Dress for Success Hamilton · Proudly funded by the Annette Presley Dream Foundation
Nearly 150 women have been served by Dress for Success since it received its inaugural grant from the Annette Presley Dream Foundation six months ago, with nearly 60 of these being young wāhine.
Dress for Success Hamilton has styled 149 women through its free dressing programme - and for many of the women who walked through our doors, the appointment was about far more than finding the right outfit.
With the generous support from the Annette Presley Dream Foundation, we've been able to grow our service. The fund has helped us meet the growing demand from young women across the Waikato, by providing them with free professional styling services to prepare for job interviews, first days of work, internships, and other pivotal life moments.
A snapshot of our impact over six months:
149 Total dressings completed
59 Women aged 18–30 dressed
42% Of women SERVED WERE aged 18–30
"It is a crucial service that helps women feel dressed in the mana they already carry." - Erani, 29
The referral - finding us
Women arrive at Dress for Success Hamilton through a wide network of community referrers: the Ministry of Social Development, employment agencies, education providers, , and social services. Many women also find us through word of mouth, or by simply reaching out themselves. Our top referral source in this past six-month period was self-referral, reflecting growing community awareness of what we offer. Once a referral is confirmed, women are welcomed in for their free styling appointment - no cost, no judgment.
The appointment - a space to explore
Every dressing is a one-on-one experience with our trained volunteer stylists. Women are invited to try things, share feedback, and take their time. Our volunteers listen carefully - to what a woman needs, but also to how she feels about herself. The result is an appointment that's as much about building confidence as it is about building a wardrobe.
"Such a safe space to play and try new things - alongside the comfortable, faithful things you know you like." - Georgia, 26
"I especially loved that I felt comfortable to say what I didn't like - they never took it personally and were happy to find other options." - Erani, 29
"My confidence and self-esteem went from a solid 3 to a high 100!" - Acasha, 27
"I was very surprised with how quickly they found my perfect outfit. I'm very happy." - Jasmine, 25
Walking out - ready for what's next
Women leave their appointment with a complete work-ready wardrobe - from quality pre-loved clothing donations, sustainably sourced - and the confidence to use it. During this time, 60% of our dressings were for interviews, putting women directly on the path to employment. Others were preparing for new jobs, internships, student placements, and graduation ceremonies.
Whatever the occasion, the goal is the same: every woman walks out feeling ready.
"I genuinely feel dressed to succeed and feel confident in my new job." - Erani, 29
"They really made me feel good and confident within myself moving forwards to my internship." - Kaitlyn, 25
"I feel so confident walking out in my new outfit." - Maia, 18
"Everyone was so lovely and made me feel super confident and encouraged." - Jone, 19
Giving back - the ripple effect
The impact of a dressing appointment doesn't stop when a woman leaves our service.
Many become advocates - recommending Dress for Success to friends, family, and colleagues. Some even return as volunteers.
Māori women made up 41% of those we served this period, with Pacific Peoples making up a further 6%, reflecting our commitment to reaching the women who need us most across our diverse Waikato community. As Erani put it: "I hope to give back to this service in the future, because this is changing lives."
The dressings in this story were made possible with the generous support of the Annette Presley Dream Foundation, whose grant helps fund complete professional dressing services for young women aged 18-30 in the Waikato. Thanks to the Foundation , we've been able to keep pace with growing demand from this age group - who made up 42% of all clients in this period - and continue delivering the free, high-quality styling and confidence-building support that is at the heart of our purpose.
