If I had to pick a favourite outfit of Kate Moss’s it would have to be when she was photographed on her 30th birthday leaving her London home in a muted yellow chiffon dress with a leopard-print coat thrown over the top. It has been her style signature for decades, as shown last night when she had a leopard-print coat draped over her all-black outfit en route to a Paris Fashion Week event. This morning, an email hit my inbox from Toteme announcing that Hailey Bieber had just worn its pony-hair effect, leopard-print coat. Bieber embraced the leopard, pairing it with an animal-print tote bag in a clashing spot. The timing of my pre-planned “how to style a leopard print coat story” could not be more perfect.
If you are someone who buys a wool coat in black, navy or grey every few years, then a leopard-print coat might seem like a bold, impractical direction to take. However, you don’t need to go full “mob wife” to benefit from a splash of animal print in your winter wardrobe. “While some think of leopard as a bold print, I see it more as a neutral staple,” Amy Bannerman, eBay’s pre-loved style director, previously told Vogue. “A simple outfit with the perfect leopard coat will make you look like the coolest person in any setting. I am very specific on the print and fabric: I like the fabric to be smooth and flat, rather than that fluffy kind of fake fur. I also always size up, the bigger the better for layering and nonchalant chicness.” With these style pointers in mind, our shopping team is particularly impressed by Rixo’s grey-toned leopard felt jacket which has a ’60s aesthetic, Toteme’s dark leopard-print coat (worn by Mrs Bieber), and a Rowen Rose calf-skimming style with an elegant scarf detail.
When it comes to styling, Kate Moss tends to always have one jolt of leopard print, and keep the rest of the outfit relatively simple or more muted. You won’t ever go wrong with a leopard-print coat and an all-black ensemble. This is the easiest way to style leopard print and make sure the outfit doesn’t tip into being too OTT or like a novelty Shania Twain costume. If, however, the TikTok mob-wife trend resonates with your personal style, why not go full Sopranos and pile up the gold jewellery and mix animal prints together. It’s the Dolce & Gabbana method, which is all about dialling up the glamour and being cloaked in as much leopard print as you can get your hands on.
Kate Moss’s life-long commitment to the leopard-print coat proves that it is a timeless investment that will form a part of your forever wardrobe, even if you tend to favour minimalist pieces. Keep reading for seven ways to style a leopard-print coat this winter and beyond.
