Can’t decide whether to purchase a leather dress or a leather skirt? While both offer a stylish, as well as comfortable, solution for your daily attire, they aren’t necessarily the same. Leather skirts and leather dresses have their own unique features that distinguish them from each other. By familiarizing yourself with the differences between leather skirts and leather dresses, you’ll be able to choose the right garment for your personal preferences.
What Is a Leather Dress?
A leather dress is a full-length woman’s garment that consists of a top with a built-in skirt, all of which is made of leather. Like with all dresses, the top part of a leather dress is known as a “bodice,” whereas the bottom part is known as a “skirt.” Dresses are characterized by the presence of these two components, which are woven or otherwise connected to create a single garment.
Leather dresses are unique, however, because they are made of leather. When shopping for traditional women’s dresses, you’ll probably discover that most of them are made of cotton, linen, wool or various synthetic-organic hybrid materials. As their name suggests, though, leather dresses are made of leather. There are different types of leather used in their construction, some of which are higher quality than others. Regardless, all leather dresses are made of leather.
What Is a Leather Skirt?
A leather skirt, on the other hand, is essentially the bottom of a dress without a top. If you’re planning to wear a leather skirt, you’ll have to wear a shirt, blouse, sweater or some other top as well. Leather skirts don’t have a built-in top. Rather, they only consist of the bottom piece, so you’ll need to choose a top with which to wear them.
Leather skirts are also made of the same genuine leather as leather dresses. The only difference is that leather skirts lack the bodice found in their dress counterparts. If you’re looking for a top-and-bottom-combination garment, you’ll need to stick with a leather dress. Otherwise, a leather skirt could prove to be a smart investment.
Reasons to Wear a Leather Dress
Why should you wear a leather dress exactly? For starters, they offer an unparalleled level of convenience since they feature a built-in top or bodice. If you choose to wear a leather skirt — or pretty much any other bottom piece — you’ll still have to find a top to wear. Leather dresses solve this problem by offering both a top and a bottom in a single, convenient garment. By wearing a leather dress, you won’t have to worry about finding a shirt or other top.
Most women will agree that leather dresses are more formal than leather skirts. They offer a dressier appearance that’s synonymous with formalwear. As a result, you can wear a leather dress for formal events and occasions, including business meetings, interviews, graduations, parties and more. Of course, you can typically wear a leather skirt to formal events as well, but they often require a little more work since you’ll have to find an appropriate top with which to pair it.
Reasons to Wear a Leather Skirt
While wearing a leather dress offers a myriad of benefits, you shouldn’t discount the benefits of wearing a leather skirt. Some women prefer leather skirts over leather dresses because of the freedom they offer when putting together outfits. If you wear a leather dress, you won’t be able to wear a shirt, blouse, sweater or any other top with it. You can wear a different top with a leather skirt, however.
During the summer, wearing a leather skirt can help keep you cool. Although there are exceptions, most leather skirts are designed with a relatively short length. They don’t extend all the way to your knees or ankles. Rather, they typically have a mini or midi design that stops around your thighs. With a relatively short length, leather skirts won’t leave you feeling uncomfortably hot, even during the spring and summer months.
Tips on Choosing a Leather Dress
There are a few things you should know when shopping for a leather dress. For starters, check to see what type of leather the dress is made of. You should probably avoid purchasing dresses made of faux leather. Faux leather isn’t real leather; it’s a type of synthetic material with a similar appearance. Regarding dresses, as well as many other garments, there’s no substitution for genuine leather. Dresses made of real, genuine leather will last longer and offer a higher level of performance than those made of fake or faux leather.
You might be wondering what color you should choose for your leather dress. Well, you can find leather dresses available in dozens of colors. Many women prefer classic colors like black or brown. With that said, leather dresses are made in many other colors, including white, red, yellow, green and countless shades thereof.
Tips on Choosing a Leather Skirt
When shopping for a leather skirt, you should also check to see what type of leather it’s made. Like with a dress, you’ll get a better bang for your buck by sticking with genuine leather. Genuine leather skirts look better, feel better and last longer, making them a smart investment.
Keep in mind that many leather skirts are designed with ruffles on the bottom. The Layered Leather Skirt #123, for instance, features a layered construction of genuine leather to achieve a truly stunning one-of-a-kind appearance. The ruffled bottom flares out in a way that’s not found in traditional skirt designs.
Whether you choose a leather dress or a leather skirt, you need to get the right size. If it doesn’t fit, you won’t be able to comfortably and confidently wear it. When ordering a leather dress or a leather skirt from LeatherCult, however, you’ll have the option for custom sizing at no additional charge.