gene london: the magic of hollywood.

     on saturday i had the amazing opportunity to go to the local art museum in my hometown and visit "the magic of hollywood: the gene london costume collection."  it featured over one hundred costumes from some of hollywood's most famous films.  i was completely entranced.  the dresses were gorgeous and i got to see some of my all time favorite gowns up close and personal.

audrey hepburn's gorgeous red gown circa funny face.

{patisserie report}

katharine hepburn's eyelet gown circa sea of grass

{katharine hepburn online}

clara bow's sequin fur-trimmed coat

greta garbo's sequinned gown circa mysterious lady

1920's silent era sequinned gown

{all photos via gene london fashion exhibit}

    i went to the exhibit with my mom and sisters and we had such a blast swooning over the dresses we had seen hundreds of times on film.  seeing these creations in person was incredible!  the exhibit features costumes worn by vivian leigh, hedy lamarr, mae west, jean harlow, and so many more.

the exhibit is around until may, so if you are in the area it is an absolute must-see!

shoemakersville style.

 

wiley wears:

shirt: old navy

jeans: uo

belt: vintage

boots: target

   today i spent some time in shoemakersville, my mom's hometown, and one of my favorite places to be.  we spent the evening eating delicious food, playing shuffleboard and watching youtube videos of ceiling fans.  it was great to get some shots out in the country, in front of one of austin's glorious windmills.  i went with a pretty basic outfit, but the arms of this shirt added some interest.  threw on my favorite beaded belt, jeans and my cowboy boots (the most important part of my shoey outfit).  we are heading back to boston today and i am looking forward to having my whole closet available to me again.

see you up north!

thanksgiving threads.

wiley wears:

dress: uo

cardigan: gap

leggings: american apparel

boots: jeffrey campbell

     for my thanksgiving feast i knew i needed to wear something loose and comfortable.  this cotton dress with lace detail at the neckline was the perfect piece.  paired with a knit boyfriend cardigan, leggings and knee-high boots it was a stellar outfit for a thanksgiving feast, football on the couch and laughing with family.

bowling anyone?

 

 

wiley wears:

shirt: gap

jacket: vintage dior

jeans: james

shoes: target boots/bowling shoes

     so last night was family bowling night.  it was a really great time.  i wanted to wear something casual and easy to move around in so i could attempt to not come in last place every frame.  nothing better than a soft gray tee with feminine details, jeans and a blazer.

hope everyone is having a great holiday!

happy thanksgiving!

off for some traveling.

i won't have a 'wiley wears' post tomorrow.

heading home to see my family.

enjoy the holiday!

i will post some holiday outfits over the next couple days of vacation.

put it in neutral.

 

wiley wears:

dress: j.crew

cardigan: j.crew

beaded belt: anthro

lace tights: target

suede boots: thom brown

    i love to add one little burst of color to an all-over neutral outfit.  this beaded anthropologie belt with a dark wooden clasp is the perfect addition to brighten up any basic outfit.  my j.crew dress has proven to be one of the best purchases i have made in a long while.  since it's from j.crew it will probably last til i am 80 years old, and with the heavier knit jersey material it can be worn in every season.  i originially bought the dress for my great friends, steve and noelle's, early fall wedding.  i wore the dress with brown pumps, the anthro belt, and a pashmina.  it worked perfectly for the wedding, but since then has been a great dress for work and casual weekend outings as well. 

heading home to pennsylvania tomorrow!

a nice change of scenery for me...

and for you, since i will have a new backdrop for 'wiley wears'photos.

love em' or leave em'.

wiley wears:

dress: target

tights: uo

scarf: shepard fairey exhibit

belt: vintage

boots: target

     i love, love, love this dress.  the perfect LBD for almost any occasion.  the ruffles are my absolute favorite part of the dress.  it was great for a night of dancing to pretty lights!  these tights definitely have a love em' or leave em' feel.  i love them, but it's always important to try and keep the rest of my outfit simple when wearing them, so i opted for a simple black dress with lots of girly details.  i added my favorite vintage beaded belt and this awesome shepard fairey scarf to keep it interesting.  you can't see in the picture, but the scarf has a peace sign made from a scattered collage of handguns.  if you haven't seen shepard fairey's work, you should check him out immediately.

hoping everyone had a fabulous weekend!

here's looking forward to a a short work week and a long holiday weekend!

listen up.

