I’m a firm believer that we all have a wild side. And this year the fashion gods are encouraging you to find yours and wear it! If you’ve been following me for some time then you’ll know I’ve always had a soft spot for leopard print. Year after year it makes it onto the top fall trends and every year I find yet another piece, or two, to add to my wardrobe. In previous years I’ve always stuck with more subtle ways to incorporate leopard print into my outfits like a pair of shoes, a purse or a scarf. But truthfully I’ve been wanting find bold pieces to add to my ever growing collection. There was only one problem, leopard print can quickly go from classic to borderline trashy very quickly in my opinion. And as I’ve gotten older I’ve been trying to be more mindful of my purchases which is why I’m even pickier these days about what pieces get added to my wardrobe. This year however I finally found a bold leopard print piece that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to wear a decade from now.

What I’m Wearing

Urban Outfitters Blazer (Similar)|H&M Tee(Similar)|Who What Wear Skirt (Similar)|Vince Camuto Mules (Similar)

While you’ve probably seen a million and one ways to casually rock leopard print, thanks to the realisation par skirt everyone seems to own, I wanted to share an easy way to bring prints into the office. In the past I wouldn’t have ever dreamed of wearing something so bold to my job. Like most people I wasn’t sure if it would be considered unprofessional. I also wasn’t ready to deal with remarks from my co-workers. Especially since I work with older men who’ve rocked the same polo, Levis and Skechers to work for the last 20 years. There are two things I’ve found that really helped me to get over my fears. One, make sure the piece itself is work appropriate, i.e. length and fit. The other is keep the rest of the outfit simple and comfortable. In this case I paired the skirt with other classics: a black blazer, black tee and mules. This keeps the outfit from feeling too overwhelming while you ease your way into wearing bolder pieces. And as for dealing with any extra attention you might get? Remember people are going to look and judge you either way so you might as wear what makes you feel your best!