Looks. Laughs. Local. Friday 'Fessional: Fashion Week of Rochester ... And I'm Still a Vintage School Marm.

Boutique Crawl. I've no clue how I missed signing up for Thursday's romp 'round Rochester to tons of our incredibly unique, fashionably fab, on-trend chic, luxuriously local boutiques ... but I did. Yet, between 4:30pm, when I exited work, and 6:30pm, when I arrived in West Irondequoit for some volunteer work, I managed to sneak-a-peek at what will become one of my most favorite fashion boutiques ever.

Roc Biz at its Best.
Peppermint Grab Bag: Cute Bag. Tribal Bracelets. Subculture Mag.

Peppermint. 

Fresh woman's apparel. Local artisans'/designers' goods.

Off of Park. 

Literally down the street from me. 

Opened in April. 

They have a blog!!!! Local artisans!? Fresh apparel!! 

Between the vintage dresses, artsy jewels, & funky twists on classic purses, alone, this shop is a sweeter staple than the refreshing candy for which it's named. So Shop ya soon Peppermint ... like every single Tuesday when Peppermint offers 15% -- FIFTEEN PERCENT -- off of all -- ALL -- merch, even if it's on-sale. Did we register this??? Even if it's on-sale. Like on Facebook. Follow on Instagram. ...Who said Fashonista Fab breaks the bank?

* * *

And now. 

Why I've gathered you all here, today.

#VintageSchoolMarm.

Forgive me fashionistas, for I have sinned. Not so much with the outfit--I did pretty good considering the below outlined constraints--but morally, with the attitude. As noted, on Thursday, I had to strake a balance between work-play-volunteer. Yes, technically I could have changed in between the 1st and 2nd innings, but where's the fun in that?? When I have an outfit challenge, I like to face it head-on & find the perfect solution considering all constraints. Accordingly, Thursday's ensemb had to meet the following criteria:

   Criteria                                                           Clothing                                                             Check

1. Comfort                          *                     Banana Sloan Crop in Black                    *                     ✓
2. Chic                                 *                    Banana Sloan Crop in Black                     *                     ✓
3. Professional                    *                    HM Beaded Cream Cardi                          *                     ✓
4. Fun                                 *                    Gap Dark Denim Button-Up                       *                     ✓

Funny thing is, while this ensemb certainly met all of the above criteria, and while I certainly felt professional & on-trend at work & chic & comfortable while volunteering, I felt, well ... like a Vintage School Marm while Shopping Peppermint. 

Not the Confession.

Also not the Confession.
Vintage '40's Style Shorts on sale for $10!!
#ShopPeppermint.

Confession is that, I let it get to me. For one, Nicole, who--if I'm #vintageschoolmarm (in all good senses of the term), she is #princess (in all better sense of the term)--in her tall, studded, brown suede boots, and luxe, leather, Coach looked incredibly casually trendy with perfect, glossy lips and even glossier, long black waves--(Am I being creepy-descriptive? Good.)--killed. For two, my pits felt sweaty, my once dark denim button-up was covered in fur from my then-demure cream cardigan, and I still donned the frames. It's not that I looked bad. It's that my outfit had turned stale. (Good thing Peppermints don't go stale...)

#Princess.

Long story short, in my self-conscious, #vintageschoolmarm mind, the gorgeous, funky, chicly fashionista owner who checked-out our purchases, handed a discount scan card to Nicole & not to moi. Obv b/c Nicole looked way cuter and me, way 40. So. Standing up for myself, I asked for 1. Twice. As in, the 1st time I asked, both Nicole & the owner just kind of stared, an--Ah. It's not the discount. It's a scan code that brings you to our Facebook. Which you just said you already found.--mouth agape. The second time, when I repeated myself verbatim which is always the best way to clarify yourself..., the owner spelled it out for me. Nicely. No condescension. I got the point. Namely: Card is not the discount. Liking on Facebook is.

The Confession.

Sometimes (lots of the times), I am a self-conscious, awkward, weirdo. Who buys culottes. Which is the only good part of this. Forgive me, fellow shoppers, for I have been awk. 

* * *

I saw. I shopped. 

I liked. I blogged.

(Sweet, 

like Peppermints.)

Shop 

Peppermint.

Shop

 Local.