10 Style Tips for Wearing Crochet with Contemporary Clothing

Crochet clothing has been very popular in the past couple of years. It's made its way on to the runway in all seasons although it is especially popular in spring and summer. The trend doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, which is a really great thing because it's a handmade craft that you can DIY if you want to. But how can you make crochet look cool rather than frumpy, dowdy or just out of date? The ten style tips in this article are designed to help you figure out how to wear this trend.

Crochet scarves are hugely popular as are crochet cowls. They can be wonderful additions to an outfit but they also add a lot of bulk to the upper part of your body. Because of this it's ideal for the rest of your outfit, especially your top, to be well-fitting. An overall sleek and slim look will allow your crochet scarf to look nice without being an unwelcome center of attention.

Small crochet accessories offer great handmade statements about your sense of personal style without making it too tough to pair with an outfit. For example, this super colorful crochet ring works well with many different styles. I was wearing it on this particular day with just a blue t-shirt and jeans for a pop of color added to casual style. However, I've also worn it with nicer dresses and funkier outfits. Crochet earrings, especially ones that are solid in color, are also a great crochet accessory to improve any outfit.

You can add just a touch of crochet to an old item in your closet to jazz it up a little bit. Here I added a few round crochet circles to a knit sweater. I also added some rows of black crochet at the bottom to make the sweater longer. The sweater itself retains most of its original style so I'd wear it in whatever way I'd worn it before but now it has a bit more handmade style and a length that happens to suit me better. Be smart, add just a touch and enjoy your look.

There are many different types of novelty yarns on the market today. They can allow you to make really unique items that might look more fashionable than crochet with straightforward yarn. In this example I'm wearing a scarf I crocheted using a ribbon yarn. It doesn't even look like crochet and sometimes that's what works best when adding crochet to an outfit. Faux fur yarn is another great example of a novelty yarn that can make your wardrobe look great. Check out what Ambika Friendly Furs is doing with angora rabbit fur yarn for an example!

If you really love the old-fashioned look of crochet then what you probably like about is how romantic it looks. Think lace and cream and femininity. If that's what you love about crochet then dare to really go romantic with your personal style. Here I've wrapped a crochet shawl up like a dress, pinned it with a very romantic crochet rose pin that matches the pink slip you can see through the dress and added a romantic crochet collar to top it off. Although I didn't do super-romantic hair and makeup on this day that would definitely complete the look.

Speaking of the slip, what you wear underneath your crochet clothing often matters because many crochet items are at least partially see-through. Here I've got on an openwork dress and I've worn a nicely fitted black top and slip underneath. The effect would be completely different if I'd worn a crazy colored pattern underneath or a white dress or if I'd chosen long sleeves, etc. Think about that when you're trying to figure out how to make a crochet item look great. Incidentally, I happen to personally think that black stockings and patterned fishnet tights are great additions to most outfits that include crochet.

There are some crochet items that inevitably call up certain eras. The crochet collar you saw before has a truly vintage 1920s feel to it. This poncho, on the other hand, screams 1970s as would many granny square clothing items and anything in the colors orange, yellow and avocado. It can be best if you style the rest of your outfit loosely, but not exactly, around that era. So for example with this poncho it makes sense to do 70's style hair and perhaps some flare bottom jeans but you don't want to go completely overboard with a total head to toe 70s style because it will look more like a costume than self-expression. For things like ponchos and granny circle vests think Coachella style not Woodstock.

A crochet cowl can definitely be a great addition to a winter outfit because it looks and feels cozy. However, you don't have to limit it to your winter wardrobe. As you can see from this springtime outfit, a crochet cowl can add warmth and style to ward off a breeze on an only slightly cool day.

There are so many different ways that you can tie a scarf to create different styles and statements. You can see twenty five different ways in the video to the right of this text and there are many other ways as well. Most of us get in the habit of using just one or two ways and that's a mistake when there are so many other options for varying your own personal style. Play with this!

A hat can make any clothes that you're wearing become a full outfit. It pulls together your look and says that you care about making a statement with your clothing. Crochet hats come in all shapes and sizes, all colors and textures and if you're a crocheter yourself then you're only limited by your imagination in terms of what you can make to adorn your head. Any outfit that you want to wear can be paired with a terrific crochet hat. Add some perfect shoes and walk out that door with confidence!