 

wiley wears:

tee: american apparel

coat: vintage armani

jeans: uo

flats: jeffrey campbell

necklace: borrowed from ofmiracleandwonder
suede & leather clutch: vintage

     last night was a stellar night.  me and about twenty of my friends went to see jesse dee at club passim.  his music is amazing and the energy in that tiny venue was incredible.  my friend lin, who happens to be a fabulous photographer offered to take some shots of my outfit for the night.  i apologize for the red-eye in my first shot, but i'm leaving it in honor of 'new moon' this weekend!

    i wanted to wear something that would not get wrinkled from sitting in one spot of three hours, so i decided on a comfy amap tee and this fabulous armani jacket.  it feels very late 70s...lots of modern angles and funny zipper pulls. another one of those pieces that begged to be taken home.  these jeffrey campbell flats are super comfortable and the shade of peach is almost an exact match to my pasty skin.  i like having people do double-takes, thinking i'm walking around harvard square barefoot.

   all in all an amazing night.  now to spend the day relaxing before pretty lights tonight at the paradise.

hope you're enjoying your weekend!

come sail away.

 

wiley wears:

dress: vintage (sally jane vintage)

blazer: vintage dior

tights: uo

boots: jeffrey campbell

     today i am debuting my new nautical dress from sally jane vintage.  i think i am in love.  this dress is so comfortable and i am crazy about the nautical flag print at the bottom.  today was one of those days that i was able to combine so many of my very favorite things...and it worked.  i found this vintage dior blazer last weekend at the garmet district in cambridge.  when i tried it on i knew that we were meant to be.  i wish the picture did it more justice, but unfortunately i failed to pull it closed, so it looks much boxier than it actually is.  i also wore my favorite jeffrey campbell boots.  these shoes are not all that comfy, but pain is beauty, right? 

    so it's off to bed early tonight...lots of fun things to look forward to this weekend. jesse dee. pretty lights. and of course, new moon!  after this long week i am so ready to get dressed up, eat some delicious food and dance to some great music!

if i were a dress...

wiley wears:

dress: uo

cardigan: j.crew

belt: vintage

tights: jasmine sola

boots: target

     i realized that for the last few days i have been wearing some pretty colorless clothing.  lots of navy and gray and black, etc...  very unlike me.  so today i decided to go all out.  this dress is my most favorite dress.  it just makes me want to twirl and skip.  i fell in love with the pattern and the fit of the dress is super flattering.  it was the perfect outfit to wear for a full day: work, an afternoon appointment, and finally a cocktail or two and chatting with old friends i have truly missed.

     stay tuned...tomorrow i will be debuting my new vintage dress from sallyjanevintage.  if you have not been to her blog, please go and check it out. she has exquisite taste! (and be sure to check out her etsy shop).

vote for katy.

    {kansas couture}

     katy over at kansas couture is currently a part of Bluefly/Stylelist's 'America's Most Stylish Blogger' contest.  each tuesday katy receives a gorgeous new addition to her wardrobe and gets to style it up any way she pleases.  so go on over to the America's Most Stylish Blogger site and vote for Katy. on top of the fact that she absolutely deserves this recognition, each time you vote (and you can vote every day) you are entered to win a $1,000 Bluefly shopping splurge.

moody blues.

