My Favorite Outfit, Nfp

My Favorite Outfit’s (MFO) mission is to use fashion to empower at-risk youth to succeed in middle and high school, college, and beyond. Our two programs, Pop-Up Workshop and Fashion 101, use fashion to address the needs of at-risk youth in crucial life stages. Fashion 101 is MFO’s after-school fashion arts program. The course covers fashion basics including sketching, photography, Adobe Illustrator, styling, and sewing. The course culminates with students constructing an original garment, fashion portfolio, and a fashion show. During the course, students are paired with fashion industry mentors to learn about the many viable fashion career paths. Ultimately, the program encourages students, who might not otherwise go to college, to enroll in college fashion programs. Pop-Up Workshop is MFO’s self-esteem building program. The goal is to help middle school girls reclaim their individuality, which is often lost during these years, by finding their personal style. Topics of discussion include self-expression vs. self-objectification and the link between self-esteem and the way we dress. At the end, students are given access to a pop-up boutique, a temporary store constructed in a school classroom, where they can shop for clothing at no cost.