Meet Barbara

Barbara’s journey to self-belief, leadership, and the power of second chances. 

When Barbara first walked through the doors of Dress for Success Illawarra, she thought she was just picking up a bag of clothes. What she found was something far more powerful. 

After being released from prison, Barbara had nothing. She had enrolled in university and needed to look together - even though inside, she felt broken. “I thought I was coming for a change of clothes,” she says. 

Barbara had heard about Dress for Success while she was still inside. Before finding us, she visited an employment service that handed her prepacked clothes from a locker filled with one style fits all. 
 
“They gave me badly fitting black pants, a white shirt that looked like a school shirt, and other items that didn’t work. This was what they expected me to wear to an interview. It was awful and insulting.” 

The moment she stepped into the Dress for Success boutique and into the changeroom, everything shifted. “I got to try clothes on and find my shape. I got to try different styles. I got to say no. I walked around in the clothes to see how they felt, how they fit, if they were comfortable. I got to fall in love with myself.” 

Barbara says it was “so different from any other shopping experience I’ve ever had.” 

Since then, Barbara has accessed the Get the Job workshop and one-on-one support. She is now the founder and CEO of Bars Behind Me, a support group for Indigenous women who have experienced or are at risk of incarceration. 

“I’m such a huge fan of Dress for Success because it provides a safe and respectful environment that gives women confidence without judgment. I’m bringing all my sisters from my support program to invigorate their souls.” 

She proudly brings her clients to Dress for Success to share the experience. “I was so proud to bring my first group of women here and watch their transformation. One woman was break dancing outside the boutique after the session because she was so happy.” 

For Barbara, the most meaningful part was rediscovering self-love. “I was able to love myself again in the mirror. I felt like I was no longer an inmate or street junkie. I was beautiful again.” 

That confidence has changed her life. “Now I walk down the street with my head held high. I see myself again with confidence.” 

Her journey has reached the wider community through interviews on ABC Radio and in the Illawarra Mercury. “Dress for Success has walked with me throughout this journey. It has been so much more than clothes. It has empowered me and connected me to other community organisations.” 

When asked what advice she would give to other women, Barbara says simply, “Book in today.” 

To the donors and volunteers who make this possible, she offers this heartfelt message. “It shouldn’t be a second thought. No cent is wasted. Money can’t buy what this place gives women, but it keeps the lights on.” 

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