nateva bound.

well my lovelies, i am off to maine for four days full of music and friends.  caroline, of poppy and leo, may be stopping by to entertain.  so keep your fingers crossed and keep checking us out.  i am on a big time style-spotting mission while at the festival and look foward to coming home and showing you some stylish folks that showed up at nateva.

{image via wehearit}

nateva eve.

wiley wears:

dress: uo

wedges: macys

sunglasses: rayban

     so tomorrow is the day.  today was my last day in the office til' next tuesday, and i have to say, nothing could feel better.  tonight has been a flustering experience; groceries, target and packing.  stressing a bit about fitting all of our supplies tomorrow, but so excited to hit the road and party the weekend away at nateva!  

     caroline, of poppy and leo, took these photos of me on our typical wednesday walk.  i wore my favorite red floral dress in celebration of my last day of work.  the last shot shows off the open back, which, while not appropriate for the office, completely makes this dress for me.  i love this detail that adds a lot to an otherwise basic sundress.  this dress always makes me feel great when it's on; hugging all the right places and hanging loose on all those other parts.  the perfect dress that can be worn alone.  i love owning dresses that can just be thrown on last minute and still make you look great.  they should be a staple in every girl's wardrobe.

ode to zooey.

wiley wears:

dress worn as skirt: f21

tank: free people

gladiators: jeffrey campbell

     i wanted something bright and sunny for the heat today.  why not embrace these soaring temperatures?   i find myself in an increasingly great mood as the hours go by.  my anticipation for the coming weekend keeps growing and i forsee another cheerful outfit happening tomorrow.  this yellow dress was a dream come true when i found it.  a huge bow!  a huge bonus!  i love how it is bright and feminine, but the worn cotton material is such a natural texture.  since the dress has so much going on, i thought a plain black tank would be the perfect companion piece.  

   it is so funny how a day can change your outlook so completely.  last night, after i dropped my mom off at the airport, i was in a really sad place; already homesick and dreading returning to the office.  it seemed like this incredibly picturesque weekend was cut too short.  but now, tonight, my outlook has finally shifted.  i am looking forward to spending this weekend with incredible people i love dearly (including two lovely birthday girls) and dancing and singing at the top of my lungs.  

     i finally finished alterations on my dress specifically purchased for she & him.  i want zooey to look into the crowd and go 'wow, now that is a sweet dress.'  a girl can dream.

it's miley!

wiley wears:

romper: miley cyrus

jean jacket: gap

bandeau: f21

gladiators: jeffrey campbell

    and here comes one of my deepest darkest secrets...i love miley cyrus! (okay, so not so secret from anyone who knows me.)  i can't help it, i have been a huge fan of the disney channel since forever and i think miley is adorable and that 'party in the u.s.a.' will forever keep me smiling.  this weekend i ran to wal-mart with my mom to pick up some camping supplies for nateva.  and there, hanging on the edge of the aisle was this awesome romper.  when i saw that it was a miley romper i knew it had to be mine.  i thought it would be perfect for dancing the days away this weekend.

    jeb's sister keen took these photos in the candy store on the boardwalk.  my mom and i walked away with some malted milk balls, fudge, chocolate shells and candy cigarettes.  i thought the candy shop was the perfect place to have my pictures taken....so full of beautiful colors.

    so tomorrow it is back to real life for me.  well, for two days.  so for now, off to browsing through some of my favorite style spotting from cochella for some inspiration for nateva!

basics by the sea.

wiley wears:

tee: uo

jean shorts: op

necklace: made by me

sunglasses: beach shop

     what i love about going to new hampshire is that for a few days i am able to disconnect from my everyday life. no cable, no internet, no makeup, hairbrushes or shoes.  i will be honest and tell you that for most of the weekend i was either wearing pajamas or running shorts, but today i put together a very basic outfit for a walk along the beach and some climbing on the rocks with jeb.  my favorite gray tee and a cozy pair of denim shorts were perfect for this small adventure.  i decided to try out a necklace i made last week out of some of jeb's old t-shirts.  i would love to hear what everyone thinks of it....close-ups coming soon.  i had a lovely weekend and am thrilled to have monday to spend with my mom in the city.  

     now it's time for jeb and i to be completely spoiled by my mom with a homecooked meal.  i feel so very lucky!

off for a long weekend.

wiley wears:

cardigan: gap

tee: splendid

belt: uo

skirt: thrifted

wedges: old navy

     today i was excited to wear this new skirted i thrifted last week.  it's difficult to see from the photos, but those aren't polka dots, those are little white stars.  the perfect patriotic skirt!  i plan on breaking this out again for the fourth of july in maine.  i think paired with a red tank it will be the perfect outfit for dancing at the fireworks.  today for the office i wore it with a white tee and boyfriend cardigan.  

     well, i am picking up my mom at the airport shortly and then headed to new hampshire for the weekend.  oh the joy of a four day weekend!

up in the air.

needing a night to myself to reboot.

my apologies for no 'wiley wears post,' but i will be back tomorrow and will have lots of fun beach posts over the coming weekend.

go get some fresh air!

