wily wiley reads.

life of pi by yann martel :: i put off reading this novel for years, convinced it wasn't my taste.  boy was i wrong.  life of pi has a little something for everyone.  it tells the story of a young boy, pi, who is stricken by unending tragedy and adventure.  alone on a lifeboat with a bengal tiger, pi turns to his immense faith to get him through the difficulties of survival at sea.  martel has so much information to cover, mostly philosophical, from the animal world, to zoos, to religion.  his critique of religion was perhaps my favorite part of the novel.  i really am glad i gave this book a chance.

girlfriend in a coma by douglas coupland :: this may be one of the best books i have read in a long time.  the book asks a lot of questions about life that have stuck with me for the days since i've finished.  the story begins with six high school friends and takes the reader through the journey of their lives after one of them falls into a 17 year coma.  karen's awakening is followed by omens of a new world and the six friends are forced to look at their lives in new and different ways.  i can do no justice to this book with mere words, but i highly recommend you give it a read if you love anything philosophical, modernist, satirical or apocalyptic.  this book has it all.


the story of edgar sawtelle by david wroblewski ::  wroblewski retold hamlet, but through a more modern lens.  the sawtelle family breeds dogs and edgar, born mute, quickly bonds with his family's breed of dogs.  there is a plethora of interesting information on dog breeding, training and that was something i found very enlightening.  while i felt a connection to edgar, i found it difficult to keep interest in some of the more winded sections of the novel.  i think for those who love dogs or hamlet, this is a real must read.

tinkers by paul harding ::  i kept seeing tinkers on the front shelf of every bookstore i walked into and finally gave in and decided to read it.  it is a quick read, and also a deep one.  tinkers describes the dying days of an elderly man and i think the way harding illustrates death is both beautiful and disturbing.  the man's last days are spent reliving his childhood and his realtionship with his father.  i was touched by hardings imaginings of what goes through someone's head in their final moments and think this is one that you need to read to fully grasp. 

so here we go again my friends...

what should wiley read next?

in the clouds.

wiley wears:

top: uo (borrowed from jill)

skirt: american apparel

sandals: lf

     a quick post before a quiet night in.  i love this cloud top and i thought i would try it with my blue maxi skirt.  i love the relaxed feel of the outfit even though it's mixing two dressier pieces.  a great casual outfit that keeps me looking put-together and stylish.

double-sided.

wiley wears:

top: uo (borrowed from jill)

skirt: american apparel

necklace: f21

sandals: jeffrey campbell

     i have been obsessed with this top since jill first got it, but knew i had to let her wear it once or twice before i stole it from her.  i wanted to keep the focus on the amazing blue stripes, so i stuck with a slim black skirt and touches of gold.  it's so great when you can throw together two easy and pieces and it creates a cohesive outfit.

also, check out the blogger profile that the super sweet katy did on me today on her blog.

thanks, katy!

flo.

wiley wears:

skirt: f21

tee: michael stars

sweater: thrifted

jacket: lacoste (borrowed from jeb)

wellies: hunters

     i wore this to the florence and the machine concert on thursday night.  we had a total blast.  i needed something to keep me warm and dry, but wanted to look cute at the same time.  jeb has this amazing green lacoste rain coat and i thought it would be a great way of adding a pop of color for a rainy night.  i layered it over a classic white tee, navy cardigan with white piping and my beloved striped skirt.  wellies were an obvious must and this outfit was perfect for dancing the night away with a huge group of my favorite people.

thrift dreams.

wiley wears:

dress: j.crew

cardigan: j.crew (thrifted)

belt: anthropologie

flats: gap

     i think this outfit perfectly displays my style.  i love mixing neutral shades with navy and red and a belt and flats are always my go-to pieces.  i found this cashmere cardigan while thrifting a few weeks back and almost did a dance in the store.  it was seven dollars and retails for $168!  insanity!  the best part of living in a college city is that you often find name brand pieces discarded and priced at next to nothing at local thrift shops.  and the combination of navy blue and cashmere are like visions from my dreams.

what's your best thrifting score?

summer solstice.

wiley wears:

top: thrifted

shorts: old navy

scarf: vintage

sunnies: rayban

sneakers: keds

     i thought for the first day of summer i would post one of my very favorite summer outfits.  i love pairing classic pieces together for weekend errands and this striped top and chambray shorts combination is as classic as it gets.  red lips, raybans and a pair of white keds keep this look summer-friendly and comfortable.  as i walked out the door i decided to add a vintage silk scarf to my ponytail because i have trouble not adding a little bit more color to every outfit.

do you have a favorite outfit for summer?

enjoy the first day of summer...

and the longest day of the year.

the givers.

wiley wears:

 

top: vintage

jeans: bdg

t-straps: uo

purse: f21

     last night i had the insane opportunity to see the givers at the middle east.  i had heard a bit of their music before, but since they are one of caroline's absolute favorite bands i knew i had to check them out live.  the show was amazing.  the band seems so young and so filled with energy.  i honestly felt like my mind was somewhere else throughout most of the show.  i was mindlessly bopping around and taking in the crazy tunes.  definitely check them out!

