Street Style Stars Love Wearing This Miniskirt

Patent leather has been around for almost two centuries. The method to attain its glossy finish comes from processing the leather on the grain side, which creates a stiff surface that’s then coated with linseed oil and paint, placed in the sun to bake, and rubbed with a pumice stone. It’s not a quick practice, to say the least.

In a cultural context, this ultra-glossy texture has made its way through significant decades and onto iconic figures such as David Bowie and, of course, Britney Spears (yes, we’re referring to that red bodysuit). Lately we’ve noticed a resurgence of patent leather in the form of playful miniskirts, beginning with runways like Isabel Marant, who showed the party piece in its F/W 16 catwalk collection. And, as it usually goes, when the designers are onboard, so are the street style stars.

See below for how some of our bookmarked fashion influencers are wearing patent-leather miniskirts, and if you’re into the look, shop our picks (faux options included!).

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(Image credit: Collage Vintage)

Wear it with: Striped shirt + coat swung over the shoulders

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(Image credit: Timur Emek/Getty Images)

Wear it with: Blouse with statement sleeves

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(Image credit: Collage Vintage)

Wear it with: Victorian-inspired top

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(Image credit: Style du Monde)

Wear it with: Cutout sweater + ankle boots.

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(Image credit: Christian Vierig/Getty Images)

Wear it with: Moto jacket + striped tee

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(Image credit: Christian Vierig/Getty Images)

Wear it with: Tailored blazer + crewneck sweater

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(Image credit: Christian Vierig/Getty Images)

Wear it with: Menswear-inspired blazer + graphic tee

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(Image credit: Style du Monde)

Wear it with: Printed jacket + neutral tank

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Nicole Kliest
Freelance Contributor

Nicole Kliest is a freelance writer and editor based in New York City who focuses on fashion, travel, food, wine, and pretty much anything else that's amusing to write about. After graduating from Pepperdine University with a bachelor's in journalism and creative writing, she started her career back in 2010 as Who What Wear's photo editor and throughout the last decade has contributed to publications including Fashionista, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, The Zoe Report, PopSugar, Fodor's Travel, and several others. She also copywrites and has worked with clients such as Frame, Sea, 3x1, Intelligentsia, and others to develop brand voices through storytelling and creative marketing. She's very passionate about the ways we can improve our sustainability efforts in the fashion industry as well as cultivating content that's diverse and inclusive of all people. When she's not checking out the latest restaurant opening in her West Village neighborhood or riding her bicycle along the West Side Highway, she can be found scheming her next trip somewhere around the world. (Up next is Vienna.)