We’ve proudly partnered with the charity Suited & Booted for the month of January, and are excited to share an exclusive Q&A with its founder, Maria Lenn. Suited & Booted is dedicated to empowering vulnerable men by providing them with professional attire for job interviews and beyond, helping them not only look the part, but feel the part. Read more about what they do here.
In this interview, Maria shares the story behind the charity, its impact on the lives of those it serves, and the importance of partnerships like ours.
Maria, can you share the story behind Suited & Booted and how the charity came to focus on providing professional attire?
I set Suited & Booted up in 2012 as there was such a need to help vulnerable men with clothing for job interviews. We are the only charity in London dedicated to providing this service for men. Getting a job is life-changing for the clients we see who are financially struggling, in need of practical support and desperate to look the part for their interview. We give our clients not just a suit but the confidence to succeed at interview, take the giant step into work, and to change their lives.
How does receiving the right clothing impact an individual’s confidence and ability to secure employment? Can you share a meaningful story where clothing made a difference?
We help change the lives of around 1,000 vulnerable men and young people each year. Dressing the part makes our clients look the part and feel the part, giving them the self-confidence they need for their interviews and beyond. The impact is tangible. Body language changes, our clients walk differently and see a different person in the mirror. If you are dressed down, you are overlooked. When we dress up, we make an impact not only on those around us but on ourselves. The power of a good suit, along with smart accessories, is phenomenal.
Here is one of the many wonderful testimonials that we receive from men we have helped. This gentleman was successful at his interview and wrote to us as he was about to start his new job:
‘I want to express my sincere gratitude to you and your staff for the support you have given me. Words can't quantify the debt of gratitude owed to you and your staff. Suited & Booted gave me hope in a hopeless situation. The organisation has helped rebuild my confidence and as I look forward to the future, I want to thank you all for your assistance to me.’
What are the most requested items for donation, and why are they so crucial for those preparing to enter the workforce?
We need everything! We are totally dependent on donations for the work that we do and very generous, kind individuals and companies donate suits, shirts, ties, cufflinks, pocket squares, braces, coats, toiletries, shoes and more! We are always in need of larger sized suits, 46” and above and smaller sized suits for our younger clients, 34”-38”. Our shoe stock often runs out so we are very grateful for shoe donations and always as winter approaches we have a waiting list for coats. There is a need for shirts in larger sizes too. We need a very good stock of ties and have become adept over the years at helping our clients with tying a tie! As Oscar Wilde noted, ‘A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life.’
Employers often have a dress code and we need to make sure that the men we help are not excluded from employment opportunities because of financial constraints and lack of confidence.
How do you ensure that the donated clothing is appropriate for the clients you serve, and how do you help them feel confident wearing it?
Our work is made possible because of our amazing volunteers. Our wonderful team of stylists and wardrobe assistants are on hand to assist and fit clients. We see all of our clients on a one-to-one personal basis and each appointment lasts around an hour. When they see themselves in the mirror, our clients are overwhelmed by the change! ‘I was in disbelief as to how a few moments there has given me hope and confidence to go to the next chapter of my life.’
Gifted and talented, some of our volunteers are professional stylists and all have an eye for style. Our volunteers all have big hearts and the desire to help clients look absolutely splendid.
What role do partnerships with businesses like Oliver Brown play in helping you provide more support to those in need?
We’re so very grateful to Oliver Brown for their marvellous support. It helps us to get in donations of much needed clothing and accessories, and also helps us to let more people know about the work that we do. Other businesses will see what Oliver Brown is doing to help Suited & Booted and will be inspired to offer their support also.
Hundreds of agencies refer clients to us, including Job Centres, Councils, the NHS, National Probation Service and numerous charities such as Veterans Aid, St Mungo’s, Centrepoint, St Giles and the YMCA.
Men come to us from many backgrounds – perhaps homeless, veterans, ex-offenders, in mental health recovery or long term unemployed. We also see care leavers navigating their way through the start of their adult years.
Our partnership with Oliver Brown plays such an important role in helping our clients by spreading the word about the service we provide and bringing in much needed donations of clothing.
What can people do to help Suited & Booted beyond donating clothing?
Running Suited & Booted is a complex operation. You’ve got to get the clothing in, it must be sorted, discarded if needs be, measured, steamed and hung in an orderly fashion.
We always need volunteer stylists and wardrobe assistants as well as help with logistics and admin. If you would like to volunteer, then we would be delighted to hear from you. Find out more here https://suitedbootedcentre.org.uk/help-us/.
Suited & Booted does not receive any government funding and we are totally dependent on grants and donations for the work that we do. Should you like to make a financial contribution to help us with our work, we would be very grateful. Every penny counts!
You can follow Suited & Booted on social media: https://www.instagram.com/suitedbootedcentre/ https://www.facebook.com/suitedandbootedcentre
Can you share a particularly memorable success story where clothing truly changed the course of someone’s job search or career?
A most memorable story came in this week, sent in by St Giles, one of our referral agencies:
‘John (not his real name) is a Care Experienced individual with a Learning Difficulty. He has struggled in life, falling behind academically because he was regarded as slow. John ended up drifting through various jobs as he was unappreciated. At St Giles Trust, we worked closely in partnership with Suited & Booted to help John cultivate a look that gave him the much needed gravitas and respect but also catered for his personality that is as unique as his dreadlocks. Suited & Booted found a look that not only boosted his self-confidence and self-belief but gave him a credibility that he had never felt before. The stylists reminded John that he had value and so much talent to give. From being offered patchy work experience with mixed results, he started to have success in his interviews as he was taken seriously by employers, he is now being actively headhunted within the sector he loves and has continuous work ahead.’
Most important of all, we help the men we see to look outstanding, feel fantastic and build the confidence they need to do well. It’s not just the suit, it’s the experience of being guided and transformed, inside and out, by people who really care about the outcome, perhaps for the first time in their life.
To make a difference and support Suited & Booted, simply drop off your donations at any of our London stores this January. As a thank you, you will receive a 10% discount voucher to use that day. All donations will be collected and directly passed on to Suited & Booted, ensuring they reach those who need them most.
Browse our locations here.