A good alternative is leggings of any length under a shorter skirt. You're still on trend but doing it in a way that makes the look feel less bulky and more modest. Like a mini skirt with Capri leggings.
My personal inspos when wearing jeans under dresses are shojo female characters. The characters themselves don't actually wear them a lot but they definitely inspire me to dress like that
Omg i did identical skirt over pants look in like 2006 when i was a kid and thought i was a genius. I even remember someone gasping in awe the first i wore shorts over leggings. Its adorable to see the next gen rediscovering and reinventing my middle school creations, its like my inner child is getting the validation from cool kids she always wanted
If you want to save money but want the trend- if you have a crossbody bag, you can make it a utility belt bag by putting the strap around your waist and adjusting/tying it.
Leopard print isn't my thing but I do like a good snakeskin print. I have grey snakeskin print leggings & jeggings. Great for the rock n roll look I prefer.