Kate Upton accepts People's "Sexiest Woman Alive" in what else? Black leather!

So if you're Kate Upton and accepting People's "Sexiest Woman Alive" Award, how better to dress for the occasion than rocking a hot black leather outfit and stiletto pumps!

Although I saw a reference to it being a "leather pencil dress," I'm not so sure.  The top, which is amazing, has a real lambskin-sheen to it while the skirt has more of a matte, print look to it.  Of course, we may never know if it's dress or leather top and skirt because she's wearing a wide black leather belt - also very hot!

A quick search reveals that this is not the first time Ms. Upton has rocked a Leather Look, such as what's definitely a leather dress at some kind of GQ event.

And while we're at it, here are a few bonus looks at Ms. Upton rocking some great Leather Looks, including leather skirts, jackets, thigh-high boots, and long leather gloves!

Opera gloves - one of the Top 10 Trends at the 2014 Met Gala

I've long had a weakness for long, opera-length gloves, especially when they're black leather.  Opera gloves were listed as one of the top 10 trends at the 2014 Met Gala.  It goes without saying that Karlie Kloss' look is by far my favorite!  They pair beautifully with her tapestry gown by Oscar de la Renta.

Late season deals on long leather gloves

This fan of long leather gloves has been thrilled to see their resurgence in the last few years.  That said, the best time to get a deal on these gloves is now, near the end of the season.  I'm also a fan of the shopping website polyvore.com, which is a great way to compare prices on items and is really good at listing sale prices.

These 12-button length long black leather gloves from Bloomingdale's are true "opera length."  Originally $168.00, they're a deal at $117.60.  Unfortunately, they're only available in a small size 7.  I also found it interesting that for as long as the gloves are, the modeled photo shows them worn very scrunched.  In fact, the gloves shown on the model look so much shorter, it makes me wonder if they're actually the same gloves!

These Charter Club long leather gloves by Macy's are a real deal at $63.99, regularly $128.00.  They're an even better deal as Macy's often offers an extra 15% off!  While not as long as the Bloomie's gloves above, these are a nice practical longer length for everyday wear.  Currently available in all sizes.  Even the item text is clever: You're in luxe. Sumptuous leather composes these long leather gloves that boast a decidedly femme fatale feel

These Saks black leather opera gloves are also a decent deal at $165.00, especially considering they're silk-lined and made in Italy.  Sign up for Saks e-mail and get an extra 10% off.  This basic-styled leather opera glove measures 19.5" long and is currently only available in a size 8.

Although a little pricier than I'd like, these stunning 23" long black leather opera gloves from Dents are available at Harrods.com for US $228.00.  These gloves feature a mosquetaire button and loop opening at the wrist and stitching detail on the back of the palm.  Currently available in sizes 6.5 - 8.

Michael Kors long leather gloves at Nordstrom

Having been a fan of Michael Kors' boots for awhile now, it shouldn't come as a surprise that they've ventured into long leather gloves.

Although I'm not sure I like the strap-and-buckle detail at the glove opening, the length is about perfect - past the elbow without going to the shoulder. While I'd opt for them in the more versatile black, the luggage color is an intriguing option.

These gloves are currently listed for $250 at Nordstrom.com.  Given the price, I'd really like to see these in person before committing to them, but unfortunately, they've not available at my local store.  However, I'm really enjoying the "long leather glove" trend!

Diane von Furstenberg leather opera gloves for $101 at TheRealReal

It's good that these Diane von Furstenberg long black leather opera gloves on TheRealReal.com were way too small at a size 6.5 because I would have snapped them up.  They were priced at $125 and with the site's current 20% off promotion, would have been a deal at $101 plus shipping.

These gloves feature very simple, classic styling with only a small gold-tone logo stud at the opening for detail.  They're an impressive 21.5" long and silk-lined.  Even better, the condition was listed as "Pristine, with tags."

As they were already sold when I searched for "gloves" on the site, someone else knew a good deal when they saw one!

Happy 60th Birthday, Cyndi Lauper!

A Happy 60th Birthday to Cyndi Lauper!

Cyndi has always seemed adventurous in her music, personality and sense of style. She rocked some gorgeous black leather opera gloves at the Grammy Awards a few years ago. And her poses show off the gloves perfectly.

Cyndi recently made another splash with her Tony Award win for "Kinky Boots!"

Best ad campaign ever?!

Kudos to the art design team at Fernando Berlin, a German maker of high-quality thigh-high boots and long leather gloves.  They seem to have captured a very popular leather fantasy, as in being seduced by a gorgeous woman wearing a mask, catsuit, long black leather gloves, and stiletto thigh-high boots.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I went to the website and found out there's a video and the photo shoot revolves around a lap dance while being handcuffed to a chair.  Sigh...

