I work in a corporate setting, and choosing what to wear to work everyday has been such a struggle. For me, business casual has always meant a standard outfit of slacks and blazers in a narrow range of neutrals: black, white, navy, and tan. It's professional, yes, but it leaves little room for personal expression. Lately, though, I’ve been noticing women in my workplace who break those boundaries with ease. They show up in colors, textures, and silhouettes that feel authentic to them while still looking polished. It made me realize that “business casual” doesn’t have to be a uniform, there is space to be a little adventurous!

That’s where The Golden Hour Vest comes in. I wanted to design a modern crochet piece that feels at home in a professional setting but also steps outside that box. A crocheted vest already bends the rules by bringing handwork and craft into an environment that often leans toward the manufactured and impersonal. To push it further, I chose a sunny yellow yarn: something bright, playful, and unapologetically nontraditional.

I chose this Loops & Threads "Butter" yellow based on my recent learnings about how complexion, hair color, and undertones can guide which palettes make us look most alive. As a "true spring", I’ve discovered that brighter shades that I used to shy away from, actually light me up! Yellow, of all colors, turned out to be surprisingly flattering once I gave it a chance. And that felt like the perfect metaphor for this design: stepping into something unexpected and realizing it might be exactly what was missing.

While my Golden Hour Vest is yellow, yours doesn’t have to be. I encourage you to explore your own complementary palette, whether that’s earthy tones, jewel shades, or soft pastels. Try on a color that challenges your assumptions, one you may never have thought “worked” for you. Crochet gives us the freedom to experiment, and the Golden Hour Vest is an invitation to step a little outside the box, both in your wardrobe and in how you see yourself.