Ever since she was little, sophomore Emma Fountain has been captivated by the charisma and attitude of cartoon character Betty Boop. Emma’s fascination has lead to a collection of over 150 Betty Boop merchandise.

“Whenever I was little, she was someone I looked up to,” Emma said. “I loved her style and her confidence.”

Emma’s collection grew with the help of her grandmother, Barb Fountain, who also collects memorabilia for other vintage-style idols, such as Popeye and Elvis. When she visits Barb in Iowa, Emma spends plenty of early-morning hours with her grandma searching for more tokens to add to their collections. Another way the pair finds items is by broadcasting their contact information via the radio.

“I think collecting anything in the past is neat,” Barb said. “I hope to someday give her my stuff, too.”

From clothing to stuffed animals, Emma has quite a collection.

“If I could have a house dedicated to Betty Boop stuff I would,” Fountain said. “But if I couldn’t, I would just have a room dedicated to Betty Boop stuff.”