Mod for a Cause: Great Deals for a Great Cause

These gorgeous Manolo Blahnik`s could be yours this weekend!

It's that time again! We are putting on our bi-annual clothing sale, and you are invited!

We receive many donations throughout the year, and for all of those, we are so very grateful! However, we are not able to use all of them in our boutique. Since we would still like to put these wonderful items to use, we are putting on a spring sale with great deals on gently used, new and designer clothing, shoes, bags, jewelry and much more! This is a fundraiser event with 100% of proceeds going back to Dress for Success Vancouver.

A sneak peek of our fabulous retail space

We invite you to join us from March 29-April 4 (closed on Sunday) at the Harbour Centre Upper Mall Level, 555 West Hastings Street. The sale runs from 10am-6pm everyday except Sunday. We invite the public to come check out our great deals, while supporting a great cause!

We will also have donation drop off days prior to the sale on March 26th & 27th from 11:30am-2:00pm at the Food Court level. We are asking for work appropriate handbags, new make-up, work appropriate clothing in sizes 0-4 and 16-up, and work appropriate shoe sizes 4-6 and 10-up.

Handbags, handbags, handbags!

All of the merchandise is women`s clothing, ranging from casual spring and summer wear, to professional suits, to designer labels, to gorgeous handbags, and the list goes on! Be sure to come early to ensure the purchase of your must-have item!

*Please note, due to limited retail space all change rooms are communal only.

Influential Women in Business: Laurie Schultz

We are so proud of our Board Chair, Laurie Schultz, who is being honoured on March 5th at Business In Vancouver's Influential Women in Business Awards. Congratulations Laurie!

Find out more about Laurie in the Business In Vancouver article!

Let's Hear It For The Girls!

Grace is all dolled up and ready for her interview with Kim

This past Saturday, three of our previous clients and active PWG members came in for a photoshoot! The ladies had a great time getting their make-up done and having their photos professionally taken! Why all this fun, you ask? This is all in preparation for our largest fundraiser of the year, IMPACT 360! This year, we are going to be celebrating fashion, hosting a fashion show fundraiser! We will be inviting 10 of our clients to participate and share their stories in an effort to give our donors a new perspective on our clients and what we do here at Dress for Success Vancouver.

Geraldine is getting her makeup done!

Our Dress for Success volunteer mentor, Kim Conroy, was on-sight interviewing the women to find out more about their stories. The three women involved--Carrie, Grace, and Geraldine--were kind enough to open up to Kim about their experiences with Dress for Success Vancouver, and will also be participating in the upcoming fashion show at IMPACT 360 on June 5th.

Carrie, being photographed at our Dress for Success Vancouver office.

If you would like to hear more about these women's stories, and others like theirs, be sure to mark your calendars and attend our biggest fundraiser of the year:  IMPACT 360! Tickets go on sale in April so be sure to stay tuned for more information on our Facebook page!

Our volunteers who make magic happen!

On Saturday, February 8th, Dress for Success Vancouver volunteer stylists helped dress five clients from Ts'zil Learning Centre Lil'wat Nation/Mount Currie Band. Our style consultants made such every woman feel special and they left feeling completely happy and empowered! Here are some of their feedback:

"It was so nice to have a day to myself!"

"I don't remember the last time that I got something for myself. My last $5 always goes to my kids."

About the DFS volunteers:  "Those women were volunteers?! I can't believe they volunteer to do this. I hope one day I can volunteer to help there too."

"I had so much fun today" (said with a gigantic smile)

One woman told me that her volunteer tried to get her to wear a skirt but "that was not her". She did not get a skirt but now she is thinking about how she is dressing and she said, "I know that it is a risk, but I think I am going to try a skirt."

Finally, another volunteer did her best to try to get another woman to add colour to her black and white outfit but this student would not budge. In the car, I showed this student a red scarf that we had picked up for a missing student and she said that she liked it. I said, "You like this? But it is red!" She said that she liked it and would wear it. I promptly gave it to her. Miracles do happen :)

After DFS, we went to Value Village to purchase items that the students needed for their new outfits or other articles of clothing to mix and match with their DFS outfits. Finally,we went out to lunch and headed home. We had a fashion show in the bus, in which each woman showed everything that she received/bought that day. It was empowering!!!! I can't think of a better way that I could have spent a sunny afternoon.

Employee Spotlight: Sandy Sucloy, Merchandising & Logistics Manager

Name: Sandy Sucloy

What is your role?: I am the Merchandising and Logistics Manager at Dress for Success Vancouver, which means I am responsible for coordinating all the donations that come in and go out of our shop. I also work with our volunteers in a training capacity, and assist with fundraising events throughout the year including our regular clothing sales.

Volunteer since: I was a volunteer for 6 years starting in 2004, right up to March of 2011 when I was hired as an employee.

Sandy in action!

