For a good while, some people have been saying ‘leopard print is a neutral’ with regards to their wardrobes, but until this year, I’ve not been sure how true that is outside of the ex-fashion blogger world. In 2024, though, the animal print has been ubiquitous: shirts, skirts (and not just graphic satiny numbers from Realisation Par), accenting brogues, loafers and coats. Damson Madder, a clothing brand that I think has come to particular prominence in the last couple of years among a certain brand of UK women, has championed it with two signature leopard print pieces: trousers and a ribbon tie gilet, which originally retailed for £80 but is apparently half price at the moment.
Bar a summertime flurry of ‘retail therapy,’ this has been another year where I’ve vowed to avoid buying new clothes, bar the necessary consumables like socks. I do think it’s interesting that when I felt the most powerless, and the least like I had impact on the world and ability to change, I sought the rush of the Reformation sale to feel new or impressive. And this was after I wrote about my re-commitment to not spending and the value of individuals taking advantage of their right not to buy back in the spring:
But anyway. Leopard print. Why is it so big at the moment? It can be gaudy, which, after a period of ‘skincare is the makeup’ tasteful, scraped back hair and supposedly effortless matcha-slurping, feels assuringly obvious. Who wears leopard print on screen? Kat Slater and Pat off EastEnders; the mob wives of The Sopranos. But the Damson Madder gilet isn’t trying to be playfully tacky. The tie detailing encourages bows, a recent trend that inserts a certain ‘Clara from The Nutcracker Suite’ girlish smart dress — but it’s also considerably less work to manufacture than a functioning buttonhole. The sleeveless number adds a ‘pop’ of interest against neutral white shirts and denim, perfect for the working woman 28+ in a creative or charitable office who wants to look put together and undramatic, but still nod to her personality at her desk.
Historically, I’ve mainly been more of a tortoiseshell sort of a girl, though I have a soft spot for a bold cow print that I’ve yet to incorporate into my wardrobe. Leopard and zebra have never really spoken to me, but I’ve felt that changing this year. Zebra still is reserved for crossings, and I’ve reminded myself that I probably won’t get multiple years of wear from leopard print trousers, but my softening to it speaks to the dominance of it on the high street at the moment.