A sweater set for early spring strikes a nice balance with lime green strappy sandals.
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I love a good set. It just makes outfitting so easy. You don’t have to think; you just throw on and go! This pink crochet sweater set is a solid example, which you can find in the May issue of KC Homes & Style. That punchy pink and white combo caught my eye straight away, but what really prompted me to snag it was the fact the sweater material and longer sleeves would make it perfect for early spring when temps are still cool.
I wanted to add some additional punch with the shoe choice, so I went with a lime green strappy sandal (from Amazon’s The Drop collection). Super manageable heel, great color, and worked nicely with the pink in the sweater set. Spring has sprung, let’s bring out all the fun colors! A white crossbody bag big enough to hold the basics, some sparkle on the ears with a fun cuff and hoop earrings, and a pair of vintage Chanel sunglasses I pulled from the archives. (These were my campus go-to’s in college; they feel like a nice early aughts throwback here.)
Shop the look:
The final is very post-Barbie era but is polished enough to be taken seriously at the office. If you’re worried about being too bold with the pink and lime combo, swap out the sandal for something nude or white. Want to make it more casual? Opt for a sleek white leather sneaker. And let’s not forget a matching set doesn’t have to stay a matching set; you can always break it apart and wear it tons of different ways. Next up for this particular pink crochet sweater set is wearing the top with a pair of wide-leg jeans and the skirt with a ribbed white halter tee and sneakers.
Want to see the full May issue of Homes & Style? Go for it.
Now let’s talk hair…
Back to Blonde with Shear Texture: Trust the Process (and Your Stylist)
I was looking to take my light brown hair a lot lighter during my latest round with my hair stylist, Stephanie at Shear Texture. The buzzwords I was targeting: buttery, champagne highlights, beigey, but still warm.
Here’s where we started:
We devised a game plan; rather, I parroted off those words to Steph, and she translated that into hair chemistry, as she does. Everything looked great when she pulled the foils offโ I was a lot lighter, which is definitely what I was going for! I wanted that, “Oh, she’s blonde now!” reaction.
Then we toned, and as Steph was drying, I suddenly felt… Not as light as I wanted to be? Steph and I started troubleshooting; did we not lift enough? (No.) Did the toner blunt the brightness? (A little.) Here’s a few snaps of where we ended up after the initial pass:
Was I lighter? For sure. But I didn’t feel as light as I was right after we lifted with bleach. I still feel like a light brunette with highlights.
Steph went to work, pulling pieces of my hair and asking questions. Is this piece too light? Too dark? We honed in that I really liked the brightest/lightest parts of my hair. (This is most apparent in the styled photo above right.) But I wanted more of that.
This is where working with a stylist you trust comes into play. Some points to consider:
- Steph did what I told her to do; she executed on exactly what I said I wanted. The problem was, what I thought I wanted didn’t translate to the end result when I saw it on myself.
- I could’ve settled with it and gone homeโ no harm, no foul, but not truly happy with my hair. I spoke up because I felt super comfortable. Not just comfortable with Steph and how open she is to feedback, but also with her skills to figure out how to get me where I wanted to be. (This is so important! How many times have you left a stylist’s chair thinking, “Not exactly… but maybe I’ll learn to love it?” And then you never do. And if that happens often enough, you find a new stylist.)
- By speaking up, Steph and I could talk it through, troubleshoot it, and figure it out. She asked me about 50 different questions trying to nail down exactly what I didn’t like, what I did like, and what I wanted more or less of. It was brilliant! This is how you get what you want.
I wore it home just to see if it would grow on me, but we had a game plan if it didn’t. Steph found a spot in her schedule for me if I needed to come back in. As a shock to no one, it didn’t grow on me. I wanted it to be lighter and brighter.
Steph had done some research in the meantime, surmising that we should see what my hair looked like in its raw, lifted state (aka no toner to speak of). Her theory: since my natural only needed to lift about two levels and doesn’t have a lot of hard underlying red pigment to bust through (like a natural brunette would), the raw lifted hair would be brighter than any gold-based toner formula.
