Corner Brook 'clothing library' will help cash-strapped students access professional wardrobes

Dressing well is critical when it comes to succeeding in a job interview, but for students on a budget, professional digs can put a strain on the wallet.

Lynn Drover, a business student at Memorial University's Grenfell campus, is trying to ease the burden on her classmates by creating a clothing library.

"It may not necessarily be hard for them to find professional clothing, it's whether or not they can afford it, whether or not they can avail of it," Drover told CBC Radio's Corner Brook Morning Show.

"Some weeks it's a toss-up before whether or not they eat a meal or if they're prepared for a job interview to make the money they need."

Drover came up with the idea for the Grenfell Business Society Clothing Library, while listening to a student tell his professor that he might not have the right clothing for a presentation, in which appropriate dress factored into their final grade.

"I came up with the idea that perhaps if we had something available on campus, then more students would feel more comfortable and definitely be more prepared for those presentations," she said.

The clothing library will allow students to rent clothes and keep them for as long as they need.

Drover is currently seeking donations of business clothing from the community.

"We're looking for any articles of professional clothing. So shoes, dresses, skirts, blouses, dress pants, ties, things like that," she said.

The library is also seeking donations of money to help offset dry cleaning costs.

Drover has applied for grants from Memorial University to help get the project started, and said it's already gaining a lot of support from the community. She hopes to have the library running by early September.