What is the best thing about working here? First, it's working with the most dedicated and passionate volunteers in all of Vancouver. I have said this at every volunteer orientation that I have been a part of. We have the best volunteers ever and if you become a volunteer at Dress for Success Vancouver, you are one of the luckiest people ever. The second best thing about working here are the clients that we serve. These are women in many cases who are struggling to make ends meet, let alone find a job. We get to play a role in helping them reach the next step by providing them with an interview-ready outfit and some basic resume and interview skills. When they get that job, it's life changing in many cases. God, its the best thing ever. Thirdly, I love women's fashion and I get a chance to work with them everyday. It really is a great job.

Can you share a memorable moment? The most memorable moment for me is one that I speak about often. It is my very first day when I was coming up in the elevator to meet Deb and realizing that I had not mentioned the fact that I was male in my initial e-mail. The look of shock and surprise on her face was priceless and I was sure my career at Dress for Success was over before it even got started. After a few awkward moments we sat down and chatted, and I was allowed to become a volunteer at Dress for Success. Talk about life-changing. 

What do you do with your time outside of the 9-5 with DFS Vancouver? When I am not at Dress for Success, you can usually find me training at my favorite gym Sweat Co. or Barre Fitness after work. I have recently taken up chess in hopes that it helps with my concentration. I also enjoy reading about fashion and biographies, usually about those who have made a difference in the world. Speaking of which, I also spend some time taking care of an elderly parent who has made a big difference in my life.

Who is your style icon? My style icon is Karl Lagerfeld. He continues to inspire me with what he creates for Chanel, Fendi, and of course his own line of fashion for men and women.

My dream vacation would be... My dream vacation would be to return to Israel and spend more time travelling around, learning more about the culture and religions of the Middle East and all that it entails. Its also a good excuse to work on my Hebrew.

My motto is: My favorite motto would be from Coco Chanel: "Fashion fades, only style remains the same." Love that.

Threads: Weaving together the stories of women from across the globe

This month Dress for Success Worldwide unveiled Threads, our first ever coffee table book that features the firsthand success journeys of 20 women from around the world. It is our first ever published collection of client stories, complemented with the stunning imagery of world-renowned photographer Danielle Levitt.

The concept of Threads comes from the idea that, together, each woman’s experience forms a fabric of support, of women helping women, of shared challenges and achievements. Her individual thread is woven into others, forming an undeniable worldwide bond.

Dress for Success curated the stories of these particular confident and courageous women because they all came to the organization in a time of need but have since transformed into influential leaders, continuing to inspire other women who share their challenges and achievements.

Amongst these stories is Vancouver’s very own Genevieve Sechter. Genevieve’s story represents the experiences and emotions that embody many women in our city, and around the world. In providing a local narrative to these experiences, Genevieve is reminding each woman that she is part of a bigger story and has a greater purpose. Her story is one of the 20 shared in this book in an effort to provide a tangible representation of the stories we often share with all of you.

Sharing these stories is important for several reasons. Firstly, it provides readers with an insight into the ways in which these success stories can materialize in different ways. Each woman’s story is unique, but still offers a relatable anecdote to remind us that we are not alone in our journey.



The power of women helping women can be seen at the Dress for Success Vancouver office

In having these stories altogether in one book, we are empowering these women and many others like them to share their stories in an effort to remove the stigma and shame from sharing one’s struggles with another—a way for women to become their own agents of change.

Finally, sharing these stories can initiate action. When women share their experiences with one another, it empowers both the story-teller and the listener. This creates a dialogue amongst women to begin understanding better the obstacles we face, and finding the right resources that can knock down those barriers to success.

We, here at Dress for Success Vancouver, believe in the power of women helping women. Sharing our stories with one another is one of the most powerful ways for us to do this. Threads provides the framework for this kind of call for action, and we need you to help us spread this message!

If you would like to find out more about these women's stories and contribute to the empowerment of women across the globe, you can Purchase Threads Online. The book (pictured below) is now on sale for $45, or $55 with delivery. All proceeds go straight back to Dress for Success, to ensure the continued success of many women like those featured in the book. 




Threads now available for purchase




This post was written by Ida Lotfi.
Ida is an Outreach Coordinator volunteer at Dress for Success Vancouver.



Making a positive contribution to the community: Community Action Project (CAP)

In July of 2013, Genevieve Sechter, Receptionist at Regent College, was sent as the Vancouver Delegate to a women's leadership conference in Florida by the Dress for Success Vancouver's Professional Women's Group. This provided a foundation for a Community Action Project that is scheduled for April 2014.

Rosemary Hutson interviewed her to find out about her vision and how the plan is materializing.

RH Genevieve, what is Dress for Success and the Professional Women's Group?

GS Dress for Success  is a non-profit organization which receives women referred by government-run agencies and equips them with appropriate clothing to wear for interviews and the workplace. They prevent personal finances from hindering their clients in their search for employment or career development. DFS has a "free-store" and they provide volunteer wardrobe assistants who help select suitable clothing for each client so that she can have an outfit for interviews, and another one when she obtains a job.

However they go far beyond this service to establish each woman securely and profitably in her field.  That is where the Professional Women’s Group comes in. These groups meet monthly providing fellowship, mentoring, networking and lectures by specialists in many fields of endeavour. They also assist women in various aspects of career development.

