#tbt Suede Mini Skirt, 8th Grade

Somewhere in the house (or garage) are my school yearbooks from 5th-8th grades.
My 8th grade school portrait comprised of this look:
[insert photo when I find it] 

These photos, shot by my mom, will have to do as a stand in -- I don't have time right now to find the yearbook to take a photo of the portrait.

That's our summer house behind us. In the 90s, Mom built an all-year house on the same piece of property, closer to the highway. These were shot for a potential Christmas card image. That's why we're all dressed up and posing with the dog. I can't remember if that's Honey or Ginger -- I grew up with Golden Retrievers.

What makes this outfit so special?

I got the suede mini and leather wrap belt in Poughkeepsie (which was "the big city" for me then) at a hep boutique.
The tee with many buttons? Can't remember. Sears? Can't see and can't remember the shoes, so I made them up. 

I felt comfortable in my skin.
I was full of badass girl power!

Funny, it's not how my 8th grade instructors saw me.
While at my mom's last week, I came across a pile of paperwork set aside for me that included all my elementary through high school report cards. Apparently in eighth grade I was a distracted student, not doing my work, a bored malcontent. Ha! Maybe I was! I was ready for bigger horizons!

The suede mini (all 15 x 30 inches of it) is my Fashion Rosebud for the week.
Is there a story lurking in your closet? Link and tell!