A Look Into One of FSU’s Hidden Gems With Madeline Castello: The Professional Clothing Closet

Do you have an interview coming up, but nothing dressy enough to wear for it? Would you like to start building a collection of professional clothing? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then the Professional Clothing Closet right here at FSU might be your solution! I talked with Junior Intern Madeline Castello, who majors in Retail Entrepreneurship and is using her Professional Clothing Closet internship as a chance to develop her career skills. 

Her Campus (HC): So, first off, why did you decide to intern for the Professional Clothing Closet?

Madeline Castello (MC): I wanted to start developing basic merchandising skills which can help me in my future career. 

HC: Can you give me an idea of some of the things you’re responsible for as an intern? 

MC: Sure! I’m basically responsible for organizing and distributing clothing & keeping an inventory of what items are taken from the closet. I also pay attention to the trends of what clothing items people are picking out most and which items are running low in the closet.  

HC: That sounds like so much work. I know you’re a Retail Entrepreneurship major, so can you tell me how those tasks will be related to your future career?

MC: One of the career paths for a Retail Entrepreneurship major can be a buyer for a retail store of some sort. A buyer for a store will be responsible for picking out on-trend items from vendors at good prices. The Professional Clothing Closet helps me develop this skill because I’m responsible for keeping an inventory of which donated items are taken and keeping track of what’s most sought after in the closet. 

HC: So, where exactly does all of the clothing inside the Professional Clothing Closet come from? 

MC: The inventory consists of what members of the Tallahassee community have donated to the closet!

HC: Awesome! So, since the inventory is donation-based, does that mean the clothes available in the closet are free?

MC: Yes! The clothes are all free and yours to keep! Students can choose to take up to four individual items of clothing or one suit per semester. 

*ahem, did y’all hear that? FREE.

HC: That’s so amazing. What kinds of clothing can students expect to see in the closet? And are there ever any brand name pieces in there?

MC: Students can expect to see a variety of both male and female professional clothing. Blazers, jackets, full suits, dresses, skirts, slacks, dress shirts, shoes and more are in the closet. Brand name pieces can sometimes be found in the closet. Some examples are Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Anne Taylor & LOFT.

HC: Whoa, so why don’t more people know about the Professional Clothing Closet? I can’t believe there are free designer items and people aren’t taking advantage! 

MC: Most people just aren’t aware of all the great resources the Career Center here at FSU offers for students, but the Professional Clothing Closet is just one of them. 

HC: So, where can the Professional Clothing Closet be found on campus?

MC: It’s located in University Center A – Room 4152. Students can park in designated student spots at the Doak Campbell Stadium. Don’t forget to bring your student ID to visit the closet! 

The Professional Clothing Closet is appointment-based. Visit their website at https://career.fsu.edu/ClothingCloset for instructions on how to schedule your appointment today! 

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• career center
• FSU
• internships
• interviews