How To Rock Leopard-Print Denim Like A Grown Up

If you've been keeping your eyes on the urban game trails, you've probably seen a lot of wild prints running by. Patterned denim is more popular than ever — leopard print especially — and we're not letting you step into fall without a pair of your own. But we hear you, all those stripes, shapes, flowers, and furry looks can trend a little young — a little '80s mall casual. But that's just in your mind, girl. You can still look chic, mature, and office appropriate while showing your spots. To convince you that patterned denim is an adult "do," we had GUESS lend us a leopard-print pair from its on-point fall collection and styled it for three real-world situations. Read on to learn how to dress up these kittens with big-cat style.

Out of Africa, indeed. We've said before that you can treat leopard prints as neutrals, and these GUESS jacquard jeans are no exception. The earthy tone of this long, elegant cardi perfectly matches the slim, striking denim, and the sheer length and volume breaks up the visual of the jeans, balancing out the entire look. Add in a simple white top and necklace with a touch of turquoise, and you're deep in safari-trend country. The fact that these jeans are darker and more detailed than your usual leopard print completely drives home that adult look.

Running with tigers at the office? This look bites back. By keeping all the other relevant details simple and sleek, the wild GUESS jeans stand out, but the rest of the ensemble stays rooted in professional protocol. Think of it this way: If you substituted black slacks for your cat-prints, no receptionist would bat an eye at this editor-worthy outfit. By just switching up your jeans, you've added a little spark to your office look. Oh, and the blacker, more sophisticated species of leopard here helps a ton. Love those boots, btw.

We see these GUESS leopard-print babies in their natural habitat: the racy evening look. Of course, we wanted to bring them up to a mature level, so instead of just slipping on a concert T-shirt and jean jacket, we went with a classic, timeless, and well-cut motorcycle jacket and a shimmering top for a hint of glamour. Sure, this is rocker chic, but with touches of gold and an elegant hairstyle, it's more Hall of Fame than garage band. Remember, these three looks we came up with off the top of our heads, but there are plenty more ways to skin this cat without trending tween.