You knew it was coming, didn’t you? You saw my previous post on how to clean secondhand leather, read all the way to the bottom, and wondered where the outfit pics were, right? ‘Cause you know I love a good styling seesh. Well, although I was sorry to disappoint you then, I’m going to deliver today with 3 leather vest outfits!

I love to put these types of posts together because I hope it inspires people to shop more sustainably, to stop buying new clothes and to give a new home to the massive amount of clothes that are already produced. This reduces the demand for new clothing and hopefully reduces some of the impact that the clothing industry has on the environment.

And honestly, a lot of preloved clothing (especially vintage) is of much better quality than the stuff you can buy new today.

I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that there was a little “show and tell” motivation with these posts too 😉

I get really excited about certain secondhand finds or makes and I know that if you’re reading here, you get a little excited seeing these “new” things too. But I always hope that it illustrates the amazing things that are just out there waiting to be found and loved again.

Like, maybe you’ll love how I styled this vest and want to recreate the outfits. And maybe you already own a leather vest that sits at the back of your closet, or maybe you’ll feel inspired to add one to your thrift list for future trips to you local thrift/consignment/charity shops.

I found this vest at a local consignment shop. In case you’re unaware of what a consignment shop is, people bring items they no longer want in to be assessed, the shop takes what they can sell on consignment (the original owner gets a percentage of the sale price once the items sells and the shop gets the rest of the percentage; the best rates I’ve seen are split evenly between the original owner and the shop).

It actually found it in the men’s section, which I always make a point of going through. The amount of clothing made from natural materials is generally much higher in the men’s section (there’s typically a lot of cotton and wool) than the women’s which is overrun by polyester and acrylic.

I instantly loved the details and its “cool” feel. And the price couldn’t be beat…$9. That’s insane. So I tried it on and I loved it.

Once I got it home, I cleaned it and I’ve been thinking about all the ways that I’ll be able to style it for fall. There were 3 looks that immediately came to mind; something work related (this vest gives me total boss babe vibes), hanging out with friends (maybe some vintage shopping and brunch) and one for an evening out, maybe a gallery opening (in my fantasies anyway, one where I live in a place with a lot of galleries lol).

Obviously the outfits I’m about to share can be worn in any number of situations, but sometimes it’s fun to imagine wearing them for a particular event.

* denotes a secondhand purchase

Outfit 1: For Work

This obviously depends on your work dress code, but I think this outfit could work in professions where it isn’t as strict. If jeans seem too casual, you could switch them out for a pair of black trousers.

Since I was dressing for work, I kept the color palette dark and neutral. But I wanted to add an interesting element to the outfit so I decided to wear my silk equestrian print blouse. It’s dressy but fun and I think it elevates the leather vest and jeans to a work appropriate place.

// vintage silk shirt*

// agolde jeans*

// dr. marten’s boots

Outfit 2: For the Weekend

Ah, layers, how I love thee. I am so excited for all the layers. I’m never happier than on a cool day with a ton of clothes on lol.

I chose to layer the vest over my favorite flannel shirt (I’m actually wearing it with track pants as I sit here writing this), which I layered over a plain black bodysuit. I’m not a fan of Everlane and would never order from there again but I do LOVE this bodysuit!

I added my recently sewn Pomona pants that I made from a vintage blanket for the ultimate cozy outfit. I liked the idea of a platform sandal for early autumn. I’ll add a pair of wool socks or swap them out for chunky boots once it gets later into the fall.

// freedom foundry flannel shirt*

// everlane bodysuit

// handmade pomona pants (from vintage blanket)*

// stella mccartney sandals*

Outfit 3: For Evening

I’m really loving the contrast of the “hard” leather vest with the “soft” sheer gown.

This was the first outfit that I thought to wear this vest with. It actually popped into my head as I was trying the vest on at the shop. I had a vision that these sleeves would look amazing paired with the vest.

Continuing with a rocker-esque vibe, I added a black slip underneath and brought out my Moto boots, which brings me to an important question:

Am I in the band, or just a groupie? 😉

// handmade sheer m7969 dress

// eileen fisher slip dress*

// frye Moto boots

Expect to see this vest a lot more this fall. It will definitely be one of the items in my fall capsule, which I’ve started brainstorming. If you’re wanting to try a capsule wardrobe, but you’re not sure where to start, check out this post that I wrote a while back.

Which look was your favorite?

Until next time,