Over winter break, I took it upon myself to get some shopping in before returning to campus for spring semester. I was browsing through H&M at home in Huntsville, Ala., – not a surprise – and at the end of my shopping trip, I found myself purchasing a pair of burgundy, leather skinny jeans.

Although my newest addition wasn’t real leather, they were on sale for $10, and I thought, why not give these a try? Most people often think of burly bikers or raging rockers when leather comes into play, but if done right, leather (or pleather, in my case) is a fun trend to pull off.

Before I explain how burgundy leather skinnies are best worn, I feel the need to say that leather pants – or leather anything for that matter – should be kept in darker, neutral colors or earth tones. Personally, nothing about neon pink leather sounds appealing to me, but I’m sure someone out there thinks that sounds like a good idea. I’ll be the first to tell you: it isn’t. Even black leather can be iffy, depending on the finish of the skin. Too matte and you risk looking like a biker. Too shiny and you may find yourself in a Britney Spears video.

Lining is also an important factor to consider when buying leather skinnies. My pair has a thin cotton lining inside, so it feels like I’m wearing a regular pair of jeans. Even though most people wouldn’t don leather during the Alabama summers, leather can get hot even in the winter, particularly if there’s nothing but plastic or cow skin pressed on your legs. You’ll get sweaty, and you’ll squeak when you walk, so the easiest solution is to look for a pair of skinnies with a lining.

Now that I’ve given my words of warning, it’s best to play with textures when rocking a pair of leather skinnies. Winter’s favorite trend, the chunky sweater, is my personal favorite way to wear my newfound wardrobe piece. Sweaters with a thicker knit work best because they not only play on texture, but they highlight your body’s proportions: tight, fitted pants against an overwhelming top. I sometimes even buy sweaters that are a size or two too large. That way, if you find you have any lumps or bumps you’d be self-conscious of in your new leather skinnies, the larger sweater will hide these with no problem.

And remember – most importantly for this trend – size is just a number. Especially when it comes to something so tight, like leather skinnies. Different stores have different sizes, but I’ll be the first to admit I had to go up a size so my sale-table find fit me. H&M is an example of a store that runs (really) small, but always buy what looks and feels best when you’re wearing it, not what the label says.