Our Blogger of the Month series is back!

This month we are featuring Francesca Bond of Vintage Lillies.   She is such a sweetheart and has an amazing style!  Keep reading to learn more about Francesca and her blog.

1. How long have you been blogging?
I started Vintage Lillies when I was pretty young, about to enter High School. (Those
posts get quite embarrassing). I’ve been doing it for about seven years.

2. What made you want to start blogging?
Before I started my blog, I would spend hours scouring the internet on different fashion
blogs. I was a fashion magazine addict, reading every issue of all the big ones each
month, and blogs were an even better take on fashion because bloggers style outfits that
are more wearable in real life than Vogue spreads. I started my blog as a creative outlet
and to share my take on style and trends with the internet. I was an awkward, lanky tween and my blog was a way for me to exercise some of my creativity and ideas in a safe space. At first, nobody read my blog except my parents and closest friends and I treated it more like a style journal/diary, which it still is to an extent. I like keeping it personal and not trying to be a perfect fashion blogger, but just a busy, young girl who loves writing, fashion and writing about fashion.

3. What’s your favorite thing about being a blogger?
Ooo, I always have a hard time just picking one favorite thing. I really love the people
I’ve met through the Buffalo Blogging Network. It’s awesome getting to meet new people in my city who are creative and interested in similar things as I am. I also love the photo shoots and everything that goes into them. Styling the outfits, picking the location and the challenge of finding good lighting is all pretty fun.

4. What is the meaning behind your blog name?
Ha, there isn’t much of one. I enjoyed vintage clothing, hence vintage. As for lillies? I
think I thought it just flowed together. I’ve thought about changing it many times but
never do because I honestly find the name pretty funny. The funniest part of the name is
that it’s spelled wrong, and I didn’t even notice until a few years later. Apparently, lilies is spelled with only one L, not two, who knew? People probably think this is on purpose
and now I’ve just blown the secret, but yes it was just a spelling error by a not-too- detail-
oriented 13 year old.

5. What do you love most about living in Buffalo?
I really, really love Buffalo so this is a hard one. I’m from a small town about an hour
north of Buffalo called Middleport, so when I moved to Buffalo for college at Buffalo State, it really felt like moving to a big city. I think my absolute favorite thing about
Buffalo is the camaraderie. There’s something in the air here that ties us all together, and
it’s not just the faint smell of Cheerios. Maybe it’s that we’re an underdog city on the up-
and-up, or maybe it’s just that Buffalo is full of friendly, happy people. I’ve found people
in Buffalo are always willing to help each other out and support each other, and strike up
conversations among strangers.

6. What’s your favorite local restaurant?
Brunch: Betty’s (eggs benedict)
Lunch: CRaVing (croque madame sandwhich is the best spin on a grilled cheese I’ve ever had)
Dinner: Giancarlo’s (mushroom pizza)
Café: Daily Planet Coffee (dirty chai latte) Ice cream: Lake Effect (London fog ice cream)

7. What are your favorite seasonal activities?
In the winter, I love going ice skating down at Canalside or Rotary Rink. I could ice skate for hours (ungracefully and with many falls). I also consider shopping around the malls a winter activity when it’s too cold to be outside and I don’t want to be holed up in my apartment. In the spring/summer, I love walking/running/playing tennis in Delaware Park. I also love going to concerts and all the festivals I can cram into each weekend. In the fall, I enjoy celebratory fall activities like apple picking, pumpkin picking, hay rides, the whole nine yards. I love that Buffalo has all four seasons so I try to make the most out of each one.

8. What is your favorite neighborhood in the city?
I love the charm, culture and nightlife of Allentown. I live off Hertel and thoroughly enjoy all the shops, restaurants and convenience of having everything I’ll need right there. But my ultimate favorite would have to be the Elmwood Village. Elmwood was the fist neighborhood I really got to know like the back of my hand, living in a tiny dorm room at Buff State. I would walk around Elmwood, getting smoothies from Ashker’s and strolling for goodies at Second Chic and Half & Half. In the summer, Elmwood can’t be beat with Bidwell Park concerts, activities outside the Albright Knox. Elmwood will always be one of my favorite places in the world.

9. What are are a few of your favorite Instagram accounts that you follow?
For local accounts, I love @secondchicbuffalo. Second Chic is one of my favorite local
boutiques and they update daily with beautifully crafted secondhand outfits. I also love
Katharine’s feed (@theroamingbuffalo) is full of gorgeous photos of Buffalo as well as
travel photos from all of her adventures. For guides of the city and killer Instagram
stories, @stepoutbuffalo is the best. As for fashion bloggers and inspiration, @seaofshoes
and @tesschristinexo take the cake. @lauraiz dresses her little girl up in the cutest pop
culture outfits and takes photos and they never fail to put a smile on my face.

10. What advice would you give to people who would like to start a blog?
Just go for it and post whatever makes you happy. I do my blog for fun and if you’re
looking to do yours for fun, then make sure it stays fun. The last thing you want is for
your blog to feel like a chore or a crappy job. Create content you enjoy making and think
others will enjoy seeing. Share on social media, that’s how people are going to find it.
Take opportunities when they arise and always be grateful. Lastly, join a blogging
network because it’s much more fun to enjoy with others.