Great Outfits in Fashion History: Mena Suvari in a Statement Jacket and Leather Pants

This look would be equally cool if worn today.

There are perfectly good celebrity style moments, and then there are the looks that really stick with you, the ones you try desperately to recreate at home. In ‘Great Outfits in Fashion History,’ Fashionista editors are revisiting their all-time favorite lewks.

Judging by photos, leather pants were the unofficial red-carpet uniform of “cool” celebrities in the Y2K era. And as the style surges back into popularity today, we should remember the celebrities that already did the hard work of figuring out how to style them. All we have to do is browse through old photos of Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts and other stars who were frequently in the public eye back then. One of my favorite leather-pants looks comes courtesy of Mena Suvari at the 2000 MTV Movie Awards. (The event itself, by the way, was a wealth of incredible looks.)

The outfit — which gives off strong “I don’t need a stylist for every appearance” energy — features a very cool patterned jacket of unknown provenance, though it feels like it could be vintage Pucci? I love that it’s styled to reveal a touch of midriff above her low-waisted, bootcut, buttery leather trousers, with practical black boots and simple black purse.

It’s a look one could easily recreate today — just find a cool jacket at your local vintage shop and pair it with a great-fitting pair of real or faux leather pants. Shop a few options in the gallery below.