Inspiration Board: Nikki - Tough Lace

This recent look of Nikki's made me think about lace. For years, I stayed away from it because it felt too feminine to me. I was afraid of not looking strong, so delicate, flowery, gorgeous pieces were not something I embraced, even though I loved their beauty. I even went as far as buying it - I remember an ivory lace tank that sat in my dresser for years ;). I just never managed to actually wear it. It's only recently that I realized lace and it's ilk doesn't have to be all cupcakes and froufrou. The trick is to toughen it up a bit by pairing it with an alternate texture and vibe. Nikki's done that here by matching this delicate blouse with leather slim pants. Leather is quite possibly the ultimate way to give lace some attitude, but there are others. Borrowing from Harley-rider culture is one way to go. A biker-type jacket can be done in other materials - suede, twill or even a knit- and still pack a punch. here's I've imagined it paired with skinny moto pants (leggings will do, if they're of the slightly polished variety - no plain yoga-type ones, please. Save those for the gym ;)). You could also go with cropped or rolled black denim. Finish the look with don't-mess-with-this-gal black knee boots or killer heels (peeptoe booties, lace-up stilettos, strappy sandals. Bonus points for anything with studs ;)). Another look that toughens lace up is a military influence. This often represented by a hardware-heavy jacket, which can also include strong embroidery details like epaulets. It can also be called a band jacket, referencing the marching musicians that enliven parades and homecomings :). Gobs of pant types can work with this look: tuxedo-striped leggings,slim ponte pants, boyfriend chinos or flared denim, as I went with here. Paired with platform ankle-strap sandals give this a 70's groupie-muse vibe, but knee or OTK boots will accentuate the rugged side of the style. Plain black pumps are always appropriate too and give take the style into classic-chic territory (never ever a bad thing). PS both these looks work just as well with colored lace as with neutrals. So, if you already love lace, I hope you have fun playing with some of these looks. If you fear lace, now is the time to face said fear ;). Trust me, you can rock this! #HardBittenLace