The Right Fit: Fashion Program Helps Students Dress for Success at Annual Event

The right shirt, the right shoes, the right tie or the right dress can make or break a first impression. That’s why students looking for good wardrobe fits — and good prices — came to JCPenny at Four Seasons Town Centre this month to take part in this year’s JCP Suit-Up, an annual collaboration between N.C. A&T’s fashion merchandising and design program and Office of Career Services.

“Students have the opportunity during our Suit-Up to pick out their wardrobe for interviews and further career opportunities,” said Devona Dixon, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. “We’re here to help these students shop and to give them sizes and measurements so their clothing selection is good. A lot of times, students don’t know their measurements because they’ve had clothes picked out for them from relatives or gifted during holidays, so this allows them to know what fits and looks right.”

According to Dixon, 15 volunteers from both the fashion program and Career Services were stationed in the men’s and women’s departments of the store to assist their peers in determining their measurements and selecting their apparel options for such events as the spring Career Fair, which routinely brings dozens of potential employers to campus.

“I came out here for experience in measuring, which is part of my major, and also to increase my volunteer hours,” said fashion program student Nylan Yancey. “This (event) is a mix of students locating what they need for their own careers and what we get to experience on the fashion side.”

“A lot of times, students have reasons for why they couldn’t come to the Career Fair, one of which being that they didn’t have professional clothing to wear for interviews,” said Calvin Anderson, advisor in Career Services. “We partnered with JCPenny to offer discounts so students could have more options and affordable prices.”

According to Anderson, students received an initial 30 percent off discount at the time of purchase, while JCPenny also offered a 45 percent discount on select professional attire by specific brands, as well as a $50 gift card to “first come, first serve” buyers.

“Between the discount, the coupon and the gift card, these students could potentially walk away with a free suit,” said Anderson.

Ninety-one students attended the suit-up, Anderson said.

Computer science major Jaylen Walker was one of them.

“I’m at the age where I need to start changing up my attire, and I know that as I get closer to my career, casual outfits won’t cut it anymore,” said Walker, sporting a red blazer at checkout. “They’ve helped me figure out the exact measurements for my suit and offered their fashion sense to what colors would best match with me.”