This is risky; usually, just-bleached hair has a very yellow-to-orange tone that isn’t pretty. Steph’s theory made sense, but we wouldn’t really know until we removed the toner and styled it. She had figured out a method to cleanly strip the toner without doing any additional damage. By the time I was back in her chair, she had picked up a few products to achieve this and we got back to work.
Here’s the final, final result:
Now that’s what I’m talking about! I felt blonde again! A raw lift approach isn’t going to work for every head of hair, but it worked here. The key? Working with a talented stylist who knows your hair and who you can trust.
You can see more of Steph’s work on her Insta, and if you’re in the KC area and are in the market for a new hair stylist, I cannot recommend her enough. (This isn’t a paid sponsorship, I just had to share this mini journey!)
Linking up with Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, The Fashion Canvas, I Do DeClaire, Style Splash, Is This Mutton, Curated by Jennifer, This Blonde’s Shopping Bag + Doused in Pink, Mummabstylish, and Nancyโs Fashion Style.
I love a set, too, and this one is so chic! The pop of lime green is such a fun addition!
Jill – Doused in Pink
A set for the win! Thanks, Jill!
What a beautiful sweater set! I’m not usually a pink girl, but this is just amazing especially with the green sandals! Loving the Chanel sunglasses, too.
I love how you were able to work with your stylist to get to where you wanted to go. I just had my hair done…a glaze and not bleach…but the weird thing is the color is so different in different lights. In my bathroom, it looks like my hair is brown. Out in natural light, it’s exactly the color I want. Weird, right? Anyway, love the bright blonde! It works on you!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Itโs so crazy how lighting can change how your hair looks/what color it appears! I def experience this, too! ๐
This set is so cute!!
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
So glad you like it!
I adore this set on you and your new hair color! Changing colors is a major process but so worth it!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thank you, Kathrine!
I love that your set is different than anything I have seen: very cute and I am loving your hair! Just got a refresh on mine yesterday, it had been a while!
Doesnโt a hair refresh feel so good?! Hope youโre having a good weekend, Mireille!
I love this set on you! It’s so cute! Especially with those bright green shoes!
Arenโt the shoes super fun? I love โem! Thanks, babe!
Beautiful outfit, love the green shoes with it, and the final result of your hair is gorgeous!
Thank you, Jess! Hope youโre having a great weekend!
I love this set and how you styled it. Love these green sandals too.
I really like the way the look came together, too! Thank you!
Wow, so beautiful! You always hit the target.
And kudos on the amazing hair. Communication is indeed the way to get what we want. Too often people stay silent until it’s too late and then regret not speaking up. Life advice from my role model!
Thank you so much, Ally!
Ashley, you are killing it in this look!! I adore this beautiful crochet set (they really do make things easier with an outfit!), love that pretty pink color too. You look beautiful and your hair, ahh, it looks SO amazing!! I love that you feel comfortable speaking up and working through it with your stylist, it sure came out stunning!!
Have a fantastic weekend, my friend! ๐
Make Life Marvelous
That set is truly amazing and it looks so great on you. The lime green shoes are absolutely perfect and I love how it all came together!
Xoxo
Jodie
Iโm so glad you like the look, Jodie!
Youโre too kind, Ashley! Thank you so much!
That sweater set is so cute! Your hair looks fabulous.
Thank you, Joanne!
Super cute outfit. Good for you for speaking up.
Thank you so much!
Ah yes sets to make dressing much easier. And LOVE this set, the color and cut are just gorgeous. Looks great with the pop of lime green in the shoes. And your hair looks A-MAZING. Congrats on finding such a talented stylist.
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
That lime pop is really fun, right? Thanks Allie!
Wow! This is one of my fave looks on you! I just love this set! And your hair looks GREAT!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Yay! Iโm so glad, Carrie!
lindo atuendo y tu cabello esta genial . Te mando un beso.
Thank you!
The knit set is so cute and your hair looks amazing!
Thank you! Hope youโre having a good weekend!
i love pink:) very good looks
Thank you!
