regrouping.

taking a couple of days off to regroup and relax.

back with a 'wiley wears' post on sunday evening.

wishing everyone a wonderful weekend.

thank the lord for a short week coming up.

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fifties in the seventies.

wiley wears:

top: anthropologie

peacoat: gap

pashmina: vintage

jeans: paige

hat: vintage

purse: aldo

shoes: sperry topsiders

     last sunday i went for a laid back seventies vibe.  seventies in decade, as the weather was clearly in the fifties.  i wanted to use simple pieces for the bottom layer and then use my outerwear and accessories to create the look i was going for.  i attempted a wide flowing outfit and the peacoat paired with trouser-style jeans did a great job of giving the outfit body.  with a funky pashmina and a sweet green felt hat i felt like i took some of my favorite annie hall styles and blended them into my typical sunday casual look.

style spotlight: knee socks.

last winter i began wearing knee socks over tights with tall boots, but this winter i am thinking of embracing the trend of thigh-highs and knee socks with short boots and dressy heels.  i love the sweet proportions they create when paired with mini skirts and short dresses.  plus, the additional warmth is always a positive up here in chilly new england.

will you be wearing knee socks this winter?

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summer to fall.

wiley wears:

dress: f21

cardigan: kensie

belt: vintage

necklace: nomad

boots: vintage

     clearly not the best light, but for the outfit i thought it worked out appropriately.  this was really the first summer that i fully embraced the maxi dress and i have really liked to explore the different ways it might be wearable in the cooler months.  i have to admit, this dress was extra comfy with tights, boots and a soft cardigan.  quick post since i'm off to watch glee! yes!

dress for the job you want.

wiley wears:

top: j.crew

skirt: j.crew

tights: f21

brogues: miss me

     dress for the job you want, not the job you have...or so they say.  i like to combine a bit of both.  to be honest i can't quite dress for the job i want at the job i have because sometimes you just have to be a professional people!  don't get me wrong, i love my job, but as anyone else who works 9-5 knows, dress codes rarely call for leather shorts, cowboy boots, or anything with fringe. (just a few examples.)  for this reason i have come up with my winning combination for dressing the way a professional should dress while still adding in bits of my personality and a little touch of fun.  today's outfit really encapsulated some of the everyday tricks i use to combine my creative right brain with a job that requires a whole lot of left brained thinking.

here are my five favorite ways to have more fun with my closet during the monday through friday grind.

1. colored tights.  it's obvious that a pair of tights can totally spice up a dull outfit.  a pair like the mustard above are a great way to work with office basics.  if you aren't wild about out-there colors try out navy, gray or beige for starters.

2. statement jewelry.  i wear a lot of big necklaces. (not pictured above.) i have found that buying large necklaces, earrings and bracelets can really make a button-up and black pants go a long way.  go for color!

3. add in vintage pieces.  clearly i would start getting the eye if i walked around thinking i was joan from mad men everyday, but i think pairing a vintage item with something more typically business-appropriate can really make you stand out.  i love throwing a preppy cardigan over a loud patterned seventies dress.

4. so it only makes sense for #4 to be patterns.  play with patterns!  pair a funky patterned skirt with a basic white button-up or a floral tee with a black pencil skirt.  skirts like the one above are far more versatile than one might originally have thought.  my favorite patterns for the office; polka dots, florals and stripes.

5. ruffles.  this is my own personal go-to.  i find it hard to believe that there could ever be too many ruffles on something.  ruffles add a touch of feminine fun to otherwise dull work wear and playing with texture is a great way to get you out of your 9-5 funk.

how do you keep your work wardrobe from getting stale?

girl talk.

     my weekend away was wonderful.  we ate, we drank, we were merry.  just a pleasant weekend at the beach where no true 'wiley wears' photos were taken.  i did think it might be funny to post a few pictures of what i wore on saturday.  this right here, my friends, is what i wore, in some combination throughout the weekend.  i have to tell you, nothing feels better than not wearing a pair of jeans or a skirt for an entire weekend; just leggings, yoga pants and pajamas.  loose comfy tees and moccasins were a must, as were jackets and sunglasses for lounging on the seawall at high tide.

i hope everyone had a fabulous weekend.

cheers.

it's that time of year my friends.  off for a fall weekend at the beach with a couple of my very best friends.  this weekend will involve wine, copious amounts of cheese, games and watching the sunrise over the sea.  (i also packed cruel intentions...just in case we need a movie break.)

wishing everyone a lovely weekend!

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