Donation effort aids women seeking jobs

It's time for the annual "Out With the Old, In With the New” drive.

No, I'm not talking about spouses, jobs or even cars.

Talbots and Suited for Success again are hosting an annual clothing drive, Aug. 1-31, to help clothe low-income women who have completed job training or a readiness program and are actively seeking employment.

To help, clean out your closets and drawers and donate items that would be appropriate for an interview. Suited for Success is looking for:

•New or gently worn clothing, not more than five years old or in a classic or conservative style.

•Suits, dresses with jackets, pantsuits, blouses, skirts and pants.

•Shoes, purses, briefcases, jewelry and scarves.

•Unopened panty hose.

•Unopened cosmetics, and bath and body items.

•All sizes: misses, petite, junior, plus-size and tall. Sizes 16 and larger especially are needed.

•All items must be on hangers, stylish, in season, clean and pressed.

Take the clothes and accessories to any Talbots in the Oklahoma City area or to the Suited for Success office at 4141 Highline Blvd., Suite 140. The office accepts donations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the third Friday each month.

Suited for Success has provided professional clothing to more than 4,400 low-income women. To help raise funds, the nonprofit organization's sixth annual bowling tournament will be Aug. 2 at 66 Bowl, 3810 NW 39 Expressway. Registration fee is $20 per person or $80 a team. The tournament is open to everyone. For more information, call 521-1089.

For the fifth year, New York was named the top fashion city in the world, according to an annual survey by Global Language Monitor.

Rounding out the top 10 are Rome, Paris, Milan, Italy, London, Los Angeles, Sydney, Australia, Las Vegas, Berlin and Tokyo. Only one other U.S. city, Miami, Fla., made the list at No. 26. The city's strong leadership in swimwear propelled it onto the list for the first time.