Top Buttons and Polk State College launch Eagles Clothing Closet to promote student success in style
In a vibrant celebration of style, confidence, and opportunity, Lakeland-based nonprofit Top Buttons has partnered with Polk State College to launch the Eagles Clothing Closet – an initiative designed to empower students with the resources and skills to succeed professionally. The partnership was recently spotlighted with a fashion show on the Polk State Winter Haven Campus, where student models strutted the runway in outfits curated to prepare them for job interviews, business casual events, and professional settings.
A mission of empowerment
Founded by CEO Sarah Powers, Top Buttons is dedicated to supporting young women between 11 and 25 through life skills education and access to clothing and hygiene resources. With three storefronts in Lakeland, Winter Haven, and Bartow, as well as a mobile boutique, the 501(c)(3) accepts women’s clothing donations of all styles and sizes, sells them at an affordable price point, and utilizes those funds to support confidence-building programs and outfitting opportunities for young women.
Powers rolled up to the Winter Haven Campus in style in the Top Buttons mobile boutique to curate outfits for female student models. Nick’s for Men in Lake Wales provided suits for the male models.
“This is a very fun way to showcase to students how they can express their personal style and still be prepared for that special occasion or a job interview,” Powers shared. “[Polk State’s student models] did an exceptional job walking the runway, showing their peers how to present themselves on the job, and reinforcing the right things in themselves.”
Polk State’s Career Services Team developed ideas for the clothing closet and fashion show in direct response to students’ needs for guidance on dressing professionally and accessing suitable clothing. Top Buttons graciously stepped up to collaborate with the College to provide much-needed resources for aspiring professionals.
Powers, inspired by her upbringing and her four children, including three daughters, expressed her innate drive to help others grow as professionals.
The Eagles Clothing Closet, a key outcome of the partnership with Top Buttons, offers free professional attire to students, removing financial barriers that may otherwise prevent them from making a strong first impression. For women, the closet is sponsored by Top Buttons, while a grant from the City of Winter Haven also helps to support the women’s and men’s sections. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated’s Omicron Kappa Omega Chapter and Tender Touch Dry Cleaners have also provided support.
“We are extremely grateful to Top Buttons and the City of Winter Haven for helping us meet the needs of our students,” Polk State Director of Career Services Charity Garcia said. “They are removing barriers for our students to ensure that each individual who benefits from the closet can put their best foot forward as they prepare to enter the workforce.”
Real stories, real impact
The benefits of the Eagles Clothing Closet and greater partnership have been brought to life through the students who experienced the fashion show and utilize Career Services, which also provides students with resume-writing assistance, career exploration, and mock interviews.
Both Alysha Louis and Shammar Louis credit the partnership with developing them as young professionals – and landing rewarding jobs in local schools and healthcare.
“Career Services helped me practice with mock interviews and taught me how to dress more professionally,” said Alysha, who serves as a substitute teacher. “I’m a very shy and nervous person, but once I did the mock interview with Career Services, I felt a lot of confidence in myself.”
Shammar, now a phlebotomist at Lakeland Regional Health, echoed this.
“It wasn’t easy,” he recalled of the job-seeking process, “but colleagues here and advisors really helped me build my resume and go into it confidently.”
For students, the fashion show was more than a photo-op – it was a symbol of possibility.
“I’m really thankful to be part of a movement like this,” Shammar added. “Although it may be a regular fashion show to other people, I see this as something that can truly change the way that people think and imagine. I encourage others to take opportunities just like me.”
A partnership built to last
The fashion show not only celebrated the launch of the Eagles Clothing Closet – it also underscored the shared commitment of Top Buttons and Polk State to student success. By providing tangible resources and pairing them with career-readiness tools, the partnership equips students to step confidently into their futures.
For Powers and the Top Buttons Team, witnessing students thrive is the ultimate reward.
“We know that students have immediate needs when they are getting ready for job interviews and the next step in their educational and career journeys,” Powers said. “We want to make sure that they have not only clothing, but also quality professional resources so that they have the opportunity to present their best selves.
“When you look good, you feel good, and you are prepared to perform to the best of your ability.”
Students seeking more information or assistance from the Eagles Clothing Closet and Career Services may visit WHC 117 or email careerservices@polk.edu.