wiley wears:

dress: alexander mcqueen for target

blazer: vintage donna karan

cotton pencil skirt: american apparel

tights: uo

shoes: natacha (bought in Buenos Aires)

     this dress was such an amazing find. who knew i would ever own a mcqueen?  i love the exposed zipper, but wish i could belt the dress without it looking like too much detail.  sorry for the wrinkles in the second picture.  i wanted to show off the neat zipper and lace details.  i decided to wear my am.ap. pencil skit underneath to add a new layer and a little length to make it work-appropriate. it also doubled as a great second layer to keep my legs warm on this chilly day.  i am absolutely loving that tights can so easily turn a summer dress into a winter one.  it's like every time i try it with a new dress i am sure it won't work and then, guess what...it does!

glorious.

monday. waldorf style.

wiley wears:

dress: gap

cardigan: j.crew

belt: uo

tights: uo

boots: uo

     it is 'gossip girl' monday after all.  and what's better than mimicking blair's modern preppy style? i thought i would stick to a simple yet classic color palette today: gray, navy, and camel.  the combination always makes me think of diane keaton in 'annie hall.'  and as i needed to stop wearing my suede cowboy boots, i broke out my faithful favorites.  these boots are nearly falling apart, but they have yet to see their final days.

happy gossip girl watching!

vintage shopping sunday.

wiley wears:

ruffled blouse: abercrombie

vest: made l.a.

belt: vintage

skirt: h&m

boots: target (once again)

     with this amazing sunday in the low 60s i had to take one of my last opportunities to go out with bare legs.  i know, i know...i should probably keep this pasty legs under wraps.  i spent the afternoon vintage shopping (purchases will be shown throughout the week) and wanted to find an outfit perfect for my adventure.  i decided to wear this blue h&m skirt, but wanted the outfit to have a 1950s feel, so i added a ruffled blouse layered under a knit vest, with my beaded belt to accent my waist line. and as for the boots, well i cannot seem to put anything else on my feet...they just scream fall.

wild night in.

wiley wears:

dress: old navy
belt: uo
leggings: american apparel
boots: target

   we are having a quiet night in tonight with some great friends, gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and plentiful amounts of wine. i wanted to wear something comfortable, but still fun. i am usually not one for animal print, but i found this dress for such a great price and decided i would give it a try. i have to say, every time i wear it i get compliments.... it's a real stand-out. my moccasins will probably replace the boots shortly, but for now i feel comfy and stylish. the perfect combination.

a spring in my step.

wiley wears:

tee: american apparel
cardigan: j.crew
skirt: kimichi & blue
tights: h&m
boots: target

     with my cold now in full swing i thought it would make me feel better to bring some bright cheerful colors into today's ensemble. this silk skirt, a birthday gift from my little sister, is more of a warm weather item, but when paired with thick tights and a nice pair of suede boots it gets a new life in autumn. your wardrobe opens up so much when you begin to rework seasonal pieces into multiple my bright pieces from summer and spring are going to add a much-needed punch to my winter wardrobe.

red zone.

wiley wears:

t-shirt cardigan: michael stars
tee: splendid
skirt: f21
tights: uo
pashmina: flea market find
suede heeled loafers: tjmaxx

     today i wanted to embrace the crisp colors of fall. i decided to break out my new heathered red tights and paired them with a full-bodied denim skirt, white tee and soft cotton cardigan in a similar shade of red. one of my favorite pashminas was the perfect touch to help me fend off the beginnings of a nasty cold. sadly, this outfit did not make it through a full day as i was sent home early from work. but no worries here, i am positive i will be able to work these tights into some future outfits during the winter season.

(i'm thinking they will be the perfect seasonal item for christmas festivities.)

opening night nerves.

wiley wears:
shirt dress: lark & wolff
knit sweater: kimichi & blue
belt: h&m
tights: uo
shoes: nine west

 

     for my initial foray on the interwebs i wanted to show off my very favorite pair of shoes. i found these sweet girls for $19 dollars at nine west about a year ago. not always one to get a great deal, these shoes begged me to take them home. i kindly said "yes."

(sorry for the messy room around me. am working on finding a good spot for photos)