Want
to know something that’s not going to happen?
With the possible exception of her husband, no
one is likely to find
Arlyn Gardner looking like anything less than a
fashion plate.
However, two life
experiences have given this beautifully dressed
woman a unique perspective on clothes. These
experiences explain her countless volunteer
hours at Bottomless Closet, the charity
that provides economically disadvantaged women
with appropriate clothes for job interviews.
The first experience that
influenced Gardner’s attitude on clothes
happened when she participated in a Citizens
Committee for Children training session. Its
purpose was to give volunteers
a glimpse of life on welfare.
The trainees took the role
of welfare recipients, while the
staff played the role of people interacting with
them. Gardner remembers that, “They treated us
as nameless people who
were annoying them. They talked down to us,
ignored us,
and made us feel worthless. We felt as if we
couldn’t make ourselves heard.”
As the session continued,
the trainees saw a world where people had never
entered a real clothing store; their only
clothes came from church closets, or perhaps the
Salvation Army. Gardner remembers that after
even a single afternoon in this simulated world,
she experienced a sensation of helplessness and
hopelessness.
“It was almost a paralysis,” she recalls. She
was left trying to imagine what a steady diet of
this would be like in the real world.
Almost immediately after
this, she had a second life-changing experience.
Her friend, Reva Wurtzberger had just
co-founded Bottomless Closet. Gardner
volunteered there, and in the process, got to
witness the extraordinary difference that
attractive clothes could make in a woman’s
self-confidence.
“A woman who has been out
of work may only own sweat pants, a sweat shirt,
and really scruffy sneakers,” Gardner explains.
“She might come in with her shoulders hunched
over, and eyes downcast. But then, after we’ve
helped her select a nice suit, shoes, handbag,
and maybe jewelry and a scarf, she’ll look in
the mirror and suddenly she’s standing up
straighter. There’s a new spark in her eyes. In
moments, she’s been transformed.”
And that’s not the end of
it. Bottomless Closet gives advice on how to
handle the job interview, and volunteers there
teach evening classes on such topics such as job
etiquette or financial management. Always, the
clients find themselves treated with dignity and
respect.
Gardner may dress
beautifully herself, but for her, this is a
small thing compared to something much more
important: helping prepare women to get the jobs
they want. Gardner knows that for the Bottomless
Closet clients, the self-esteem that comes from
looking their best can influence their job
interviews, and this, in turn, can be a positive
force in their entire lives.
Gardner loves this work.
For her, it’s instant gratification
of the best possible kind.
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Bottomless Closet Wish
List
The Bottomless Closet needs
donated clothes and accessories that are in good
condition and appropriate for work. They also
need funds for overhead, and they would love to
have more volunteers. A special need is
contacts with manufacturers willing to donate
work-related attire, especially in the plus
sizes.