'Career Closet' Provides Free Professional Attire for Students and Alumni

Western Washington University’s Career Closet is a free resource launched last fall for students and alumni who are looking for free professional attire for interviews, networking events, upcoming career fairs or any other professional event in their lives.

“Students and alumni may return clothes to the closet for others to use, but are encouraged to keep what they find in order to build their professional wardrobe,” said Britta Eschete, an office assistant in the Career Services Center and the manager of the Career Closet. “The sustainability piece is also really important. We are proud to be able to help to repurpose clothes in this needed way.” 

The Career Closet offers a variety of professional attire from business casual to business professional. After accessing the closet, visitors are encouraged to fill out a small survey that helps measure the impact/usefulness of the resource.

“The Career Services Center also has a student employee available, who can help students to put together the perfect outfit, for their event” said Effie Eisses, director of the Career Services Center.

Since it opened last October, the Career Closet has given out about 100 items of clothing and taken clothing in from 22 donors.

The Career Closet is supported through generous donations from faculty, staff, alumni and community members, and so far Eschete said the Career Closet has been able to keep up with demand, but they’re running low on skirts/dresses of all sizes, men’s dress shoes, and belts. Anyone who would like to help support this resource should bring pre-washed ready-to-be-worn items to the Career Service Center in Old Main 280, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

If requested, the Western Foundation can provide an itemized tax deduction receipt for donors. To schedule an appointment or for more information, call (360) 650-3240 or email careers@wwu.edu .