A Dusky Pink and Orange Outfit for Spring + DIY Paper Beads
- sallyinstpaul
- May 12
- 4 min read
Today I am sharing a recent outfit that I created with a new dusky pink tank that I purchased last August. I was happy to find this new top because I was able to put together a new "trio" - a top, bottom, and topper in matching/blending colors - when I added it to my wardrobe. I already had a cardigan (from 2021) and pants (from 2022) so the tank completed my trio.
I can break the pieces into three color formulas for creating outfits:
-A modern twin set - tank & cardigan;
-An inner column of color - tank & pants;
-An outer column of color/"suit" - cardigan & pants.
For this spring outfit, I decided to style my new tank using the "modern twin set" color formula by pairing it with the dusky rose cardigan. You'll see that the cardigan is a deeper shade of pink ("dusky rose") than the tank ("dark dusky pink"), but they are very similar in tone and coordinate beautifully. To offset the femininity of the color and style of this top half, I added my black straight leg jeans and black Adidas sneakers (both also new in 2024) for a more casual, sportier vibe.
Next I decided I wanted to add a print scarf with both pink and black to serve as a bridge piece linking the colors together. I think the deep muted pink and black would look great together without a linking piece, but as a Color Integrator rather than a Color Blocker, I tend to like a print that ties my colors together. I had several different options, but this vibrant multi-color tropical flower scarf jumped out at me as a cheerful way to welcome the warmer spring sensibility of May. That appealed to me, but I really wasn't sure how the dominant orange color would look with the muted pink of my top and cardigan. When I put it on, though, I decided it looked rather fabulous! Unexpected, for sure, but somehow just hitting the spot where the combination is visually interesting/unusual but not quite yet into clashing territory...at least to my eye. I added a bold pendant necklace in a gold tone to amp up the brightness factor to match the intensity of the orange scarf. This gave me a balance of 2 muted (top and cardigan), 2 dark (pants and sneakers), and 2 bright (scarf and necklace).
Although I've been wearing a lot of new DIY memory wire bracelets lately, I have not stopped making paper beads! In April, when I had some time off work, I glazed a big set of paper beads that you will be seeing in bracelets, necklaces, and even earrings in the coming months. Today's DIY bracelet stack started out with a set of three paper bead bracelets I made to coordinate with a scarf in a similar color palette to the one I'm wearing (shown below). I supplemented the paper bead bracelets with black glass, green glass, mixed pink quartz, and magenta agate bracelets for a very colorful arm party to celebrate the beginning of May. (In Minnesota, I think of May as the start of true spring and always look forward to it.) {stretch bracelet tutorial} {bicone paper bead tutorial} {tube paper bead tutorial}
I don't have page-to-bead images for the first paper bead bracelet in magenta and green-teal (second bracelet in stack), but I remember well that the paper was an image of a neuron in an issue of The Economist. The second paper bead bracelet in light orange, pink, and black (fourth bracelet in stack) started out as this full-page drawing related to oil and the Middle East, also in The Economist. You wouldn't expect a news and business magazine to have good paper for making beads, but it goes to show that you can find amazing paper all over the place. I didn't modify the paper in any way before rolling it into these nice stripy beads.
And it just so happens that the last paper bead bracelet (second from bottom in stack) is also from The Economist, this time a whimsical and colorful cover that presents Joe Biden in the guise of the Tiger King. Very silly, very awesome. I painted with green over the white text (and the address area in the corner, which I've further obscured for this post), and added more red paint to the logo. Before rolling, I also covered the yellow bits with black marker because it wasn't in my color palette. I love how the striped beads have a tiger-like vibe to them.
My DIY earrings are simple bead soup stack earrings I made to coordinate with the scarf I'm wearing.
For a more feminine take on orange + pink, check out Di's fabulous floral shirt dress outfit here.
We had a gorgeous view from our balcony in early May with the trees/bushes outside going into bloom, bringing on the "May flowers" to follow our "April showers."
Do you ever wear pink and orange together? Are you experiencing "May flowers" in your area?
Blogs I link up with are listed here.
Your bracelets are gorgeous and go perfectly with your outfit. I'm glad I'm not the only one who either makes jewelry to coordinate with a wardrobe item or, I've been known to buy an item to coordinate with beads I've found! Featuring when my link party opens!
--Carol, The Answer Is Chocolate
What a lovely color palette. I like the way your beads add the pop of green. Green is always a good idea. The colors of your top and scarf are like a desert sunset. Just beautiful. Always impressed with your outfits and magnificent accessories. Thank you for sharing on Ageless Style.
Another beautifully styled outfit, Sally. It was so interesting to see how you made the paper beads, you are very creative. Your view from the balcony is gorgeous! We have lots of May flowers here in the UK countryside. All of my roses are starting to flower now, too. Have a lovely week ahead! 😊
Interesting to see how you make the beads! Thanks for taking part in the "My Sunday Best" meme.
Such a pretty color combination on you, Sally! Your new dusky rose tank is going to be a great layering piece in your wardrobe. It blends amazingly with your cardigan, the two pieces look like they were made for each other. You know I love this combination! Thanks so much for the mention and link to my blog post with the pink and orange dress. Thanks for sharing and hope you have a good weekend now that the May flowers have arrived! 🌺