Feelin’ Knotty

Knots are my signature secret weapon of styling. It might seem like a small thing, but simply tying knots can be a unique way to add a twist (pun intended😉) to an otherwise standard outfit. I’m actually kind of bummed that certain celebrities and models have been catching on to this trick lately, because it’s been “my thing” for forever. Oh, well – I suppose that means it’s about time I share my tidbit of fashion finesse.

Here’s why knots are a super-cool styling trick: First, playing with knots is an easy + cool way to turn a standard piece of clothing into a look. Adding individualized flair to fast-fashion garments is important if you aim to avoid looking like a clone in the crowd of the bazillion other people wearing your shirt who all bought it from the exact same store. As an added bonus, knots also can have the functional property of altering the way a garment fits. This is great if you’ve got an overlarge piece that you’d like to be able to wear without hiding your figure.

I have three ways to use knots that each work for different outfits depending on what you’re wearing and how you’d like to style it. So, without further ado:

1) The T-Shirt Knot

This works well on long and/or loose T-shirts or tops that you’d like to shorten or streamline. Pro tip: tie the knot right at your waist, because it nips in the line of the garment and accentuates your figure. I like to pair this look with high-waisted bottoms to really play up the hourglass shape that this styling imparts. Additionally, as a matter of personal preference I usually like to tie the knot a off to the side because I think the off-center look is kinda cool. However, tying the knot right in the middle is also a solid option.

2) The Button-Down Bow

I actually discussed this look in my last post, but it’s worth mentioning again here because it ties in nicely with all the knot talk (see what I did there? I’m so punny). It’s pretty straightforward, but look over here if you want to read more about creating this look.

3) The Overlay Twist

OUTFIT DETAILS – Top: Pull & Bear, Chambray: BP Nordstrom; Pants: STS Blue

This method uses knots to style a large cardigan or button-down that functions as a layering piece over the rest of an outfit. All it involves is twisting the two end of the layered shirt around itself to create a knot on each side. Sometimes I also like to fold up the back “tail” of the shirt, which makes a bigger piece look shorter and avoids totally hiding your butt (but this only works with certain kinds of shirts that are stiffer and can “hold” the fold without falling back down. If I’m really determined, I’ll even tuck the shirt tail into the back of my pants and blouse it over so that it looks natural). What I really enjoy about this trick is that it streamlines an overlarge garment, which avoids the problem of appearing as though you’re being swallowed alive by your shirt.

So there you have it! Three easy ways to use knots to add a unique flair to any look. Do you have your own way of executing any of these, or do you have any fun styling tricks of your own ~up your sleeve~? Let’s talk in the comments!

– jennifer