Leather pencil skirt - splurge on it or is it just a passing trend?

[Elledorado]

I have a fake leather pencil skirt that I wear and love but have been considering, maybe for the last year or so, buying the real thing (currently really keen on one from Reiss). It's very expensive though and I would hate for it to be out of fashion by next year .... mind you, I didnt buy one last year as I was worried the same thing and yet they seem as popular as ever. What does everyone think? Waste of money or will I wear it for years and years to come?

I would just buy it. I've got a real leather mini skirt which I love, but as a compromise (because I couldn't afford a leather skirt this year) I bought a black coated denim pencil skirt from next. It's gorgeous and washable

[https://www.next.co.uk/g744s4] next skirt here

Elle I have a Reiss one. I wear it all the time - works dressed up for the office and with glam heels for nights out and with trainers and a sweatshirt at weekends. I had to save for it, but it’s been worth it for me.

I’ve been a leather skirt fan for about 6 years - also have a grey a line mini one from Baukjen. I still wear that one, which made me think it’s become a staple for me and won’t be going out of style any time soon. Reiss also bring out new versions of exactly the same skirt each year which also makes me think they’re becoming a bit of a classic.
I don’t know if I’ll be wearing it in 10 years, but pretty sure I will be wearing it in 5...

I think they're timeless pieces tbh. Definitely not a passing trend.

My guess is that they'll be around for a while longer because expensive items are normally more than a passing trend, but that they will go out of fashion at some stage and that, when they do, they will become indescribably cheesy and you will be mortified to think you ever bought one. But if you put it to the back of the cupboard and ride it out, they will come round again, although at that point you may need to find someone who can give it a few tweaks.

I bought a real one last year and still wear it. and actually a mini one from 2 years ago - wear both of them.

I'd say buy it! (but I would.).

I've got a couple. One is ten years old, the other twenty. It's not like cold-shoulder tops - quality leather will always be stylish (if not fashionable!).

Flo I want 5 years before it becomes cheesy I'm hoping keeping to a simple shape will help?

That sounds promising wombat. I don't know if I could get away with it for work but I'm hoping it would otherwise be pretty versatile

Elle I think it'll take longer than five years! I would say a simple shape and a neutral colour are the best insurance.

Think it’s a trend that has passed it’s peak to be honest. It’ll still be ok to “wear one out” for the next year, maybe two if you already have one, but it’s not a piece suitable for new investment.

Do it! You'll get loads of wear from such a classic shape, and sod whether it's 'in' or not.

Definitely a timeless piece. Go for it!

I'd say timeless too depending how you style it

How are you all keeping your leather skirts clean/fresh? Does it cost you a fortune in dry cleaning bills?

If you like it and can afford it, get it! Who cares whether it’s in fashion or not?

It's a classic imo, never dates, can be styled a number of different ways.

Chishandfips ... yep would be drycleaning after a couple of wears (unless I wore it all day, then after that wear).

Tinsel I thought that last year. But they seem to be in the shops and with Meghan M.wearing one I figured fashion wise the trend might continue for a good while yet. And on that note I am not into fashiony fashion like cold shoulder tops but also don't want to wear things that look dated/cheesy.

I’ve several but I’ve never dry cleaned them! I don’t think it does them good. Someone on here recommended laying flat and wiping down with a weak fairy liquid solution in warm water and mine have been fine. Definitely a classic I’ve had mine years.

Definitely buy. I have two that I bought a few years ago. A black one and a wine one, both pencil skirts.
I also have a 'pleather' black mini. I think that one's from Zara.

Not into fast fashion either Elle. I just think that at the point virtually everyone agrees that a particular garment is a “fashionable yet classic, versatile choice” is the point it becomes ubiquitous, soon followed by stale and yes, cheesy. In short, I think the leather skirt is going the way of the Breton top.

I think I can handle Breton top cheesy. Just as long as it's not the ubiquitous cold-shoulder-flare-sleeve-lace-dress cheesy. I mean it's really just a form of pencil skirt ... which is always going to be around even if not high fashion. Like a leather jacket ... Maybe? I dont know.

I'd buy it although the faux leather ones are nice too . I don't think leather skirt would go out of fashion it's the sort of thing can wear every winter if it does probably come back in a few years . The animal print was big a few years ago and it's back again this winter I kept a couple of dresses that I had .

But I don't think classic means never going out of fashion. I would describe court shoes as a classic, along with silk scarves, leather blazers and both skinny and flared jeans. We hadn't seen trouser suits for ages until recently, or culottes, or polonecks, or corduroy or velvet.
I think what marks a classic isn't that it never dates but that it can fall completely out of fashion for years and then pop up again and make us think it's never been away.
So a leather skirt can be classic and still date. I think it will date and to be honest, I think it will date quite badly. However if you play the long game, there's a good chance it'll come back.

If you like it, can afford it and think you'd get two or three years wear out of it, I'd say go for it.

If you think you'd only wear it for a few months, and it's a lot of money to you, then I'd try a decent fake one first and see how you get on with that.

I pretty much agree Flo, but I would add that when these things come back, there is often a significant change that marks out the iterations from different eras.

This could be a change in silhouette, or cut, perhaps there have been technical innovations in fabric or technique in the meantime. Sometimes it is difficult to resurrect the previous iteration of a classic (sometimes easier to resurrect an item from a few iterations previous).

So next time round leather skirts might be wrap or pencil skirts might be velvet. Sometimes remodelling is possible (e.g. dropping a waistband, taking up a hem or slimming down a sleeve). Sometimes an update isn’t possible- Lycra can’t be woven in in retrospect, not enough fabric in a pencil skirt to convert to a button through usually.