Improving Dress for Success

I initially learned of and got connected with Dress for Success in Atlanta... after a referral to them while preparing to enter the work force. I was thoroughly impressed upon entering the facility, with the decor, the music, the scent, the hospitality of the staff, and the general aura of the facility. They dressed me up or had me to try on the outfit they provided in one of their mirrored dressing rooms. I revered their selection... which they would place in a Dress for Success garment bag, and ...the beautiful necklace and other adornments... that they provided and placed in a separate goody bag for me (I kept and wore these for many years). Seeing other women transformed in professional attire they were provided there was equally uplifting, and I decided that I would somehow stay connected with Dress for Success. 

...Fate would have it that I would volunteer as an Office Manager/receptionist at Dress for Success Memphis years later. My presence there was ideal, considering my interest in fashion and social reform. I interacted with Joi Gordan, who was the CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide at the time, and worked directly with then Dress for Success Memphis Executive Director, Susan Kyles, who is currently the Executive Director of Dress for Success, Washington D.C...

During my time at Dress for Success Memphis managing paperwork, the company database, etc. and interacting with clients, I saw how it and Dress for Success per se could be improved upon to be more impactful to others besides those traditionally serviced in the program. 

...For one, they should incorporate a male suiting component into all of their programs. There are many men who are entering or have entered the workforce who could benefit from services that the program offers. I created a Dress for Success client referral form and a client wardrobe disbursal report for this purpose. Click here and here to view them. Click here to view documents per se that I created and/or edited for Dress for Success program use and for use by other similar organizations/companies...

  

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Dress for Success should additionally have a program that would service any and all companies desiring

wardrobe consultation for professional business attire for their employees; this program should be open to the general public. They should have for-profit stores for this purpose. Profits from these stores would fund traditional Dress for Success programs...               

                              

...A company in Memphis called Dress Code... or rather the name of this company would be suitable for Dress for Success for-profit stores. Since traditional Dress Code stores market "church, casual, special night out, weddings, and formal" attire, they should acquire a name that is more suitable for those particular types of clothing, "Sunday Best," perhaps... 

Dress for Success should additionally partner with select consignment clothing stores to offer professional and everyday attire to the general public. During my residence in Atlanta years ago I routinely shopped at Value Village on Metropolitan Parkway, which is by far one of the very best consignment stores that I have ever entered. 

They'd routinely have a conglomeration of very nice women's and men's suits and other clothing with the original price tags still on them. I made numerous purchases and receive so many compliments. When people raved on about how good I looked, of course, I'd be smiling from ear to ear. They'd be stunned when I interrupted to let them know that I paid circa $10.00 per outfit. 

I received so many compliments that I contrived the idea of creating consignment clothing store programs that are similar to and/or in partnership with Dress for Success. I shared this idea with Value Village management at that time. They were very interested though I'm not certain if it was ever implemented. 

In more recent times I've gravitated to the idea of materializing the said idea at Goodwill stores to compliment their Excel program, which connects their clients to educational opportunities and career advancement. There are, generally, many people are in need of clothing and many simply can't afford to pay new clothing prices. 

Dress for Success could provide Goodwill Dress for Success vouchers to their traditional clients who are in need of additional clothing. Any interested persons and/or organizations could provide said vouchers to anyone in need of clothing. Goodwill stores could additionally gift vouchers to specified customers via store raffles and other methods. 

Implementation of the prescribed Dress for Success male suiting program and for-profit program/Dress for Success stores would translate to inclusivity of all persons who could benefit from the program and very substantial incrementation of funding for the traditional and very merited Dress for Success program.