A Leather and Leopard Love Affair

I've never been biker-chick enough to pull off the whole leather look.  Give me a breezy floral dress and a nice pair of black equestrian boots and you'll win my heart forever.  Still, there's always been this secret part of me that has tried for years to win my own closet over to the edgier side.  This has nothing to do with color, because those who know me can attest to the fact that my closet is the darkest place on earth (black is just a classic, slimming color- am i wrong?), but more to do with making space for body hugging, in-your-face statement pieces that stray from the usual bohemian prints.

Over the years, I've introduced my inner-hippie to the love of houndstooth, stripes, and tribal prints, but the one pattern I've found bringing me a step closer to the leather look i yearn for, is the leopard print.  Being very Italian, wearing leopard the wrong way automatically sets me up for looking more Jersey Shore than rebel-chic, which is why I've found that the key to a good leopard is all in the pairing.  A nice leopard cardigan over a black mini dress with knee-high boots, a black tank tucked into a waist-high leopard skirt, or a simple silk leopard tee with black skinnies and booties- all ways I've strayed from the print's sometimes trashy alter-ego.  So, where will the struggle with leather and leopard finally land?  With LEILANNI'S faux leather panel leggings and gorgeous leopard headscarves.

With a soft, bamboo jersey top and black faux leather fitting the bottom, these leggings are the perfect transition from simplistic bohemian to rocker-chic.  Choose from over the knee, knee-length, and bike-short options and begin your foray into the bold.  A simple warning, however: too cute for Hell's Angels so be wary if you feel the urge to attempt.

KNEE-HIGH

THIGH-HIGH

BIKE-SHORT

Paired with a black tunic and one of these amazing leopard turbans and I've find the solution to the leopard/leather struggle I've been battling for years

LEOPARD TURBAN

Also, since your now familiar with name and product, check out these boundary-breaking elastic-banded cage skirts and cardi-capes.  A little pricey but I'd so bust my ass hostessing an extra night to get these into my closet!

Let's Play Shell Games, Forget That It's Winter

"We'll be everything that we ever need

Everyone on the count of three

Everyone on the count of three

All together now

Here it come that heavy love

We're never gonna move it alone"

This blog has been in the minds-making for the past three years, and the overwhelming need to share my excitement for new Bright Eyes has finally given me motivation enough to go through with it.
This and the fact that we're currently due for a blizzard... In an hour p.s. if you live in upstate New York you lucky kids.
But moving forward, throw on your comfiest sweater, make that mug of Single Cup hot cocoa (or be old school and boil a pot of the Hershey's mix on the stove like more of us should), and warm up with
new tunes and some of my favorite picks from various Runway Spring '11 shots. 


And after your done, go outside and make some snow shells.  Maybe it'll trick the warm weather back!