happy weekend.

     monday marks the anniversary of jeb and my first date. we are spending the weekend in new hampshire to celebrate.  (thanks john and ginnie!)  i'm looking forward to walks on the beach, dinner in portsmouth and quiet afternoons reading, doing puzzles and drinking wine.
     this is a photo lin took of jeb and i at the end of last year.  i am smitten.  ernst is such a ragdoll.  i am the luckiest girl in the world.  okay, so maybe kate is the luckiest girl in the world.  i'll take second place in this round.

my problem with stripes.

wiley wears:

top: target

pants: limited

necklace: on loan from caroline

belt: h&m

shoes: vintage dexters

     today's combination of comfort and loose fitting pieces proved perfect for the dreary humid weather.  once the humidity reaches a certain point in boston, i'm always drawn to flowy items that don't cling.  this top is the perfect for the upcoming summer humidity.  i cannot seem to stop with my stripe obsession.  this week i think i've worn a striped item at least four times and i have plans to take a few other striped pieces on a weekend trip.  my love of all things nautical may be getting a bit out of control, but who can keep a girl from her navy blue and white?

style spotlight: keds.

i think keds might be the best spring basic out there.  i've been wearing these babies since i was a little girl and i find myself drawn to their new styles and patterns every year when it starts to get warmer.  the perfect shoe for picnics, road trips and walks on the boardwalk.

have you seen their super cute styles?

*also, who can forget what shoes baby was wearing in this epic dirty dancing scene?!

the crop top

wiley wears:

dress: f21

top: uo

wedges: uo

     with crop tops coming back into style, i've been having fun trying out new ways to wear them.  i'm not one to bare my stomach, so they usually call for high-waisted pants or skirts, but i thought a maxi dress would make for a perfect layering piece this time.  i love the combination of crop tops and maxi skirts so it only makes sense to try it with a dress.  the loose fit of crop tops make them perfect layering pieces since there are the static that comes with other layered pieces.

seventies child.

wiley wears:

top: gap

skirt: ben sherman

necklace: from beach shop

flats: gap

     another bright and springy outfit, or more a springy top.  this shirt is from almost a decade ago, but i love the pattern too much to let it go.   the 70s pattern and fit goes perfectly with the trends in the fashion world right now.  isn't it always nice when something you love and hoarded for so long comes back in style?   i find it easiest to wear with earthy colors, since the mixture of neon green, magenta and a floral pattern is pretty in your face.  today i decided to add a bit more flare with a bright pink beaded necklace.  a simple ponytale, tiered skirt and flats finished off the outfit for a simple, yet put together look.

blending in.

wiley wears:

cardigan: j.crew

dress: vintage

belt: uo

wedges: uo

     i think it may be impossible to not find yourself inspired by the bright colors of spring.  i find myself drawn to the bright colors in my closet at this time of year.  in april, the rainy days make colorful outfits an even better idea.  waking up to a dreary monday morning and having to say goodbye to my mom for a couple of months called for an outfit to get me out of my intense miserable mood.   i thought topping one vibrant piece on another would be the perfect excuse.  this vintage pleated dress might be the best vintage deal i've ever found and it fit me perfectly without needing to be tailored.  because of how bright the dress and cardigan combination are, i wanted to pick accessories in neutral shades.  i hope that everyone is enjoying their spring.  days like sunday will soon become the norm!

happy easter.

wiley wears:

dress: uo

cardigan: gap

belt: f21

wedges: uo

     this easter weekend was one for the books.  my mom and i had such a great time doing lots of girly activities and eating tons of delicious food.  last night we went to see water for elephants which we thought was incredible.  this morning we got dressed up for easter brunch and headed to towne on boylston street.  our brunch was beyond delicious and i'm excited to make it a point to head to towne more often.

    i think a new easter dress is a great tradition.  we found this beauty at urban outfitters last week and i fell in love with the color, pattern and shape.  i look forward to wearing this a lot in the coming months and think it will be perfect for balmy summer days in the office.  while it was quite warm this afternoon, i wasn't quite ready to bare my arms and head out in a tank top, so i chose this loose boyfriend cardigan to top off the dress.

     i hope everyone had a lovely weekend filled with family and food!  and thanks, mom, for making this weekend such a wonderful one.  love you!

happy easter!

happy easter weekend.

i'm taking a few days off from blogging to spend time with my mom and celebrate easter weekend.  here's to a lovely weekend filled with peanut butter eggs, mimosas and easter baskets.

