Fingerprinting and Curious Cargo

Soooo...I said the other day I got a job at the bank and it is protocol to fingerprint incoming employees to reveal any past criminal behavior. That's all I was told, really. So technically I haven't been officially hired, but I still wanted to make a good impression via clothing for the all important fingerprinting. I was told I didn't have to dress up, but I wasn't going to show up in a pair of cutoffs and a paint stained tank. (Seriously, side note here, I have seen people show up to hand in resumes, even interviews in jeans and a t-shirt. Don't do it! First impressions are a big deal, and I believe, clothing is a big part of it).

Tank: Target

Cardigan: American Eagle, ages ago

Skirt: Maurices

Belt: Forever 21

Boots: Born

Socks: Hue

Earrings: Burlington Coat Factory

With this outfit I wanted to look nicer, but not like I was trying too hard so I paired the pencil skirt with boots and those earrings. I hope I impressed them...until I actually went to give my fingerprints and I had that manicure of red nails with one purple nail on each hand. Yeah, real professional looking. Not. 

In other news, I discovered another store in Marquette, Curious Cargo, located on 3rd street. Sorry, there isn't a  website to share. They sell pretty much vintage everything, with every corner stuffed full with little treasures from old doorknobs to books to clothing. I mostly went there for the clothing and was pleasantly surprised at the pretty reasonable prices. Some of the older clothing wasn't in the best condition, but there were many very nice pieces, particularly this pink dress that looked like something out of Mad Men (minus all the flounces those women wear. Crinolines? Is that what they are called? Whatever it is that makes the skirt flare and pouf out). Once I start working I will definitely be heading back for something. And then share it with you all!

Whelp, time is winding down to that first day of school and already I am thinking of what I will wear. Any ideas, suggestions, favorites of what any of you like to wear on the first day of school? 

Marquette Shopping

Since arriving back in Marquette, I have explored downtown. Every time I think I have discovered everything, I am told that I have missed something, so this is all a work in progress and I will update whenever I discover the new.


I want to talk about the downtown shopping. There are quite a few delightful downtown stores. The most well known, Getz's, caters to a wide range of people and worth checking out. They carry North Face, Carhartt (the biggest dealers in Carhartt in the country, fyi), Keens, Silver Jeans, Mountain Hardware. Can you tell there are a bunch of hiking hippies up here? But also, valuable gear for the weather up here. They do carry a lot of cute clothes for a wide age range, from basement to the top floor.


Next there is Mary's Closet. Another cute store, prices are about the same as Getz's, which is a little pricey for me right now as I don't have a job. The clothes ranged from a younger audience, like me, to clothes for older women. They are also a carrier of BB Dakota, as is Getz's, if you like their stuff, which I do. BB Dakota clothes are so cute. I had a trench coat of theirs that I wore until all the buttons and the buckle fell off, then still wore it. I still have it, can't get rid of it. 


There are, of course, the cheesy tourist stores with all the bric-a-brac that no one ever really needs and not worth mentioning. 


Next are the consignment shops. There are two of them, Reblossom and Party in Disguise. 
Reblossom has a lot of really nice clothes and the store was very cute with little closet displays of shoes and pants and dresses. I did think this place was a little pricey, but it was the first time I was in a consignment shop, so maybe the prices are normal and I've just been hanging out at Salvation Army too much.


Party in Disguise, is just that, a party in disguise. I thought it had been a costume store, but when I passed it, I saw a sale sign for purses and it looked more like a clothing store, so I stopped in. And guess what?! I discovered a vintage Coach purse in very good condition (there are two barely noticeable marks in the leather) probably from the 80's, I haven't checked it out yet. But just guess the price, just guess. Four dollars! After skimming all the vintage stores downstate with their ridiculous prices, this was just a delightful find that I had to buy even though I promised my husband I wouldn't buy another purse for a very long time (at that price he was okay with it). Party in Disguise is a costume/party store as well as a consignment shop more geared towards the working woman with many cute skirts, and many more purses.


With all these stores you will get asked if you need help, but no one is overly in your face like I think many workers are in the department stores. The people behind the counter, always working, are the owners themselves, there is no corporate backing pushing sales. It was nice and relaxing shopping in these stores without the overbearing sales people.


Downtown Marquette is beautiful and near the lake so there is always a nice breeze. Haha, I feel like I am writing one of those Michigan ads for tourists to visit. 


Those are my findings so far. And I will update as I discover more Marquette. My long term goal is to discover the little shops in all the bigger cities like Escanaba, Houghton, Sault Saint Maire...because even though the U.P. does not offer much in way of designers or malls, there are places to find unique clothing and that is what we are, right? Unique? Damn right, U.P.