moving on up.

     i finally have internet again and i'm so thrilled to be back to blogging.  i am still getting our new apartment organized and decorated, but here are a few peeks.  i'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of our curtains and headboard, and after that i think we're almost there.  i should be back to regular postings this week, but for now, here are a couple of photos from our new home.

rolling stone.

     moving stinks.  mostly when you've accidentally packed away your camera cords and don't remember which box they are in.  so this week you'll all have to bear with me while i dig through boxes, pack boxes, unpack boxes, and lug boxes from point a to point b.  tomorrow i'll have a new 'wily wiley reads,' but beyond that i can't make any promises until we are in our new place on thursday. 

 wishing all my fellow moving bostonians the best this week!

{image via here.}

style scout: labor day party.

1. blousy striped top, thick belt and loosefitting trouser jeans

2. gingham button-up, red mini, khaki vest and oxfords

3. soft striped tee, a-line skirt, canvas tote and wedges

4. gingham button-up, khaki skirt and leopard accessories

5. funky striped tank, highwaisted red trousers and sunnies

     

      since labor day is right around the corner i thought what better time to do a new 'style scout' with some inspiration for celebration.  i love patriotic holidays like labor day, the fourth of july and memorial day.  any chance to wear my red, white and blue, and i am a very happy girl.  what better way to celebrate an all-american holiday than by wearing some of the most timeless and 'patriotic' looks above.

     beyond a patriotic color palette, try incorporating stripes or gingham into your labor day attire.  i also love classic fabrics like denim and linen for weekend festivities.  i hope the above looks give you a few ideas.  and ladies, labor day is a perfect time to experiment with a little pattern mixing.  (i love the combination of leopard and gingham in #4.)

how will you be celebrating labor day?

and what will you be wearing?

the final piece.

wiley wears:

vest: old navy

maxi dress: f21

necklace: f21

gladiators: jeffrey campbell

     i have seen vests like this everywhere and i finally found one i loved when i was home and shopping with my mom.  she didn't quite understand how much i had been longing for this piece.  it's the final* piece i will need to create my complete fall wardrobe.  i love the way it perfectly layers over my summer maxi dresses and i have so many ideas for the fall.  

what's that 'final' piece you need for your fall wardrobe?

*there will probably be a new final piece needed about a week down the road

wily wiley reads.

                                       
    i've decided to do a 'wily wiley reads' post once a week and focus on two books, rather than four.  i think this will give me an opportunity to do what i love a little more often.  i always look forward to all of the recommendations you all give me, so i think getting those more often will be excellent as well.

the disappeared by kim echlin ::: i think this is one of the best love stories i have read in a long time.  also one of the saddest and most difficult to read.  set during the cambodian genocide, echlin tells the story of a young canadian girl and a cambodian musician.  when the cambodian border opens up again serey decides to return and find out what has become of his family.  anne stays behind and for eleven years hears nothing from the man she loves.  eventually anne realizes that she cannot live without serey and travels to cambodia to search for him and reclaim the love she has lost.  this novel was incredibly moving and it made we want to do some further reading on what happened in cambodia in the 1970s.  highly recommend.

my name is memory by ann brashares ::: another love story of sorts.  this one is a bit confusing, and it took me a little while to wrap my head around the plot.  in my name is memory, the concept is that every person has lived multiple lives.  the catch; only a few remember these past lives.  daniel remembers his past lives and in each one he has been in love with sophia.  set in modern day, sophia is now a teenage girl named lucy.  daniel's goal is to remind lucy of her past lives and make her fall in love with him again.  the story travels through the many lives of daniel and lucy and i really enjoyed the constant changes of scenery.  this is apparently the first novel in a trilogy and i will definitely be reading the second and thrid novel.

now it's your turn.  what have you read lately?

fiesta dress.

wiley wears:

dress: thrifted

belt: uo

gladiators: jeffrey campbell

      i had been pining over an embroidered dress from anthropologie for the last few weeks, that even on sale was beyond my budget.  yesterday we headed to our favorite thrift shop and i came across this amazing embroidered dress.  i imagine a wealthy tourist somewhere in south america purchasing this hand-embroidered dress, and cannot help to think that i just hit the jackpot.  i plan on chopping off the bottom of the dress right below the last piece of embroidery.  what are your thoughts?  do you like the current midi length, or will it look better as a mini?

style scout: fall weekends.

1. pleated skirt, blazer, slouchy blue button-down, boots and  turban

2. sheer black top, denim bell bottoms and an oversized leather tote

3. oversized button-down, lace mini, envelope clutch and gold jewelry

4. olive cargo vest, boyfriend jeans, heather gray top and nude shoes

5. leather bomber, skinny jeans, striped top and brown lace-up boots

6. striped pencil skirt, gray sweatshirt, camel leather belt and gold cuff

     i wanted to compile a few of my favorite looks for fall into a new series called 'style scout'.  i have been missing a weekly feature and all the fabulous inspiration it brings.  after all the time i've spent sending inspiration to friends and family for different occasions, i thought i would bring some of that fun to my blog.  each week i will pick an event or trip and focus on a few pieces of inspiration to show you the things that i would wear.  i'd love to hear if you have any sartorial conundrums.
    above are six looks that incorporate pieces that are easy to come by, many that i already own, and a few new pieces that need to make their way into my wardrobe a.s.a.p! (i'm talking about those gorgeous bell bottoms!)  i picked looks that would be perfect for those upcoming autumn weekends spent in the city.  if you've been struggling to find transitional pieces for fall, follow the lists above and you'll be outfitted like a pro in no time.