     i knew i wanted to wear flats since i would be on my feet throughout the show and thought this would be a great chance to wear my new floral top.  i like to say that this top is so ugly that it's cute.  i love the vibrant pattern and i'm looking forward to wearing it again this week with a more office-friendly outfit.

into the woods.

wiley wears:

dress: gap

sweatshirt: madewell

necklace: anthropologie

moccasins: minnetonka

     here's an example of a very very laid back outfit.  i wore this at the lake on a dreary sunday morning and needed something that could transition from morning activities to an afternoon car ride.  i layered on the soft cotton pieces and added a chunky beaded necklace for a bit of sparkle.  my minnetonkas were the obvious choice, as they are a favorite pair of weekend shoes and perfect out in the woods of new hampshire.

chihuly.

     tonight i had the chance to visit the 'chihuly: through the looking glass's exhibit at the museum of fine arts.  chihuly's sculptures and installations, made from glass and natural materials, were breathtaking.  i was completely taken with his 'persian ceiling' installation.  i also liked the artist's admission that he chose the word 'persian' because he thought it sounded fancy.  all of the photos above show the beautiful blown glass that took over the ceiling of one of the exhibit's rooms.  the colors were incredible and the amount of detail and precision is wild.  the room glowed in soothing shades of red, blue and green.  all i needed was a glass of wine and a beanbag chair and i could have stayed there all evening.  i strongly encourage all of my boston friends to check this out before it ends in august.

contrast.

wiley wears:

dress: split

blazer: uo

scarf: f21

wedges: uo

     pairing a flowy dress with a more structured blazer tends to be an invariably easy way to mix comfortable sundresses into my work attire.  i found this sundress at a surf shop in delaware a few years back and it has been a favorite in the warmest months of summer of past years.  i thought that pairing the deep navy shade with a stark white blazer would make for good contrast both in color and shape.  all in all i think it worked out pretty well and my beloved new scarf was a great way to amp up the color and give the outfit a burst of vibrancy.

panamania.

wiley wears:

maxi dress: f21

crop top: borrowed from jill (uo)

panama hat: uo

sandals: jeffrey campbell

     i really love the way this easy weekend outfit came together.  i borrowed this striped crop top from jill last weekend and had envisioned pairing it with this black maxi, but realized that together the two pieces created a rather boxy shape.  i thought i'd give the 80s style knot tie a try, and i really like the results.  it gave shape to an otherwise unflattering silhouette.  for accessories, i like to keep it simple and easy on the weekends.  my panama hat and gladiator sandals will be staples all summer long.  this panama hat is the perfect excuse to not use a hairbrush all weekend long.

off again...

we are off to new hampshire for a lazy weekend of fishing, reading and indulging in wine and cheese.

i hope everyone has a wonderful rainy weekend.

see you next week.

{image found here.}

wily wiley reads.

born standing up by steve martin :: did you know steve martin started out as a magician?  yeah, neither did i.  i have always loved steve martin.  from the jerk to father of the bride, he has always seemed like a person i'd love in real life and this book only made me more certain.  he describes how he started in show business with a job at disney world and how he created his acts over the years.  i loved his honesty about all his downfalls and bloopers along the way and am very depressed that he has retired from standup...since now i've had an inside peek at how he created his own style of making people laugh.

mockingjay by suzanne collins :: if you still aren't with me on the hunger games series, than stop reading here.  for those of you who have read hunger games and catching fire, i can promise you a stellar finale.  these books make perfect beach reads.  or in my case, lay inside on a rainy day and read the entire book in one sitting.  choose your poison.

room by emma donoghue :: told from the perspective of a five year old boy, room tells the story of a boy and his mother living life in a single tiny room.  the only other person jack has ever seen, other than his mother, is old nick, the man who brings them food and clothing every few days.  dark and disturbing, you would think beautiful things could not be seen in these pages, but there are moments of joy and the realtionship between jack and his mother is inspiring.  she refuses to let jack suffer the feelings of imprisonment she faces and tries her hardest to create a childhood for jack.

the host by stephenie meyer :: you'll have to bear with me during the summer months, as this is when i get the chance to read some of the trashiest young adult fiction.  the host is by the authour of twilight, but is an incredibly different book.  no vampires this time around, now we have aliens.  i'm not usually one for science-fiction, but i quickly became hooked on this storyline.  a super race of aliens take over the souls of humans on earth, and only a few real humans remain.  this is another great beach read...and a real page-turner.

so once again, i'd love to hear what books i absolutely must read.  with lots of beach weekends and lake vacations coming up, i need a lot of literature to get me through the summer.  do you have a recommendation for me?

welcome to the jungle.

wiley wears:

top: modcloth

romper worn as pants: f21

wedges: uo

necklace: beach shop

     i love love love this outfit.  bright floral, big necklace and my flowy cotton pants.  all of these things are key for me during this summer season.  now to find something that works for the 100 degree weather coming our way...

     okay, now back to my wine/crab cake/gossip party with caroline.