Dress for Success

I first came across Dress for Success when I lived in Manchester. It is an amazing charity that helps underprivileged women by providing suitable clothes for them for job interviews alongside coaching to make sure they get that dream job or a foot in the door to their chosen career. Founded in America, Dress for Success has been in London and Manchester for a while and has now come to Leeds! It launched on 22nd November in The Corn Exchange and I am beyond happy to be involved. 

The women helped may have had drug and alcohol problems, may been victims of abuse or have been out of work for an extended period of time. Yes, Dress for Success is a charity but it is in no way a charity shop. The unit in the Corn Exchange has been cleaned, painted and decorated to give it a boutique feel. There are two separate changing rooms for clients, a large, spacious welcoming area and all windows have been covered to protect privacy. How does it work? A woman who needs interview clothes gets a referral from the charitable agency she is with to come to Dress for Success. All her measurements for clothes are taken in advance and a stylist (like moi) preps the stock ready for her to come in and try clothes on for her interview. The client then comes in, tries clothes on with the stylist during an hour long appointment and leaves with an outfit for her interview. If the client is successful at interview and gets the job then she receives a weeks worth of work clothes.

I've roped in 2 local dress agencies to donate their unsold stock and also organised a suit drive with PWC in Leeds and it has been really exciting to see how awesomely my contacts have responded. Want to get involved? 

"We currently need suit donations, volunteer stylists, an office manager and help with Social Media." 

Click here for the Dress for Success Leeds Facebook Page where you can get regular updates on how to volunteer and donate.

Or email the Dress for Success team at  dressforsuccess@leeds.org

Thanks!