{images via weheartit}

safari chic.

wiley wears:

dress: old navy

dress worn open: bcbg (thrifted)

wedges: old navy

     i broke out this leopard print dress, which i wore last week as a top, for what i wore's safari chic blogger challenge this week.  i wanted to embrace the pairing of animal print and olive green to keep with the safari theme.  i decided to wear my ruffle-topped bcbg button-down dress open, over the leopard print tunic, to do something a little different.  i really love how the bcbg dress works almost better open and over another piece.  i will definitely be playing with this idea for the rest of the summer.  always fun to find new function in a piece that you already love.

    jill took these photos for me in kendall square and we had some fun trying to keep from blowing away in the wind.  i really enjoyed looking through them all...lots of fun to play with the lighting.

summer solstice.

wiley wears:

dress: urban

bandeau: f21

hat: ae

flip-flops: rainbow

     i thought this would be a great outfit to revisit on this beautiful first day of summer.  on saturday jill and i spent the afternoon eating delicious bagel sandwiches and thrifting.  it was extremely hot out and all i could muster up was an easy breezy cotton dress and a straw fedora to keep the sun off my pale face.  this dress, which i would guess would be called 'mauve' by most, is the perfect dress for a really hot day.  with the lace detailing on both the neckline and along the back, it adds a bit of fun to an otherwise average frock.  a few months ago i bought a few cotton bandeaus from f21 and i have to say that they are fantastic.  under this dress, which has lace dropping quite low, they provide a great pop of gray and some extra coverage.

the paper tie.

father's day is often a hard day for me.  my dad passed away when i was eight, and the day always makes me miss him.  but more than being sad, i am thankful...for the years i got to spend with him and all the parts of me that remind others of him.  my sense of humor, my big brown eyes and my love for hoarding pointless objects.  

the pictures above are two separate father's day where my dad recieved the same gift: the beloved and very glittery paper tie.  i would guess for three or four years running he would be gifted two of these; one from me and one from my younger sister paige.  want to know the best part?  he wore them!  and not just out the door, but all day at work.  what a great dad!

so a happy father's day out there to all of you who are able to spend the day with the men you love.  and a happy father's day to my mom, who played both parts with such grace and ease.  and a special thanks to caroline for making me feel comfortable sharing some of the things near and dear to me on my blog.

sowa sundays.

wiley wears:

tank: uo

shorts: f21

gladiators: jeffrey campbell

sunglasses: rayban

basket: cotton patch

    today i spent the entire day at the sowa market in the south end helping my friend lin sell all of her mom's beautiful handmade necklaces, quilts, baskets, etc.  we had a great day, although i need to remember to reapply that sunscreen!  my favorite thing about the market is picking up fresh produce, artisan breads and gorgeous flowers for incredible prices.  lin took these photos and caught me noshing on some raw green beans.  so sweet and delicious!

   considering the weather reports called for temperatures in the 90s and i knew i would be sitting outside from 8 to 4, shorts, a tank, and sandals were an easy call.  i love this striped tank with a giant black bow sewn on top.  i have never been the type to wear basic tanks, but the detail on this tank makes it wearable and comfortable, while still having that extra little something.  

i hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend!

sleepover.

okay, so we may not set up tents and we probably will sleep in my bed and not in sleeping bags, but a sleepover nonetheless.  my very best friend is coming over tonight for a good old fashioned sleepover.  gossip, pizza, wine and some of our favorite episodes of 'sex and the city.'  something we have both been in desperate need of.  so my loves, here is to rekindling those friendships with the women in your life.

happy friday!

