Vintage in the classroom

Erin Fox wore a lot of suits to stand out from her students and gain respect from her co-workers when she started teaching at the age of 22.  After a while, she realized that it was too expensive to have separate wardrobes, so she quickly became a savvy spender and started to buy pieces that would work for her professional and everyday attire.

Fox is a Central Michigan University communications professor, and when you see her around campus, it definitely won’t be in a suit anymore. Usually she can be spotted wearing  a knee-length dress with bold and vibrant colors or patterns. Fox pairs the dresses with colored tights and a solid-colored cardigan which is belted at the waist. She also accessorizes her outfits with cocktail rings and some sort of hair accessory such as a bow or feathers.

Peter Pan collars and bird prints are among two of her favorite style details in her wardrobe.

Fox said she recently had been inspired by the manic pixie dream girl such as Zooey Deschanel in 500 Days of Summer or Anna Friel from Pushing Daisies.

She usually shops on Modcloth.com — a quintessential site for vintage-inspired dresses — or in antique stores.

“I don’t think I’ve ever paid more than four dollars for a dress,” said Fox.

As a tip to students, Fox says that a good place to find vintage merchandising for cheap prices is Antique Center of Mount Pleasant, located at 1718 South Mission St.

Fox is able to dress appropriately for the classroom but her clothes still show her personality and love for vintage items in a unique and classy way. She also admitted to having an obsession with collecting vintage pieces. What added to her unique and vintage-loving style was when she started collecting owls and Avon products, which eventually led to her to collect vintage dresses.

”I started dressing more like this because vintage pieces usually last longer,” Fox said. “My style is vintage or vintage-inspired, feminine, and whimsical.”