Dress for Success public warehouse sale in Sharpsburg benefits women entering work force

When Monica Nixon moved from Tulsa, Okla., to Pittsburgh post-covid, her resources were lacking.

“My job shut down and I finally got a position that would elevate me after all of that craziness that most of us went through,” Nixon said.

But she needed a helping hand to put her best foot forward.

Enter Dress for Success, a Lawrenceville-based nonprofit whose mission is to help under-resourced women achieve economic independence by providing free professional clothes to enter the work force.

“Dress for Success was there to provide some caring help in my time of need,” said Nixon, who now works in church administration. “It’s not just about the clothes. It’s what the care does for a person — the clothes helped me not worry or stress about things with money and resources that I didn’t yet have.”

In April, Dress for Success will open its Sharpsburg warehouse to the public in hopes of offloading inventory that doesn’t fit its mission.

“We try to make sure every donation we take in goes back to the women we serve, with them either wearing the clothes to an interview or on the job,” said CEO Tanya Vokes. “If we have donations of prom gowns, that’s not doing us any good.”

The Fill-A-Bag sale, April 10-12, will offer bargain hunters and thrifters the chance to sift through mounds of clothes – all sizes and styles — and stuff a bag that costs from $35 to $75, depending on the day.

It’s a way to recycle perfectly good clothes, from casual attire to select vintage to formal wear, and raise money sustainably, volunteer Cheryl Richards said.

And, it whittles pieces that don’t fit the group’s target audience, she said.

“Sometimes our donations don’t fit that interview look, whether they’re too fancy or whatever the reason,” Richards said. “We want to repurpose them to people who can use them.”

Most significantly, the sale raises money to buy work clothes that will empower women and help them find footing in the professional world.

Medical scrubs, non-slip shoes, undergarments, hosiery and steel-toed shoes are among the top items requested by women seeking work wear.

“Sometimes you have to look good to get that job,” Richards said. “A lot of people might not have the means to pour money into an interview outfit. Then, you need clothes to sustain the job.”

Dress for Success doles out clothes, shoes, outerwear and hygiene essentials for free. No photo ID, proof of citizenship or income are required.

Opened in 2023, the Sharpsburg warehouse serves as the group’s main drop-off site and also houses two of its mobile boutiques, which rove around Allegheny and four surrounding counties to meet women in need where they are.

In 2024, the group provided services to more than 4,200 women – its most impactful year on record.

“We know that women can do anything, we just want to make sure they are safely and appropriately dressed for work,” Vokes said.

Dress for Success, she said, is part of a global movement for change, empowering women to obtain safer and better futures.

But it’s about more than a new outfit, she said.

For Nixon, it was about building confidence.

“I was able to put a good foot forward and build back up again,” Nixon said. “I thank them for making me feel like I had something to offer and move forward.”