Leopard print is back: how to rock spots like Kate Moss and avoid the soap star look
LEOPARD print is back with a vengeance – and fashionistas are loving it and getting on board with the trend.
It’s a wonder EastEnders’ Kat Slater didn’t rise from her faux fur wardrobe to rejoice when Dior unveiled its spicy revamp at Paris Fashion Week.
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Models stormed the catwalk in the French design house’s bold autumn/winter collection, including polka dot print split skirts, statement berets and tailored two-piece short suits, left,
Leopard print has been popular in Hollywood since the 1930s, when handsome actor Johnny Weissmuller donned furry pants for Tarzan The Ape Man.
It was wild, it was spicy, and women wanted to make it their own.
Radiated refinement
Everyone wanted a piece of the pattern.
Actresses like Bette Davis added the sassy print to their wardrobe.
In the 1940s, Elizabeth Taylor took it one step further and wore a spotted swimsuit for a photo shoot.
Since then the hype has never really stopped.
Flash forward to the swinging sixties, when Dior scored rich and famous fans Jackie Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, who stepped out in their glamorous, spotty faux fur and gave ladies the power to make an exotic and sexy statement.
Unfortunately, blockbuster The Graduate added a messy edge to the high-profile trend.
No one wanted to look like a trophy wife – and yet the style persisted.
But there is a fine line between chic and shabby.
No one dared to say “That Don’t Impress Me Much” to Shania Twain’s enchanting song in the 1990s.
And while Mel B could get away with rugged, stained knee-high boots, we’re not so sure about the army of Spice Girls fans who wore them in their local area.
TV soaps lowered the appeal even further, with EastEnders’ Pat Butcher in loud shirts and Bet Lynch chain smoking in her leopard faux fur coat on Corrie.
The great debate continues over whether the trend is messy or tasteful, but you have to admit there’s a bit of zig-a-zig-ah to it.
And if you do it right, you can look fantastic, as model Kate Moss has proven time and time again.
The supermodel’s style has exuded refinement for forty years.
In 2019, she turned heads at Paris Fashion Week in a metallic spotted dress.
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Clearly designers have taken notice, as animal prints have become increasingly popular on the catwalks in recent seasons, with subtle, understated looks inspired by Hollywood’s golden age.
And celebrities are following suit. Over the past year, we’ve seen superstar Jennifer Lopez, 54, rock a blindingly spotty, figure-hugging number from Valentino, while Kim Kardashian got her claws in head-to-toe couture from Alaia.
Rosamund Pike, Halle Berry, Selma Blair, Winnie Harlow, Daisy Lowe, Irina Shayk and Myleene Klass have all also given their safari spots their seal of approval.
Meanwhile, Sofia Vergara has kept her spot game strong since her breathtaking portrayal of a real-life Colombian cartel boss in the Netflix series Griselda.
But as jungle prints trickle onto the high street – with leopard-themed Adidas x Wales Bonner samba sneakers flying off the shelves and high street stores serving up the polka dot patterns – it’s a tightrope between looking stylishly spotty or a bit frumpy.
However, no one can doubt that the spots are back. . . fur real.
ROARSOME…BUT HOW DO US MORTALS BEAR IT?
By Tracey Lea Sayer, Fashion Director
WHEN a trend like leopard print has been around for as long as it has – think Jackie Kennedy in the 1960s, Debbie Harry in the 1970s and Kate Moss in the 1990s – you know it will never really go out of style.
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It lies dormant for a few seasons before designers dust it off and bring it back.
Given my 30 years of working in fashion, you would think I have a wardrobe bursting at the seams with leopard print, but no.
I’ve only ever owned a leopard print bikini, a vintage 60s jacket and a Vivienne Westwood mini skirt, so I can understand if you’re panicking that leopard print is back and difficult to wear – because I am too .
So let’s make this simple. There are two ways to wear the trend this season.
You either go for the mafia woman aesthetic: a big, striking leopard in a sexy, tight-fitting dress paired with big earrings and even bigger hair.
Or if you just want to hop on the bus and go to work, you can be a much more minimalist big cat of 2024.
If you’re a leopard print novice, maybe start small.
Leopard print is a real statement, so a good tip is to wear it on the part of your body that you want to draw the most attention to
Tracey Lea Sayer
Try a pair of leopard print ballet flats, worn with wide cropped jeans and a cute cardigan.
Or add a leopard print cross-body camera bag, perhaps over a short trench coat.
If you’re braver, try going half and half. Half printed, half plain.
A leopard print blouse looks great with neutral, black, beige or white wide-leg trousers.
Or try cool jeans with leopard print, which gives your outfit a Scandinavian touch.
And remember: anyone can wear this trend, regardless of size or age.
Leopard print is a real statement, so a good tip is to wear it on the part of your body that you want to draw the most attention to.
If you love your bust, a leopard print blouse would look great.
There is also a clever trick with the size of the print.
If you’re petite, larger prints can drown your frame, so go smaller, while if you have a fuller figure, larger prints will accentuate your glorious curves.
If you’re really brave, you can go from head to toe.
I love the idea of this luxurious print for a special occasion, like a birthday. Leopard on leopard will definitely catch your eye.
And forget everyone who says you’re too old.
Leopard is an eternal print and age is just a number.
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