with it and see what you like!) I paired the leather jacket and button down with my new favorite baggy jeans and some python print ballet flats to add a tiny bit of interest. This is definitely a look you’ll see me wearing this spring as it works well for my casual but styled life.
Variations Of This Look:
Try any color button down shirt you like – white, black, tan, navy, or even striped.
If baggy jeans aren’t your style, you can absolutely wear a more slim cut or straight leg jean with this.
Swap the ballet flats for loafers or boots for a slightly more polished look.
Add a chunky belt or sweater over the shoulders for more interest.
Outfit Four: Tee + Sweater Over The Shoulders + Jeans + Loafers
This is the look you’ll most likely see me wearing on repeat. In fact, I’ve already worn something very similar to this. We’ve got a tee with the leather jacket layered over top and a sweater tied over that. I’m also wearing my favorite pair of relaxed fit jeans (I just got these back from the tailor after having them hemmed and the fit is PERFECT now) and a pair of black loafers. I also added a slouchy suede bag which is totally optional, but I love how it looks with this fit.
Variations Of This Look:
This look can be worn in so many ways by changing up your color combinations. Try a black tee with a cream sweater over top or a gray tee with a black sweater over top.
You can also wear any wash of jeans you like. Lighter washes tend to look more casual while darker washes look more dressy.
Swap the loafers for ballet flats, boots, or even sneakers.
Outfit Five: Cardigan + Mini Skirt + Ballet Flats
For this look, I wanted to show you how this leather jacket looks with a skirt. I’m wearing a mini skirt here, but I think it could also work with a maxi skirt like a slip skirt or white cotton poplin skirt. The idea here is to pair your more edgy leather jacket with more sweet and ladylike pieces to balance it out. Here, I’ve tucked a slim fitting cardigan into my black mini skirt, and paired it with some ballet flats.
Variations Of This Look:
Swap the mini skirt for a slip skirt or cotton poplin skirt.
Wear a sweater (either a slim fit or relaxed fit that falls over the skirt) instead of the cardigan.
Play around with different shoes – maybe a suede loafer or low profile sneaker.
For colder weather, switch the ballet flats for some knee high boots.
Outfit Six: Blouse + Full Length Jeans + Strappy Heels
Here is my date night look! When I’m putting together these ‘how to style’ posts, I like to show how an item can be dressed up or down. This is how I would fancy it up. I chose a sheer lace blouse (any nice ‘going out top’ would work!) to pair with my leather jacket. I added my full length black denim and strappy sandals for a nice look that would work for dinner out or seeing a show.
Variations Of This Look:
Swap the jeans for black trousers if you want to dress this outfit up even more.
If it’s too cold for sandals, swap in a pair of pointed or square toed heeled ankle boots.
You could also swap out the leather jacket for a blazer for a fancier look.
Outfit Seven: Sweatshirt + Jeans + Flats
This is another look that feels very much like me. We’ve got a gray sweatshirt (a wardrobe staple for the casual chic lifestyle!), white denim, and some animal print ballet flats. I tucked the sweatshirt in to make the look more polished and the ballet flats add some interest and texture.
Variations Of This Look:
Instead of animal print shoes, try an animal print bag.
Use any color combination you like – beige sweatshirt with black jeans, black sweatshirt with light wash jeans, red sweatshirt with dark wash jeans, etc.
Swap the ballet flats for sneakers for a more casual and comfy look.
Leather Jackets To Shop
Read More:
How To Style A Suede Jacket
Sézane Clyde Trench Review
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