Leopard print hasn’t left the chat
- September 24, 2025
- Wearing
Why leopard print never goes out of style
The other day, a friend sent me a picture of the new heels she had just bought. They were leopard print, and I had the same reaction I've been having for years now: wait, leopard is still on? I thought back to how long it's been around, how many different seasons it's carried through, and it surprised me that I wasn't surprised at all.
Leopard has been everywhere for so long that it's almost stopped feeling like a trend and started feeling like something permanent.
The 1960s: glamour defined
Leopard first made its mark in fashion long before fast fashion and social media gave trends their short shelf life. In the 1960s, it became shorthand for glamour — Jackie Kennedy wore a leopard coat, designers like Christian Dior sent leopard into couture, and suddenly the print was as much about elegance as it was about standing out.
The 80s & 90s: rebellious energy
Later, in the 1980s and 1990s, leopard took on a different energy. It was bolder, more rebellious, tied to nightlife, music, and sex appeal. Kate Moss wore it in the grunge era, and it became one of those prints that defined an attitude as much as a look.
The modern comeback
Then, about a decade ago, leopard came back with force. The slip skirts, the ankle boots, the statement coats — it wasn't just on runways, it was in every store. Suddenly it wasn't owned by one subculture or one kind of woman. Everyone had their version, whether it was a Zara skirt or a Celine coat.
The secret to its survival
The reason it's still here probably has less to do with nostalgia and more to do with versatility. Leopard works across categories in a way most prints don't. It's bold, but also neutral — which is why it can be worn like a basic. It pairs with denim, black, white, and even clashing colors.
It looks expensive in luxury collections, but just as natural in high-street versions. It's that rare print that holds both polish and edge, depending on how you style it.
Trends fade when we get bored of them, but leopard keeps reintroducing itself because it can do so many things.
It never fully loses its bite
That's why it hasn't disappeared. Leopard can be glamorous, it can be rebellious, it can be classic. It never fully loses its bite. So how long will it stay? Probably longer than we expect. Leopard might shift in dominance — some years it's the coat, some years it's the heels — but it never leaves completely.
Leopard print isn't trending anymore, it's surviving
Maybe that's the real story here: leopard print isn't trending anymore, it's surviving. So when my friend showed me those heels, they didn't feel like a trend purchase. They felt safe. Leopard has become reliable. And maybe that's why it's still here — because fashion isn't done with it, and honestly, neither are we.