Lanvin long black leather gloves make an impressive appearance on ABC's "Revenge"

Although I don't watch the ABC tv show "Revenge," I got a glimpse of some impressive long black leather gloves during one of the previews for an episode which just aired featuring a masquerade ball. As it turns out, the character played by Madeleine Stowe wears them very well and ABC has been good enough to post several great stills from the episode online.  Although the fit was tight for my taste, I was curious who the designer was, and the website WornOnTV.net indicates they're Lanvin long lambskin gloves, priced at $1,083 at Net-a-Porter, or on clearance in green only for $528 at Neiman Marcus.  I've also seen leather opera gloves in a very similar style by Carolina Amato for $200-$300.

 As an added bonus, earlier in the show, another character, Ashley, wore a coral-colored leather dress by The Row, $3,390 at Bergdorf Goodman.

EXPIRED DEAL: Lauren Urstadt black leather opera gloves for $99 on Gilt

I'm bummed that I missed the sale on these Lauren Urstadt black leather opera gloves on Gilt. I definitely would have snapped up a pair for $99.




These appear to be very well-made and the perfect length for wearing extended past the elbow or scrunched below the elbow. The elastic at the wrist is also a nice touch.




Very nicely modeled, by the way! They really rock the look of the "little black dress!"

Bottega Veneta black leather opera gloves

They're way out of my budget, and I'm not sure how practical they are, but I sure like the wide cuffs on these Bottega Veneta black leather opera gloves. They look great scrunched, but I'd be curious to see how they look worn full-length.

My Favorite Pages - ELLE - November 2012

It's not saying much when the "leather highlight" in ELLE consists of a series of fur ads that have a great vintage 1980s look to them.



A knee-length fur coat paired with a turtleneck, wide black leather belt, and nicely matching leather skirt makes for a very sophisticated, luxury look. All that's missing is the knee-high boots!



Bare shoulders and arms stay warm with this nice pairing of a fur stole and opera-length leather gloves.



Again, a very nice pairing of a fur stole withlong leather gloves. The jewelry (big bracelet and pinky ring) worn over the gloves is also a nice touch.




This black leather shirtdress from Michael Kors is anything but basic. The goldtone buttons on the shoulders as well as the optional goldtone belt accent it very nicely. This piece would look great worn in early fall with strappy sandals or later in the season with some sexy over-the-knee boots.



This Hollywood edition of ELLE featured this one photo of actress Susan Sarandon in a Valentino black leather trench coat. The coat appears to be floor length and I wish we could have seen more from this photo shoot.

My Favorite Pages - Vogue - September 2012

For being a 916-page issue, I found surprisingly little to like in the Fall Fashion issue of Vogue. Still, there were a few decent "leather looks" worth sharing...




It's amazing how much waxed (or lacquered) jeans in this case looks like leather. Although the ad states that they're "the new alternative to leather pants," I still think nothing feels and smells like real leather. However, these look very nice paired with the spiky suede boots.




The long black leather gloves are a nice contrast to the print dresses in this Marciano ad. They also look great paired with the big purse.




Again, the long black leather gloves really set off the black dress in this Nina Ricci ad. They really ad to the glamour of this overall outfit.




Very few women could pull off the look of this short black leather dress by Giuseppi Zanotti, but I dare say it looks stunning paired with the gold jewelry, gold accented belt, and gladiator sandals.

My Favorite Pages - ELLE - August 2012

Since I've recently learned how to do "screen grabs" from my iPad, I found that this is a perfect way to share some of my favorite pages from fashion magazines I subscribe to, namely Elle, Lucky, and Vogue.
This new feature will be called "My Favorite Pages" followed by the name of the magazine and the month. The first post will feature my favorite ads and articles from the August 2012 issue of ELLE magazine.

The black leather opera gloves in this Bottega Veneta ad are simply stunning! And I'm sure quite out of my price range! If this season is all about textures, the sleek leather gloves provide quite the contrast with the flower print dress.

ELLE Style Director Kate Lanphear has great taste. I love the "leather suit look" - belted leather jacket paired with a slim leather pencil skirt and boots. The original Yves Saint Laurent outfit on the left is the epitome of the "leather suit look!"

Rihanna - long leather gloves at Brit Awards

Rihanna looks simply stunning in a backless dress and nicely coordinated brown leather opera gloves as she arrives for the 2012 Brit Awards.

These amazing gloves look extremely high quality. Kudos to her stylist!

Interesting how the gloves look black in that last photo.

And there's some great video of her interviewed while wearing the gloves here: