Tops with asymmetrical front knot detailing, like the styles below, are a handy silhouette to have in your wardrobe if you don’t like tucking tops into bottoms. The slanted hemline creates the oh-so-fashionable semi-tucked look without tucking the front of the top or exposing the waistband of your skirt, shorts, jeans or trousers. The magical diagonal line that is created in front of the body is flattering because it either straightens curves OR accentuates them, depending on your preference.

Stateside Knot Detail Heathered TeeExpress Knot Front Slub Knit TeeStateside Stripe Knot Tee

The good news is that you can create a similar knotted silhouette by using an elastic band on the front side of a top and tucking under the loop. Diane recently demonstrated the “knotted top trick” on our forum, photographing the steps involved. It’s dead simple and works on both knitted and woven tops. All you need is an elastic band and a top with a bit of length and volume.

Steps

ResultThe knotted effect gives a top and the outfit a little more structure by hinting at the waistline. It’s perfect for tempering the volume or shortening the length of a top to create a more flattering silhouette. Great for hourglass and pear shaped body types who like a little waist definition. Great for inverted triangle body types because it reins in the volume of a top that’s too wide on the hips. And good for apple shapes because the fit of the top remains sufficiently loose and is therefore forgiving on the midsection. 

A-line skirts, fit-and-flare skirts, pencil skirts and culottes tend to look best with tucked tops or untucked short fitted tops, which can be hard to find. The knotted top trick instantly transforms a longer and looser top into a great skirt top. Now that’s shopping your closet. Many thanks to Diane for coming up with this clever idea and showing us how it’s done.