RH: How did you become the managing director of this project?

GS: Every year the Dress for Success Vancouver's Professional Women's Group invites members to apply to represent their chapter of PWG at their international leadership conference. The Professional Women’s Group requires each applicant to fill out a detailed questionnaire about her history, goals and achievements. The DFS staff consider the prospective delegate’s outlook, obstacles she has faced in life and how these things can be fueled into service to other women and society as a whole. Happily, I was selected as the Vancouver Delegate for 2013-2014. I have never done Project Management before, but my heart and values were revealed in my application and I am thankful that this was enough. I got to attend this conference along with all of the other delegates from DFS locations around the world. We were trained to build teams of volunteers from the other members of our home PWG’s, and to create projects with these women to facilitate positive change in our communities. Each delegate has the freedom to work with any population in any capacity that she chooses. This is all done on a volunteer basis. The freedom we are given is liberating and exciting.

RH: What inspired you to apply?

GS: I have always had a big heart and have dreamed of serving others in many ways since I was a little girl. This opportunity to assist others came with the added attraction of learning new skills that I could use for the rest of my life. I saw it as a character-building experience that would make it possible for me to serve more people more effectively. When I heard "community project" I heard, "this is for you, Genevieve." I am thankful to be the hub of growth, development, insight and creativity for other women. For me it is the next stepping-stone in a lifetime of service. I have previously worked with children, the elderly and people with developmental disabilities, and I have also participated in raising awareness about environmental causes. When God opens a door for me to serve, I walk through it whole-heartedly.
It is a gift to be able to make another person smile. I believe that is what I was born to do.

RH: What is your vision for this Community Action Project?

GS: For this project, I have a few goals. First of all, I want every member on my volunteer team to feel and experience what a blessing they are. I am truly thankful to work with these generous, intelligent, thoughtful and creative women. I think we live in a love-starved society and we don't get enough positive reinforcement. This can lead to us not living out the fullness of our God-given gifts. I enjoy reminding people how special and unique they each are and I want to use this project as an opportunity to showcase some of the gifts and talents of these incredible women.

Secondly, I want to demonstrate that there are good people in the world. It is very easy to become jaded and think that nobody wants to do anything kind unless there is a monetary gain. My team and I are being richly rewarded for this work, but we are giving of our time and talents and not asking for any specific compensation other than to bring joy to other women.

Lastly, the most obvious answer is for this project to provide something beautiful to these single mothers that we are gifting this to. I am not speaking as a parent, as I don't have any children of my own, but I know that it takes so much to raise a child. I cannot imagine having to figure it all out as a single parent! Parents in general, and especially single parents, can become so consumed with taking care of this other being, their child, that it's difficult to find time and space to relax. I want these women to get a short break from their day-to-day routine of meeting the needs of their children, and do something just for themselves. When Mom is taken care of, she can be more present for her children, and let's face it, Mom needs a break!

RH: How did the Dress for Success Professional Women's Group impact your life?

GS: It has been a safe place for me to remember who I am at my core and to inspire me to dream beyond the obstacles that have been in my path. As an organization, I find that they continually honour the unique brilliance of each woman in her entirety. We are not just family members, employees and employers or people that believe this or that. We are dynamic, beautiful, special women, each of us in our own way, regardless of how we got where we are or where we are heading next. Dress for Success is a place for women to be witnessed and respected as beautiful daughters of God.

RH: Why are they taking on this Community Action Project?

GS: Dress For Success aims to empower women to dream bigger and create a better world. The CAP program is an opportunity for women to develop or enhance innate leadership skills in themselves and the women around them while making a positive contribution to the community.

RH: How did the YWCA become involved?

GS: I approached the YWCA for the possibility of partnering with me for this project and they were keen as they do not have any funding for art. We discussed all of their programs and where my CAP might be of the most benefit. We realized that the single mothers in their program would benefit most from the opportunity to create art in community with each other. From that point we selected one particular transitional housing unit from several that they run, and that is where we will be hosting this arts program in the spring.

The single mothers were asked what type of art project they would like to do and they came back saying that they would like to create canvasses with mementos from their lives. I was very excited to hear this since it so happens that we are doing something similar amongst the Regent Community in the Lookout Gallery this season. We are still working out the details, but it looks like it will be a one day event and I hope to have working artists on board to teach the women some techniques if they need that kind of support.

I am thankful to be working in partnership with the YWCA Single Mother's Program and I hope to see a lot of smiles on the day that this comes to fruition!

Note: This project can benefit from donations of art materials, so if you have any that you are willing to share please contact Genevieve: gsechter@regent-college.edu

Genevieve is featured in the first ever Dress For Success coffee table book- Threads along with other PWG Delegates from around the world! The book is $45 CAN and you can contact christina@dfsvancouver.org to place your order.

Rosemary Hutson is a colleague of Genevieve’s at the Dress for Success Professional Women’s Group and also shares a connection with her at Regent College, where Rosemary has taken courses. She shares a strong commitment to promoting the actualization of persons striving to achieve their best potentialities and is an active word-smith.