Nonprofit provides glam squad for women re-entering working world

Paula Lawrence, executive director of Dress for Success Southern Nevada, loves the surprise she sees on clients’ faces when they walk into the nonprofit’s boutique at 3400 W. Desert Inn Road.

More than 80 referral partners ranging from the Clark County School District to HopeLink of Southern Nevada send women in need of a professional wardrobe to Dress for Success.

“They think they’re going to go down — and I mean this lovingly — to the Goodwill and get some old clothes,” Lawrence said. “So it’s wonderful for them to come in here.”

Each client gets a one-on-one appointment with a personal stylist who ushers them into a showroom filled with a variety of on-trend seasonal styles from power suits to more casual office wear. They chat about the client’s needs and desires.

“There’s more to it than having a sense of style. You have to really listen,” Lawrence said. “There’s a lot of talking and listening to find out what’s really going to work and what they like. We want them to feel good in the clothes. They have to understand fit, function, fabric and fashion — the four Fs.”

It’s in that room — decked out as if it were plucked from an upscale department store — that Lawrence said clients loosen up and “get the feeling that this is going to be a little bit girly. And we have fun in this room.”

From there, clients are led to one of two dressing rooms. Lawrence said they suit only two clients at a time, so it’s usually quiet. They’ll have candles burning and music playing. Taking what they’ve learned about the clients, the stylists, mostly volunteers, will go to the inventory in the back and pull fashions, accessories, shoes and even purses that they think will work.

“I personally have dressed everyone from a chemical engineer to a DMV clerk,” said Kim Amato, program manager. “I had a woman yesterday who had a MBA.”

She said clients, even those with stellar credentials, have been through tough circumstances that put them in need. Some have been through divorces or had health issues. Others are straight out of school and have no resources. A few come still dressed in prison-issued underwear.

“Our clients, some of the stories, you just have to hold your tears in because I can’t even believe they had the courage to come here and tell me that story. I get goosebumps talking about it,” Amato said.

Through trial and error, the stylist helps each client find a complete wardrobe for her interview along with a few pieces to add for a possible callback. Then when the client gets the job, she’s invited back to be suited for a week’s worth of clothing.

“Because you know you’re not going to get paid for three weeks,” Amato said. “You always miss the first pay period, right? We want to give them everything they need.”

Lawrence said the organization’s staff members and volunteers do all they can to make sure they think of everything. They frequently include vouchers for salon hair and nail services, bus passes and more.

“We really do ask, ‘What’s it going to be like tomorrow when you’re getting ready?’ ” she said. “And if they mention the bus, and it’s a mile away, we say, ‘And it’s raining. Do you have a coat? Do you have an umbrella? Let’s give you flat shoes to wear to the bus stop, but put them in this lovely attache so you don’t have to hold them in your hand so you can hide them and put on your new shoes.’ We really think it all the way out for them.”

Most of the clothing, shoes and accessories that Dress for Success gives to clients are donated by individuals on closet clean-out missions or even by retailers and manufacturers.

Recently, the organization was given more than 750 new Vanity Fair bras and 250 pairs of Spanx shapewear.

Lawrence decided rather than hold onto the gifts, it made sense to get the undergarments out to as many clients as possible right away. On March 10, Dress for Success hosted a Support Our Girls marathon fitting session, inviting past, current and even a few future clients to come in and take home undergarments.

Vanity Fair sent measurement instruments and instructional videos to train stylists on accurate bra fitting.

“Most people are off, or they’re wearing a bra that they’ve worn for so long, it’s stretched out,” Lawrence said. “So, of course, it still fits you. So we’re teaching them today the proper fit of a bra.”

Amato said some clients came in with extension after extension holding bras together.

“Or paperclip after paperclip,” Lawrence added.

“Meeting the women you dress, it makes you cry. It makes you laugh. It makes you feel good about yourself. It makes you feel good for them. It’s nice,” Amato said.

Dress for Success can’t use every item that’s donated.

Some donations that are dated or need repairs make their way into the Goodwill bin, resulting in payments by the pound to Dress for Success. Others that are fashionable but not seasonally appropriate or that are not quite right for work are sold at one of two annual inventory reduction pop-up shops.

The next Shop for Success sale is slated from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 30 and 10 a.m to 3 p.m. May 1 in the Walmart Shopping Center at Westland Fair, 4443 W. Charleston Blvd. at Decatur Boulevard, next to CiCi’s Pizza.

Lawrence said the sales are popular with at least 500 people showing up to shop every year.

Dress for Success clients and members of its Little Black Dress Club, a group for donors, can shop on April 29 before the sale is open to the public.

Shoppers can expect to find sweaters and blouses for $6, jackets and dresses for $10, and suits and coats for $20, as well as accessories, such as purses, scarves and jewelry, and beauty products. The event is also set to feature special sections dedicated to teen clothing and designer brand items, including luxury handbags provided by Max Pawn of Las Vegas.

“A lot of our stuff comes with price tags still on it,” Lawrence said. “A lot of them are brand new.”

Also on the organization’s upcoming event list is the fourth annual Champagne Luncheon and Fashion Show scheduled from noon to 2:30 p.m. May 20 at the Four Seasons Las Vegas to be followed by a Little Black Dress Club After Party from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $150 or $135 for Little Black Dress Club members. Club membership starts at $25 a month.

Visit dressforsuccesssouthernnevada.org or call 702-684-6412.

To reach View contributing reporter Ginger Meurer, email gmeurer@viewnews.com. Find her on Twitter: @gingermmm.