This pink crochet sweater set is a versatile and stylish addition to any wardrobe, especially for early spring when the weather is still cool. The punchy pink and white combination adds a playful touch, while the longer sleeves and sweater material ensure comfort and warmth.
Thank you so much, Melody!
Love this on trend set, and the lime/pink colorway. Kudos to you for being honest about your hair and working it out with your stylist. It looks great. Thanks for linking.
So glad you like it, Gail!
Love the vibrant pink crochet sweater set paired with lime green sandals! It’s a fun and stylish choice for spring. Your hair journey with your stylist shows the importance of communication and trust. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Thank you, Doris!
In love with this set, it’s so Barbie core!
Have a wonderful week,
S
Totally agree! It’s a fun outfit, for sure. Thank you!
Hi Barbie, this set is gorgeous!๐ Can’t wait for all spring/summer bright colors.
Hope you’re having a great Spring!
http://www.fashionradi.com
Awww, haha- thank you, Radi! And yes, bring on all the brights! <3
I absolutely love the way you styled this look! The pink and lime green combo is perfect for spring and summer!
https://melissakacar.com
It was such a fun color combo, right? Thanks, Melissa!
I love this crochet set, and your new hair colour is gorgeous!
Julia x
https://www.thevelvetrunway.com/
Thank you, Julia!
Hello!
I love your crochet set, it’s my thing! Love your styling! And of course we can separate the pieces and make several styles!
As for your hair, it looks marvellous, I like it better the way it is now!!!
Hugs!
xoxo
marisasclosetblog.com
I’m so glad you like the set, Marisa- and yes, cannot wait to break it up and wear these pieces separately! ๐
The two piece is fabulous, I love it with the green sandals! You hair looks amazing! Thanks for linking!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
Thank you so much, Emma!
Love the pink look and the sandals colour. Steph did a great job!
https://www.photosbycris.com.au/lunabluegirl-magazine-june-edition/
Itโs a very pretty colourful outfit and I love the way you put it together. I hope youโre having an amazing weekend.
https://www.bauchlefashion.com/2024/05/top-3-things-to-do-in-los-angeles.html?spref=pi&m=1
Well this is just gorgeous! Absolutely love the outfit and thank you for sharing your hair journey too. It looks really great!
Have a lovely weekend ahead!
Gemma x
http://www.jacquardflower.uk
This outfit is giving me major Legally Blonde vibes and I love it! The necklace is also gorgeous.
xoxo,
Sydney
http://www.thelotuslist.com
I agree that finding a good set really makes outfitting so easy, and you can also style the pieces separately in many different ways! You look gorgeous, and I love your hair! <3
http://www.couture-case.com/
Lovely pink set ๐
As they say- pretty in pink!
You do look fantastic in this pink crochet set.
A perfect Spring look!
As they say- pretty in pink!
You do look fantastic in this pink crochet set.
A perfect Spring look! I’m loving the Barbie vibes.
The lime sandals are adorable too.
Anyway, I hope you’re having a great day so far.
You are cuter than Barbie herself in this outfit. Love it!
Such a pretty set – always here for pink <3
I love the color of your dress and the way you have styled it with gorgeous accessories. Your hair looks fab along with your beautiful smile. ๐
Via | https://glossnglitters.com
This sweater set is stunning and the addition of the lime green sandals take it up a notch! Itโs so cool that you and your hairstylist were able to work together to get your hair to what you want it to look. Not only does it look gorgeous but Steph is a keeper! A good hairstylist is so hard to find. Yay for having one!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
You have the prettiest hair! I”m trying to get as blonde as you actually. Loving it!
http://www.lipsticksandlattes.com
Love the hair! And because I’m a pink girl, I like the outfit too. And the accessories!
That beautiful pink colour really suits you. I love the entire look dear! /Madison
FASHION TALES
That fabric is so unique. I love the way you styled it especially with the pink it is an amazing colour. I hope you’re having an amazing summer.https://www.bauchlefashion.com/2024/07/4-dos-and-donts-for-your-big-day.html