THREE WAYS TO WEAR // KNITTED TABBARD

Say ‘Hi’ to my newest wardrobe staple!  I’ve found myself reaching for this knitted tabard so much lately that it’s fast become my must have piece for the season.

I'm a huge fan of layering and mixing different textures and have found this to be a great piece for that.  I wear a LOT of black - often head to toe - so I add interest by layering a mixture of different fabrics together.  This outfit is a perfect example of that.  I'm wearing faux leather pants, a woolen sleeveless duster, a leather jacket, suede boots and the knitted tabard.    It's ridiculously comfortable which I find even more important when it's minus something crazy outside.

While I love layering the tabard, I also think it looks great worn alone, with a pair of skinny pants.  I don't often wear long shapeless pieces, especially knitwear, as they have a tendency to swamp my short frame.  But I can sometimes get away with it if I team looser, boxier styles with tight fitting skinny pants.  This tabard actually looks beautiful worn over wide leg pants too, but I'm just not tall enough to pull that look off.

And while I'm talking about this outfit, I just need to point out my beautiful clutch...like you hadn't already noticed it.  This work of art is handwoven, and handmade, by the super talented Kate of Rhuling Woven.  Go check out her website if you haven't already heard of her, and stay tuned as I'll be featuring Kate in my Stylish Pittsburgh series next month!

The third outfit is another casual look, albeit a more polished one.  This time I’ve layered a long-line vest on top to give the knitwear a little more shape.  I really like this look, it’s a little different for me, maybe a little more grown-up?  I’ve found myself drawn to slightly more polished pieces recently and can see my style developing a little as a result.  I spend most of my time developing my client’s style, pushing them outside of their comfort zones and encouraging them to try new looks, so it’s fun to explore my own style instead!

What do you do to keep your look fresh? Or maybe it's not something you consciously do?  Maybe it's more of a natural progression??

On the subject of keeping your style fresh - Style Studs and Lace has had a mini make-over!  I've organized my categories so it's easier for you to find what you're looking for, and am really excited to be bringing back my Ask Niki series, so get in touch if you have something you need help with!