Fashion with a purpose

(Photo:white formal dresses)

In what is being described as the “ultimate recycling project,” State Fair Community College is hosting its 11th annual Hire for Attire professional clothing sale Wednesday and Thursday in the Thompson Conference Center in the Heckart Science and Allied Health Center.

The event is a way for both students and the community to purchase used business attire at affordable prices. During the first day of the sale, each item will cost $2 and on Thursday, the price per item is $1.

“It really is the ultimate recycling project,” said Laura Taylor, adjunct instructor and chair of the Hire Attire Committee. “We accept quality clothing that people can no longer use and then we sell it at incredibly reasonable prices.”

The clothes, which range in size from 2 petite to 24 women’s and 29 waist pants to 48 inches, cover many styles and offer something for virtually any shopper.

“We have a lot of name brand and designer labels,” Taylor said “Every item is in good condition and is gently worn. Many of the items still have their original tags on them.”

The purpose of the sale is two-fold. The sale funds a $500 scholarship for an AAS student and an endowed scholarship. The second purpose has a wider reach.

“So many of our students live on very tight budgets,” Taylor said. “This is a way for them to purchase clothes for their careers that they possibly couldn’t buy at full price. We have had students buy clothes for job interviews, work and special events like concerts. We even had one young man purchase his wedding suit at a sale,” Taylor added.

This year the event features 24 racks of clothes and multiple tables lined with purses, shoes, ties, jewelry and other accessories. Taylor considers this one of the largest sales the college has ever hosted.

“The sale is a cause I really believe in,” said Campus Store Manager Polly Grapes. “I have been volunteering at these for nine years. The first two we didn’t have a fashion show which is what I help a lot with.

“For a lot of our students not having the right clothes can be a barrier to them getting the job they have worked so hard for,” Grapes added. “This is a way to help them feel more confident and helps them make the transition from school to their professional career.”

“It’s a good time for the sale since it’s Earth Week,” Grapes added. “It’s a chance to be green and reuse and re-purpose items that are no longer wanted by one person but can really help another.”

Items that are not sold after the two-day event are donated to Open Door so nothing goes to waste.

“I really need to thank all the businesses that help make this happen,” Taylor said.

“JC Penney and Weller’s Men’s Wear let us borrow the clothing racks, and Goody’s and K-Mart provided the hangers. Elite Dry Cleaners helps tremendously too, and the maintenance men at the college are simply the best.

“We really want to thank everyone who donated items to the effort too,” Taylor added. “We couldn’t help so many without them.”Read more here:year 10 formal dresses