Faculty Fashion

Lauren Compton:

How would you define your style?:

“Comfortable. I like to be comfortable because I’m always on my feet with my style of teaching. I’m always moving, so comfort is key. I remember my first year of teaching I would always show up in business professional, and had heels, and Mrs. Boland would ask why I was so dressed up… So although comfort is key, I also try to stay on trend. I would say I’m a good mix between preppy and eclectic, I think it just depends on my mood that day what I want to dress in.”

How long have you been dressing in the style you wear?

“My style probably changes alot. In high school I wore the typical Hollister and Abercrombie, in college it was very popular to dress in Forever 21. Post-college, I still lent myself to more of the preppy style, like J.Crew and Ann Taylor. And I still shop there occasionally, but with the addition of two new mouths to feed in the family, I probably would lend myself more to shopping at Target and Old navy. I’ve been really impressed with Old Navy, I think that they’ve done a really good job with the new stylists and the people they’ve hired. So I think my style has evolved, and will continue to evolve. Some days I put more effort in what I look like, and some days it’s a t-shirt and jeans, and that’s comfy for me.”

Where do you get your inspiration?

“I get my inspiration from Pinterest. There will be days when, say, I really want to wear a black top, and I might be in bed waiting for the twins to wake up just surfing on Pinterest for black top outfits. I’m notorious for doing that, and then pulling pieces together that I have in my wardrobe. If I have a piece that I know I want to wear but I want to switch it up, I just look on Pinterest. I like to look at other vloggers and what other people are wearing to give myself ideas. A few of the social media vloggers on instagram, too, some of them I know from high school, have gotten really into fashion vlogging. So I look at them too.”

What do you look for in clothing?

“Comfort and affordability are my main influences. Especially now, as a parent, now that it has been a year, I want to spend my money on my kids and their clothes. Even though they’re going to grow out of them in a month, I’d rather do that than go to J.Crew and spend a ton of money on myself. So aside from looking at what people my age are wearing and Pinterest, I really look at what’s affordable and what’s comfortable and what’s going to last.  I want to buy pieces that are good quality.”

What colors do you usually dress in?

“Lately I’ve been wearing things in the darker color, like darker olive greens, which is funny because I never used to purchase a lot of black clothing, but I feel like black is classic and you can dress it up and dress it down. So when I look at my closet I do have a lot of colorful pieces, but I definitely have bought more over the last five years in that darker hue category. And also it just depends on the weather.”

What is the most important part of an outfit?

“I think you have to have some really good basics to build around. Whether it’s a plain t-shirt or a plain top, or a really good pair of jeans, I think having those basics is key because, again, you can dress them up and dress them down.”

Rosalind (Roz) McCoy:

How would you define your style?

“I would define my style as traditional and basic. Things will go in and out of style, but I can continue to wear my clothes and everybody will think you’re still in style.”

How long have you been dressing in the style you wear?

“My style doesn’t change a lot. I would say I’ve been dressing like this pretty much all my life. I’m a person that accessorizes– I always wear slacks and a vest, but it’s the jewelry that changes, not the clothes.”

Where do you get your inspiration?

“I get my inspiration from my mother. She’s basic, and we just dress it up with the accessories, because the accessories never go out of style.”

What do you look for in clothing?

“I like the ethnic styles. I’m really into black art, so to bring to the forefront because of my ethnicity is important to me.”

What colors do you usually dress in?

“I like to wear black because it makes you look smaller. I also like a lot of orange, I feel like I look good in orange because it brings out my skin.”

What is the most important part of an outfit?

“For me I build around my tops because that’s what people see when they come into the building. Never throw away your clothes. They will come back.”

Amy Hamilton:

How would you define your style?:

“I shop at estate sales. I like the hunt for the things that I’m into. Right now I’m into pins and buttons, so I like going out and seeing what’s around. My husband calls it art outfits, when it looks like they clash, but I love it.”

How long have you been dressing in the style you wear?

“I would saying there’s always that underpinning of that classic style, just the black, the classic silhouette sort of thing, but I’m always obsessed with details, like scarves and buttons and pins.”

Where do you get your inspiration?

“I go through certain phases of being into certain art movements. Like right now I’m really into pop surrealism, so it’s kind of that cartoony aspect of how things look. So right now I’m wearing way more color than I used to, I used to be very black on black on black, but now I’m more into color.”

What do you look for in clothing?

“I like men’s clothing a lot. I like to see what men and boys are wearing, and I often shop in the men’s department because it’s so much cheaper. So when I’m not working I’m usually wearing some men’s t-shirt.:

“I don’t pay much money for clothing, I usually buy clothes on the super clearance rack, which is usually the way to go incase you mess it up or it goes out of style.”

What is the most important part of an outfit?

“I usually build around what pants or skirt I feel like wearing, but I think the most important thing is whatever bit of polish you use; like if you cuff your pants a certain way or if you wear a ribbon. Whatever it is that’s essentially you, that’s the most important part.”

John Ryan:
How would you define your style?:

Comfort comes first. Teaching is kind of a physical job, so I like to be comfortable. But also, not generic. I like black because I think it’s classic.

How long have you been dressing in the style you wear?

Probably the last six or seven years.

Where do you get your inspiration?

From writers and artists. As a writer myself, I’m kind of aware that artists have a certain style, sort of casually sloppy. I don’t wear a tie to work, I think it’s too constricting. My wife and kids definitely have a say, too.

What colors do you usually dress in?

Blue and black are probably what I go to more often than not. I also play around with socks.

What is the most important part of an outfit?

I try not to clash, I can thank my wife and kids for that. I appreciate how many styles I see around the halls among students and teachers, I just think it’s a place that people can be pretty free to express themselves.