How to Style a Houndstooth Cardigan Four Ways

by Julie Marshall

$150

15 Minutes

Easy

Are you, like me, a sucker for houndstooth?

Do you just love the look of that crisp black-and-white pattern every fall or winter?

When I saw this houndstooth cardigan the other day, I just HAD to have it!

And then my little creative brain started coming up with all kinds of fun ways to wear it. Come let me show you what I came up with…

But before we start with the cute looks, did you know that the term “houndstooth” (or houndstooth knit) is actually defined as, “a large checked pattern with notched corners suggestive of a canine tooth, typically used in cloth for jackets and suits”? Who knew? I think that is such a fun (and new to me) fashion fact!

Enough of the trivia. Now on to what you’re here for. Really cute outfits that you need in your wardrobe! (Just sayin’.)

how to style a houndstooth cardigan four ways, Here I am in the houndstooth cardigan with a denim shirt underneath I have a black leather backpack as well as silver pave hoop earrings My pants are black faux suede leggings and my boots are black leather riding boots

Here I am in the houndstooth cardigan with a denim shirt underneath. I have a black leather backpack as well as silver pave hoop earrings. My pants are black faux suede leggings and my boots are black leather riding boots.

In this post...

Houndstooth Cardigan Outfit #1

I love to wear denim with black and white! In fact, black and white are my go-to colors when I can’t figure out what to wear! So pairing this denim shirt with the houndstooth sweater was an easy combination to pull off. I added silver pave hoop earrings, a silver heart necklace, as well as my stainless steel Ebel watch.

For more black, I paired a darling leather backpack bag, black J McLaughlin Ultrasuede leggings (so comfortable), and black leather riding boots. I love the equestrian feel of this outfit. And I think the black faux suede leggings (wash like a dream!) are a bit more elevated than the black leggings we all reach for so frequently.

How to Style a Long Cardigan

Many of my readers are a bit stumped as to how to style a long cardigan. Pro-tip: I think the key tips to consider involve the fit and style of the piece. All too often, long cardigans can look a bit like an old bathrobe; really oversized and not all that flattering.

When I come up with sweater looks, I consider proportions. I think this particular long cardigan looks good both buttoned and unbuttoned. And because the knit is a bit slubby, to balance that thickness, I wore bottoms that were fairly fitted in all four outfits. If on the other hand, the sweater was a silky thin one, I would probably wear that open, and with a wider variety of bottoms. I would consider tousers, wide-leg jeans, a button-down shirt, or cami, etc. These are all points to consider when determining how to style a cardigan.

Houndstooth Cardigan Sweater Outfit #2

how to style a houndstooth cardigan four ways, Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a perfect white button down shirt black faux suede leggings and short booties I added a black and light ivory houndstooth silk neck kerchief for more style

Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a perfect white button down shirt, black faux suede leggings, and short booties. I added a black and light ivory houndstooth silk neck kerchief for more style.

This second look could easily go to work or out to lunch with friends. I styled the long cardigan with the same faux suede leggings as in outfit number one, but this time I added a perfect white shirt as well as a coordinating black and really light ivory houndstooth small scarf.

I actually bought the scarf in the summer during the Nordstrom sale because I am always on the hunt for black and white accessories. Scarves are such fun items to shop for as they add so much value to an outfit and they last forever.

Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a perfect white button-down shirt, black faux suede leggings, and short booties. I added a black and light ivory houndstooth silk neck kerchief for more style.

I wasn’t sure that the colors of the sweater and scarf would work together. But because the sweater is a bit of a gray-white, the scarf with the light ivory tones still worked. Yay, me! I wore black suede booties to complete this look.

Here’s a fun detail about this houndstooth sweater. The pattern varies in that at the top and bottom of the sweater, the checks are larger. Then at the waist, the pattern is a smaller gauge check. This is to create a waist look which is pretty great as cardigans can look somewhat boxy. Also, the sweater has beautiful pearl buttons with a silver edge. Pro-tip: The details of Talbots’ items are always there!

An important detail to mention is that I usually wear a size small (S) in most cardigans. In this case, however, I am wearing an XS. It runs just a bit roomy. Talbots has lovely customer service both online and in stores. Their return policy is 60 days. And they frequently have great sales.

Houndstooth Cardigan Outfit #3

how to style a houndstooth cardigan four ways, Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a black ribbed turtleneck black jeans black booties and a dainty silver chain link belt

Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a black ribbed turtleneck, black jeans, black booties, and a dainty silver chain link belt.

Here’s how to style a long women’s cardigan with a columnar effect. The columnar effect is where you wear the same color on top and bottom (of your top and skirt or pants). This creates an illusion of height and is naturally slimming. Then for my third piece, I added the black and white houndstooth cardigan.

Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a black ribbed turtleneck, black jeans, black booties, and a dainty silver chain link belt.

I wore the cardigan open as I wanted the all-black pieces to show. I paired a black J McLaughlin ribbed turtleneck with a pair of Talbots jeans. For accessories, I added the same booties as the second look as well as the same silver pave earrings as outfit number one. Pro-tip: An interesting tip is to add a thin silver chain link belt to the waistline. I liked that this slightly defined my waist, but didn’t disrupt the black column effect. Do you agree? Tell me below in the comments.

Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a black ribbed turtleneck, black jeans, black booties, and a dainty silver chain link belt.

Houndstooth Cardigan Outfit #4

how to style a houndstooth cardigan four ways, Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a white cotton turtleneck underneath Then the pants are vintage light blue J Crew jeans My backpack is a black leather backpack by Evereve

Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a white cotton turtleneck underneath. Then the pants are vintage light blue J-Crew jeans. My backpack is a black leather backpack by Evereve.

Do you love a clean, crisp white cotton turtleneck? For a long time, due to the hot flashes of menopause, I could NOT wear any kind of turtleneck as I was ALWAYS TOO HOT! But with the advent of hormone replacement therapy (thank you, Dr. Rock!), and being almost 66, I am back in the business of buying turtlenecks and cozy houndstooth cardigans, for that matter!

Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a white cotton turtleneck underneath. Then the pants are vintage light blue J-Crew jeans. My backpack is a black leather backpack by Evereve.

This is by far, the most casual styling of this long cardigan. The white turtleneck from Talbots is such a nice weight. Not too heavy, and not so light as to be sheer. Yep, this Goldilocks loves this turtleneck! The white color works with the very light gray of the cardigan. My jeans are light- washed J Crew straight-leg jeans that they play nicely with the black booties. And by the way, this fall and winter, light jeans with a vintage wash are all the rage. You don’t just have to wear dark-wash jeans in the cooler months.

Lastly, I am wearing the silver pave hoop earrings and my Oakley sunglasses.

Here is the black and white houndstooth cardigan with a white cotton turtleneck underneath. Then the pants are vintage light blue J-Crew jeans. My backpack is a black leather backpack by Evereve.

Conclusion:

So which of the outfits above is your favorite? Tell me some ways YOU would style this fun black and white houndstooth cardigan in the comments below. Also please tell me what other items you are challenged with styling so I can come up with helpful tips. Happy Sweater Weather!

XO,

Dr. Julie

PS. Here are a few more posts for you to enjoy:

Five Plaid Blazer Outfits for Fall

How to Wear a Slip Dress Seven Different Ways!

Three Fall Family Photo Outfits Ideas

A Recipe for Shakshuka

Gorgeous DIY 5-Minute Fall Silk Flower Arrangement!

How to Create an Elegant Fall/Thanksgiving Tablescape