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?

Lakeside Stroll

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I like the lakes in Muskegon, Michigan better than the ones in Chicago. Chicago beaches are too busy. I love big city livin', but give me a desolate beach any day like Pere Marquette on a Wednesday afternoon. My mom snapped these when I was in Michigan a couple weeks ago. This or something very similar has been my go-to beach look so far this summer.
I bought this Betsy Johnson bathing suit a couple years ago and since I'm hardly the beach-going type, it still is like brand new, unlike a majority of my shoes I destroy within a matter of weeks or months. I love a thin tank like this Wildfox one to throw over my bathing suit and of course, a pair of impractical beach shoes like the wedges I wore.
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[bathing suit by betsy johnson, pink tank by wildfox, shorts from uo, wedges c/o blowfish, aviators by banana republic]
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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!

summer workwear

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This was what I wore last week to work. I've had to wear flats to work all last week since I now have a roundtrip walking commute of four miles. This week I'm packing heels because I just miss hem so much.
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[flats by dolce vita c/o beso, pants by bdg, top from uo, belt by american apparel, sunglasses by rayban, tie from a h&m dress, jacket by ecote]
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Photos by Courtney!

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?

Lily & Me

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This is Lily. She's an asshole. She's cute, but she's a little asshole. Since she is so incredibly cute, I used her as a prop back in Michigan when I wore this last week. And my mommy took these photos too. Gotta love her photography talents!
It's funny how my family reacts to what I wear. This outfit is in now way, odd or out there, but my little brothers look at me like I'm from another planet when I wear this hat. My youngest brother, Dylan, pleaded for me to change before I went out in public with him. I, of course, looking for any excuse to embarrass the 14 year-old, naturally refused. It's my turn to embarrass someone now that I'm old! 
I love this skirted romper. I've worn it a couple times now as the weather finally gets warm enough and I like to lift the skirt up and for a moment scare friends to only reveal there are shorts underneath. I'm surprised I didn't think to do that with any of these photos. Another time!
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[skirted romper by pins and needles, hat from target, heels by jessica simpson]
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Photos by mom

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.