{images via weheartit}

balancing act.

wiley wears:

top: tjmaxx

cardigan: uo

skirt: american apparel

sandals: uo

     just got home from a night out for one of my very favorite ladies.  court's birthday dinner was a great time, as always...just sad that i couldn't dance the night away at 80s night this year.  regardless, happy birthday court!  i love you!

     this is the outfit i wore to the office today.  i love my cotton pencil skirt from amap.  it is so versatile and was the perfect balance for this blousy silk tank.  over the years i have realized that balance is the most important aspect of an outfit.  being someone that is definitely apple shaped, i have always found it difficult to wear loose fitting tops without feeling like i looked big all over.  over the years i have figured out that a perfect pair of skinny jeans, a pair of cutoffs or a fitted skirt can be the perfect companion for loose tops.  always keeping the actual proportions of my body in perspective. 

wily wiley reads.

     while fashion may be one of my greatest passions, the written word tops the list.  i have a master's degree in english literature and was born and raised a bookworm.  while i am not sure that this will be a continuing feature on my blog, i thought i would give some feedback on a few of my most recent literary endeavors.

1. the history of love by nicole krauss - this book, about the intertwined lives of a young girl and an elderly man, travels through the lives and memories of multiple characters while maintaining a centered reality around the specific longings of each character.  i especially loved alma's attempts at remembering a father she never knew.  beautifully written, i would recommend this love story to anyone and everyone.

2. the blind assassin by margaret atwood - another novel that travels through memories and even combines one book within another, the blind assassin was moving and extremely touching.  the relationship between two sisters, both strikingly different, is a beautiful representation of the connection between sisters; wanted or not.  i have just passed this along to my own sisters and look forward to hearing their reviews.

3. the girl with the dragon tattoo by stieg larsson - if you have not heard of this one you may possibly been living under a rock.  after hearing multiple friends rave about it and seeing people reading it on the subway on a daily basis, i knew i had to be a part of the hype.  well my friends, this hype is well-deserved. i read this book in three days and could not put it down.  this meant a few nights with little sleep, but so well worth it.   i recently compared it to an extended episode of csi/law and order svu.  with drama, violence and a bit of humor i found myself pining for more.  luckily for me, i received the sequel in the mail last night and am already 100 pages through.  not a great book to read alone at night...gets a bit creepy, but seriously, go get this book!

4. the god of small things by arundhati roy - while i typically adore every recommendation i get from my close friends on what to read next, i have to admit this was a tough one for me.  the story revolves around the childhood of fraternal twins and the drama that changes their lives in a single day.  the writing was incredible and roy creates a language that becomes easy to understand early on, but oh the sadness.  i found myself crying at nearly every other chapter.  beyond the sadness the book often read like poetry.  for those a bit more thick-skinned this would be a fabulous read.

   so far my summer reading list consists of the final two books of stieg larssons' series, eat, pray, love (round two), the dud avocado, watership down and the thornbirds.  read anything lately that you loved?  i would love to get some suggestions and hear what others are reading.

a softer outlook.

wiley wears:

dress: alloy

cardigan: j.crew

flats: jeffrey campbell

necklace: anthropologie

   gray and pastels...a match made in heaven.  i think i may be incapable of wearing this cardigan without having some touch of gray in my outfit.  the peachy color goes so perfectly with a soft gray.  this jersey dress with empire waist and a ruched top is perfect for so many occasions, and with a ruffled cardigan it felt soft and feminine.  these photos kind of crack me up...lots of pictures of me looking at the stray cats that live in our neighborhood.  so darn cute!  

    today was a much better day and i want to say thank you for all the sweet pieces of encouragement and love.  some days are rough, but endless amounts of support and lots of sleep are the absolute cure-all.  

i hope that your weeks are all going off without a hitch and cannot say thank you enough for stopping by my blog each day.  means more than you will ever know!

the sun will come out tomorrow.

wiley wears:

dress: calvin klein

wedges: old navy

jacket: gap

     to be utterly honest i am in a crabby mood; exhausted and discouraged.  an incredibly long day of work has left me with little to nothing left.  i attempted to get some quick photos in, but with dark upon us and my having no patience, these photos will have to suffice.  i really love this dress and did not want to miss to opportunity to show it, since i think i have only worn it two or three times in the last year.  the pleating detail makes it the perfect dress for work or play.  today though, my dress saw only work and now will hang back in my closet til' a sunnier day.  i am off to console my tired mind with a cup of tea and an early night's rest.  almost wednesday, which means just eight days until my mom will be in boston for four whole days!  today may have been long, but i will not let summer pass me by.  off to dream of the wonderful ways i plan on spending future balmy days.