Matte/ fabric leopard vs. smooth- leather

unfrumped

I love leopard but think I need to use in subtle ways. A leopard bag is appealing because I know I have a sugar eye for print handbags( usually florals).
But, most of my leopard - live has been for cozy fabrics - scarves or wool or soft cotton sweaters -though I do have a belt- I think because I think of it as fur, soft. Yet I don't much like the hair- calf trend.
A lot of bags have the leopard as haircalf.
I don't have the same issue with reptile because it's " skin". Or maybe I have the reverse- I like reptile leather goods.
I think it's more that some leopard patterns appeal and some don't. It can't just be " realism" because nothing is really real!
Dies anyone else struggle with texture or other aspects of leopard, as in, some bags are too plasticky, but you don't want " fur" either?

7 years ago

Inspiration

7 replies

Latest reply was from approprio

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I have mixed feelings about the calf hair trend. A small local jewelry store had a really special bag with prominent calf hair pockets. It was fabulous. The bag comes from a small cattle farm, which means it is a way of using more of the animal. The rancher's wife makes them. Fabulous, but still, I hesitated.

7 years ago

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

Yes! I am super picky about leopard, too. Personally, I love hair-calf but not (so far) with print on it. I'm trying to add some leopard for fun, so I just bought a couple of scarves that incorporate leopard (in gray-scale) with other prints as a sort of abstract mosaic. I also have a pair of velvet shoes in which the leopard is printed on the woven fabric but the nap is all tawny brown--this makes the leopard print very subtle as it sort of shimmers behind the nap. I love that and would buy other leopard items if they were made in the same way. I read leopard as a static design and very "loud". I think the subtlety and shimmer of the velvet fabrication is the reason I like it so much in my shoes.

7 years ago

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

It took me a few years to not be creeped-out by the feel of hair calf, or pony skin or whatever definitely non-veg thing it is! My first try was a sort of dalmatian-print tote from Boden that was very fashionable ... but I could never get past the Cruella de Vil feeling so I passed it on. I do presently have a couple of pieces with some hair calf, but my leopard tote that I like best is just a print on leather.

7 years ago

Brooklyn

Veteran

I like the texture of calf hair but I must admit I prefer faux calf hair, for the reason Lisa mentioned. My leopard bag is not calf hair, but I like it anyway. I think as you say the printed versions can look a bit plasticky. So you have to be picky, picky, picky.

7 years ago

Diana

Veteran

Yeah this is why I don't own more leopard items. I feel like the best looking leopard items are always haircalf. I don't like haircalf - I do not like hairy things touching my skin (same reason I do not like a lot of fur) and so will not wear it on anything that might touch my skin (like a bag). But then a lot of the "flat" leopard (like printed on leather) looks too shiny and fake.

i have some shoes that are leopard print on a soft nubuck sort of leather that have a softer more natural look and a nice texture but the colors are a bit duller than I'd like. I'm not sure if the color is just a function of that particular print or if the softer texture f the nubuck makes it look duller.

Suede might also be an option.

7 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

I don't mind the texture of calf hair leopard. I think it adds interest. I am not fond of flat, matte printed leopard. I think this is related to an embarrassing personal bias I have somehow picked up. I associate flat printed leopard print with Borderline and Histrionic personalities and a lack of sophistication. Wow! Where did that come from? Is that association a relic from movie characters or television? Probably. It certainly doesn't come from anything I have personally experienced in my personal life or at work! LOL!

I like flat printed snakeskin and reptile print!

7 years ago

approprio

(website)

Veteran

I've just had an animal print epiphany. I own precisely two pieces of animal print right now, one being the pink tiger striped pants I bought the other week and the other a purple skirt I made a couple of years ago. Here's the kicker - both are jacquard fabrics in completely unnatural colours.

Ok, it's a tiny sample so it probably doesn't prove anything, and if it does I have no idea what it is. Maybe something to do with cuddly toys.

7 years ago

Category