Two hours before an interview, a student realized they didn’t have professional clothes to match their qualifications. Another student landed an internship in Frankfort, only to be told the dress code required a blazer, an item they had never owned before.
Those are the moments when the University of Louisville’s “Hire Attire” steps in.
The university opened the permanent, on-campus resource earlier this year to ensure no student’s career path is blocked by a lack of access to professional clothing. Managed by the Student Success Center (SSC) and located in the Miller Information Technology Center, the no-cost shop offers suits, shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, ties, shoes, belts and bags in a variety of styles and sizes – all completely free to any current UofL student.
An official ribbon cutting was held Feb. 5. UofL Provost Katie Cardarelli said the university has a “shared responsibility to remove barriers so every student regardless of background or circumstances can fully pursue their goals.”
“This space exists because our students were honest with us about what they needed to be confident,” she said. “The university believes success is more than course work. It’s about success. It’s about confidence. It’s about access.”
As students prepare for spring career fairs, the SSC aims to ensure they walk into interviews focused on their skills, not their clothes. The clothing resource is open Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 3 p.m. and is staffed by SSC student workers.
How it began
The closet represents an expansion of student support that grew out of a series of “pop-up” events. Charice Patterson in the University Career Center said she saw the need as far back as 2020.
“I’ve always thought it would be nice to see a professional clothing closet on campus,” Patterson said. “And then we had a student employee in the Career Center who really took on the project to turn this wish list idea into reality.”
Natalie Hicks, a student in the College of Business, helped plan the original pop-ups. Hicks believes the resource fills a critical need for students balancing professional expectations with financial hurdles.
“Growing up first generation and low income, we can be overlooked and outsourcing for resources,” Hicks said. “In the business school, there is a lot of expectations on appearance, and it can be inaccessible for low-income students.”
The first pop-up event was so successful they “gave away almost everything,” eventually requiring three times the amount of donations to meet student demand for the second one. That response led to a collaboration between the Career Center and the SSC to establish a permanent home.
The power of partnership
Hire Attire now falls under the wider umbrella of services related to accessibility offered by the SSC. SSC Manager Josie Raymond helped lead the effort to get the resource established permanently.
“It’s been really fun to watch students come in, try on their first-ever suit and walk out feeling really confident,” Raymond said.
Other on-campus partners included the Physical Plant Department, which helped convert the previous storage space into a boutique-like atmosphere, and the UofL Free Store which offers casual wear and gives the more professional pieces to Hire Attire.
Community partners have donated attire and hosted donation drives, including C. E.& S. Foundation, DXL Big + Tall, Dress for Success Louisville, Omni Louisville and Portland Avenue Community Trust.
Supported by campus partners, local organizations and a growing network of donors, Hire Attire reflects what can happen when a community comes together for its students. It’s more than a clothing resource; it’s a collective investment in redefining student success.
For more information, visit the Hire Attire webpage.
