Variant option selection with tabs instead of select boxes and no need to initialise it in the product template.

variant_selection.js

  // Product page variant option selection
  var VariantSelect = (function() {
    
    var $variantSelection;
    
    // The selection filters from top to bottom. Only the 2nd and 3rd option 
    // variants can become unavailable
    function setUnavailable(index) {
      var option1 = $variantSelection.find('.active[data-index="0"]').data('option1');
      
      if(index===0) {
        // we need to set the unavailable items in indexes 1 & 2 (remember it's 0 index)
        $variantSelection.find('span[data-index="1"]:not([data-option1="'+option1+'"]), span[data-index="2"]:not([data-option1="'+option1+'"])').addClass('unavailable').removeClass('active');
        $variantSelection.find('span[data-index="1"][data-option1="'+option1+'"], span[data-index="2"][data-option1="'+option1+'"]').removeClass('unavailable');
        
      }
      
      else if(index===1) {
        // we need to set the unavailable items in index 2
        var option2 = $variantSelection.find('.active[data-index="1"]').data('option2');
        $variantSelection.find('span[data-index="2"]:not([data-option1="'+option1+'"][data-option2="'+option2+'"])').addClass('unavailable').removeClass('active');
        $variantSelection.find('span[data-index="2"][data-option1="'+option1+'"][data-option2="'+option2+'"]').removeClass('unavailable');
      }
    }
    
    // make sure we still have an active option in each section and that all options 
    // are showing that should be
    function setActive() {
      $variantSelection.each(function() {
        if(!$(this).find('span.active').length) $(this).find('span:not(.unavailable):first').addClass('active');
          
        // make sure the active item is showing
        if(!$(this).find('span.active:visible').length) {
          var $activeItem = $(this).find('span.active');
          var activeValue = $activeItem.data('val');
          $(this).find('span[data-val="'+activeValue+'"]:visible').hide().after($activeItem);
          $activeItem.show();
        }
        
        // make sure items that are not unavailable which have same name variants that
        // are unavailable are swapped out
        $(this).find('span.unavailable:visible').each(function() {
          var itemText = $(this).data('val');
          var $validItem = $(this).siblings('span[data-val="'+itemText+'"]:not(.unavailable):first');

          if($validItem.length) {
            $(this).hide().after($validItem);
            $validItem.show();
          }
        });
      });
    }
    
    function getActive() {
      if($variantSelection.find('span.active[data-index="2"]').length) return $variantSelection.find('span.active[data-index="2"]');
      if($variantSelection.find('span.active[data-index="1"]').length) return $variantSelection.find('span.active[data-index="1"]');
      if($variantSelection.find('span.active[data-index="0"]').length) return $variantSelection.find('span.active[data-index="0"]');
    }
    
    // the last index will always hold the correct id
    function setVariant() {
      var $active = getActive();

      $('[name="id"]').val($active.data('id'));
      $('#ProductPrice').html($active.data('price'))
    }
    
    function selectItem() {
      if($(this).hasClass('unavailable')) return;
      
      $(this).toggleClass('active').siblings('span').removeClass('active');
      var index = $(this).data('index');
      
      setUnavailable(index);
      setActive();
      setId();
    }
    
    function init() {
      if(!$('.variant-selection').length) return;
      
      $variantSelection = $('.variant-selection');
      
      $variantSelection.find('span').click(selectItem);
      
      setActive();
      setVariant();
    }
    
    return function() {
      $(init);
    };
    
  })();
  
  // initialise it
  VariantSelect();

variant_selection.liquid

<form action="/cart/add" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" id="AddToCartForm" class="form-vertical">

  <!-- Product Price ===================== -->
  <div itemprop="price" class="product-price"> 
    <span id="ProductPrice">{{ current_variant.price | money }}</span>
    
    <!-- on sale -->
    {% if current_variant.compare_at_price > current_variant.price %}
      &nbsp;<span class="h2">was</span> <span class="h2 line-through">{{ current_variant.compare_at_price | money }}</span>
    {% endif %}
  </div>
  <!-- //Product Price -->
  
  <!-- 
    Variant Selection ===================== 

    Generate a set of tags for each of the variant options.
    -- option_list ensures we don't list the same variant option twice.
    -- class="active" represents the currently selected option
    -- class="unavailable" greys out the options preventing it from being selected
    -- when an option is selected each data-option(1/2/3) is checked in the VariantSelect js to
     ensure only compatible matches can be selected
  -->
  {% if product.available %}
  {% for option in product.options %}
  {% assign option_index = forloop.index0 %}
  {% assign option_list = '' %}
  {% assign selected_variant = product.selected_or_first_available_variant %}
  <div class="variant-selection">
    <h4>{{ option }}:</h4>
    {% for variant in product.variants %}
    
      {% if variant.available %}
      {% if option_list contains variant.options[option_index] %}
    	<!-- hidden tags (get swapped out when a relevant option is chosen) -->
    	{% if option_index != 0 %}<span style="display:none;" data-id="{{ variant.id }}" data-index="{{ option_index }}" data-option1="{{ variant.options[0] }}" data-option2="{{ variant.options[1] }}" data-option3="{{ variant.options[2] }}" data-val="{{ variant.options[option_index] }}" data-price="{{ variant.price | money }}">{{ variant.options[option_index] }}</span>{% endif %}
      {% else %}
    	{% assign option_list = option_list | append: variant.options[option_index] | append: ', ' %}
        <span 
          class="{% if variant == selected_variant %}active{% endif %} {% unless variant.options[0] == selected_variant.options[0] %}{% if option_index != 0 %}unavailable{% endif %}{% endunless %}"
          data-id="{{ variant.id }}"
          data-index="{{ option_index }}"
          data-option1="{{ variant.options[0] }}"
          data-option2="{{ variant.options[1] }}"
          data-option3="{{ variant.options[2] }}"
          data-val="{{ variant.options[option_index] }}"
          data-price="{{ variant.price | money }}"
        >{{ variant.options[option_index] }}</span>
      {% endif %}
      {% endif %}
    
    {% endfor %}
  </div>
  {% endfor %}
  {% endif %}
  <!-- //Variant Select -->
  
  <!-- Form Controls ===================== -->
  <label for="Quantity" class="quantity-selector">{{ 'products.product.quantity' | t }}</label>
  <input type="number" id="Quantity" name="quantity" value="1" min="1" class="quantity-selector">
  
  <!-- the current variant id is stored here and submitted with the form -->
  <input type="hidden" data-id="{{ product.selected_or_first_available_variant.id }}" name="id">
  
  <button type="submit" name="add" id="AddToCart" class="btn">
    <span id="AddToCartText">{{ 'products.product.add_to_cart' | t }}</span>
  </button>
  <!-- //Form Controls -->
</form>

variant_selection.scss

.variant-selection {
  margin: 10px -10px 10px -10px;
  
  h4 { margin: 0 0 3px 10px; }
  
  span { 
    display: inline-block; 
    border-radius: 20px; 
    border: 1px solid $dark-shade; 
    color: $dark-shade; 
    padding: 8px 10px; 
    font-weight: 300;
    margin: 5px 10px;
    background: #fff;
    cursor: pointer;
  }
  span.active { background: $primary-4; border-color: $primary-4; color: #fff; }
  span.unavailable { background: $light-shade; border-color: $light-shade; color: $mid-shade; cursor: default; }
}