{image via pinterest.  no original source.}

retro.

wiley wears:

top: thrifted

trousers: madewell

necklace: anthropologie

flats: target

     another perfect outfit for the office.  and another silk top.  these babies were made for the work week.  red top, black trousers, leopard flats and bright red lips.  a classic combination that always has a bit of a retro edge.  the look felt so crisp and clean...mostly with a slick tight bun.  just goes to show that it doesn't take much to create an ensemble that can be repeated over and over again.

spring thrifting.

 

wiley wears:

top: old navy

pin: borrowed from caroline

jacket: borrowed from caroline

skirt: thrifted, vintage

wedges: uo

     today i wore this very springy ensemble.  i found this awesome pleated silk skirt while thrifting this weekend and knew i had to have it.  after some hand washing and steaming it was the perfect way to start my work week.  short post tonight as i have lots of cleaning and prepping to do for my mom's arrival tomorrow evening!

marathon monday.

wiley wears:

tee: splendid

denim jacket: gap

pants: f21

scarf: american apparel

panama hat: uo

t-straps: uo

     marathon monday is my official first day of spring in boston each year.  today was no exception.  the weather was beautiful and the energy in the city is unparalleled.  the daylong outdoor festivities called for something comfortable and layered.  a jacket, cardigan and scarf were essential for the breezy afternoon.  i took my beloved long-pant romper and folded the top over to create high-waisted pants.  they worked out to be the perfect lightweight alternative to jeans.  i, of course, had to rock my brand new panama hat.  can we say true love?  i can't wait to wear this hat for trips to the sunday market, bike rides and with my bikini at the lake and the beach.  such a perfect summer hat.

happy marathon monday!

the fairytale skirt.

wiley wears:

tee: american apparel-diy'd tie dye

denim jacket: gap

maxi skirt: swapped with kate

wedges: jeffrey campbell

necklace: anthropologie

     when i opened my package from kate, this skirt literally took my breath away.  it screamed my name.  it combines my love of maxi skirts and tutus.  who knew such a thing even existed?  unfortunately i didn't have any dressy events coming up, but i thought i could work in some very casual pieces to dress this fairytale skirt down.  i decided on a tie-dyed tee i made a while back and a denim jacket.

did i make it work, kate?

matchy mix.

wiley wears:

tunic: borrowed from jill

skirt: american apparel

jean jacket: gap

scarf: american apparel

flats: thom browne

     pattern mixing can make any day a little more fun.  i loved this tunic that i borrowed from jill and thought, hey, why not wear it one last time before i have to return it.  today was that day.  for work, i paired it with my cotton american apparel pencil skirt for reasons of length.  i was so excited to break out my denim jacket and it will be back in action for the rest of the spring and summer.  i think it brightens up this otherwise basic black and white outfit.   the dotted floral pattern of the tunic and my striped circle scarf made a perfect matchy mix of patterns which brought a smile to face.

a piece of advice.

wiley wears:

dress: gap

top: thrifted

belt: walmart

earrings: vintage

slingbacks: nine west

     my friends, i have a great piece of thrifting advice.  i often get questions on how i shop at the thrift stores and what pieces i look for.  well, for first-timers, i say focus on the blouses.  these short sleeved beauties are so easy to find, usually cost only a couple of dollars, and thanks to those glorious decades of the 80s and 90s, there are crazy bright colors galore.  i have a collection of these suckers that takes up a quarter of my closet, but they really are a truly versatile piece.  for work, i often pair them with a pencil skirt or pair of fitted trousers.  they also make a great alternative to a tshirt for weekend errands and lazy days.

     today i layered my blouse over a button up polka dotted dress.  i love the combination of bright pink and navy and i thought black accessories brought the whole look together.