Fall is a great time to start getting out the sweaters, boots and heavy coats. It’s also a great time to start incorporating other fabrics into your wardrobe. Leather (or pleather if you prefer) can be a tricky one, especially in the context of office wear.

During our shopping trip to Ann Taylor, we found two pieces that incorporate “pleather” in this case, without being over the top or trashy looking. The first piece is a shift dress with a wide block of pleather across the neckline, creating flared sleeves on either side. The rest of the dress is a flat black. This is a great mix of both fabrics without being too loud or in your face. (P)Leather is best when it’s not clinging to your skin, rather, a little looser and free moving.

The singular color leaves a lot of room for a patterned heel or earring, but be sure to keep it toned down and “calm” for the office.

If this much (p)leather is too much for you, try incorporating it as an accent fabric. Below, this Ann Taylor grey 3/4 sleeve shift dress uses leather around the neckline and pockets. This is a great way to add some flare to an otherwise pretty basic shift dress. A pair of black (p)leather pumps finish off the look and tie in the trim on the dress perfectly; making for a simple to put together look for fall.

Ann Taylor Faux Leather Trim Tweed Shift Dress

As we’ve mentioned before, Casual Friday doesn’t have to mean jeans. This week, we are falling into cooler weather with a dress, blazer/ bootie combo that can take you from the office right into the weekend.

If you’re not good a mixing and matching patterns and vibrant colors, neutrals and earth tones can be your best friend. Check out Theo’s neutral toned look. While this could typically be considered a summer dress, when it’s paired with a gray/tan blazer and suede, closed toe booties, the outfit translates into the cooler season seamlessly.

Trading in the basket weave purse for a leather tote large enough to store your laptop really finishes off this office ready look.