What Do You Wear Under a Leather Jacket?
A leather jacket may be the piece that gets noticed, but what you wear underneath is what makes the whole look work.
The best layers don't compete with the jacket. They change its attitude. A fitted knit can make leather feel sleek. A dress can soften it. A great top can turn it into something completely different.
Here are five combinations we come back to at Madonna & Co.
1. Start With a Second Skin
A fitted, lightweight layer is probably the easiest thing to wear under a leather jacket. It gives you a clean line without adding bulk and lets the jacket remain the statement.
Our Second Skin tops were made for exactly this kind of layering. Wear one with black leather for a long, streamlined look, or use a contrasting print or texture when you want more going on.
2. Put Leather Over a Dress
A leather jacket over a dress is one of those combinations that works because the pieces aren't trying to match.
Try a cropped jacket over a longer dress, or throw a moto over something softer and more fluid. The contrast is what makes the outfit interesting.
3. Keep the Top Simple When the Jacket Isn't
Fringe, mixed media, unusual cuts and strong details don't need much help.
When the leather is doing the talking, a simple knit or fitted top underneath gives it room. This is especially true with statement jackets—the more interesting the jacket, the less you usually need underneath it.
4. Mix Leather With Something Unexpected
Leather doesn't have to mean jeans and a T-shirt.
Wear it with tulle. Put it over a feminine blouse. Mix it with a skirt that moves. Pair polished leather with something deliberately softer.
Some of the best outfits come from pieces that shouldn't necessarily work together, but somehow do.
5. Let One Piece Change the Look
You don't need to rebuild your wardrobe every season. Sometimes one strong piece is enough.
Start with clothes you already wear and add the leather jacket that changes them. That's the difference between buying an outfit and developing a personal style.
Make It Yours
There really isn't one answer to what you should wear under a leather jacket. The better question is what makes the jacket feel like you.
At Madonna & Co., we're less interested in rules than in finding the unexpected piece that changes what you already own. Explore Luxe & Leather, Second Skin, and our latest clothing to create your own version of the look.