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Steal your mum’s, go digging through the racks of your nearest vintage shop, or snap up a modern-day version sharpish because this classic 1990s-era staple is back
What do Winona Ryder in her heyday, Neo from The Matrix and that minimalist-leaning influencer on your Instagram feed have in common? On first glance: not very much. Yet one garment unites these three disparate references, and if you guessed a leather jacket, you’re right on track.
The slightly oversized, masculine-inspired leather blazer is back in all its nostalgic glory. While biker jackets are considered by most to be a compulsory element of the modern capsule wardrobe, just a few decades ago the notion of being seen in a leather cover-up was unheard of.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the garment was the utmost symbol of rebellion and resistance, but somewhere between endorsements from Grease‘s Sandy and 1980s supermodels — not to mention Debbie Harry and Madonna — women everywhere got the memo that this ‘borrowed from the boys’ fashion statement was both powerful and empowering.
Look on any Pinterest board or Instagram account dedicated to 1990s style highlights and you’ll be hard pushed to scroll without coming across an androgynous leather blazer, snugly hanging on the shoulders of Cindy Crawford or Carrie Bradshaw.
Thanks to the likes of Nanushka and Saks Potts, the most-followed style stars on Instagram have been throwing it back to the decade recently with their sleek black coats.
Unlike some of the more dated 90s trends — please say we’re over chokers by now — this type of jacket still manages to look supremely modern.
Why not make like the Scandinavian ‘It girls’ and pair yours with a plain white tee, slim-fitting trousers, lug-sole boots and a statement bag for a look that’s equal parts nonchalant and inimitably cool.
Shop these 11 jackets now:
Leather blazer, €350 from Arket.com
Faux leather belted jacket, €49 from Nastygal.com
The ‘Cammi ‘ trench, €130 from Revolve.com
Faux leather belted blazer, €89.86 from ASOS
Belted workwear leather jacket, €349 from & Other Stories
‘Cancun’ vegan leather blazer, €520 from Nanushka.com
Leather button-front jacket, €70 from RiverIsland.com
Leather-look trench, €82.95 from ASOS.com
Faux leather oversize blazer, €59.95 from Zara
‘Cassidy’ double-breasted leather blazer, €560 from Netaporter.com
‘Hyde’ blazer, €62.13 from Shopbop.com
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