For Corinne Scott, success has never been defined by a straight path, but by the strength to keep moving forward, no matter how many times life shifts. Long before she ever walked through the doors herself, Corinne was familiar with Dress for Success. As a teenager in the 1980s, she watched her sister participate in the program, planting a seed that would stay with her for decades. “It was always in the back of my mind,” she shared. “I knew about Dress for Success, but I didn’t know when, or if, I would ever need it myself.” Years later, that moment came.

Finding Stability After Crisis

In March 2020, Corinne relocated from California to North Carolina with her children, expecting to move into a new home. Instead, the pandemic shut everything down. With leasing offices closed and no way to access housing, she found herself unexpectedly without a place to stay in a brand new state. With support from the Salvation Army, she and her children were placed in temporary shelter and later transitioned into hotel housing while the world slowly reopened. “But it was also the time that refocused my life. It made me understand that I needed to be multifaceted, period.” That season stripped away more than stability. It removed fear, shame, and the weight of outside judgment. “People treat you differently when you’re homeless,” she shared. “But for me, it took away the fear of what people think. It cleared the air so I could ask myself, what do I need to do to get where I need to go?”

Determined to rebuild, Corinne took intentional steps forward. She purchased a car, secured employment, and worked diligently to stabilize her finances, eventually paying bills months in advance. But even as she regained footing, she knew she needed more than just survival. She needed support, structure, and a renewed sense of confidence.

Reconnecting With Dress for Success

That’s when she reconnected with Dress for Success, this time, for herself. Her first direct experience came through the organization’s Going Places Network, a multi-week professional development program designed to support women in building careers, confidence, and community. “That was my very first engagement,” she said. “And they treated me so well.” After losing many of her belongings during her transition into homelessness, the support she received, particularly professional clothing, was both practical and deeply personal. “I had to get rid of so much,” she shared. “So when they gave me clothes, it wasn’t just about what I was wearing, it was about feeling like myself again.” For Corinne, Dress for Success represented something much deeper than appearance.

“Dress means more than clothes,” she explained. “That’s your covering. That’s how you show up for yourself. That’s how you feel, even when you’re going through something.”

Stepping Into a New Chapter

With that renewed confidence, Corinne stepped forward into new opportunities. She secured employment, earned promotions, and continued to grow professionally. Through her journey, Dress for Success remained a consistent source of encouragement and empowerment. “They made me feel like I was back in the game,” she said. Her success extended beyond the workplace. Corinne was later featured in a local news segment highlighting her journey and the role Dress for Success played in her transformation. She also found ways to give back, volunteering with mobile boutiques whenever her schedule allowed. Today, she serves in an administrative leadership role with the opportunity to take over a successful business, an outcome she once could not have imagined. She credits both her faith and her experiences with Dress for Success as pivotal in helping her move forward. “When you get tired of having the rug snatched out from underneath your feet, you learn how to fly,” she said.

Anchored in Who She Is

Now in her 50s, Corinne defines success differently. It is no longer about perfection or even stability, it is about identity, resilience, and purpose. As a mother, she remains grounded in one mission: showing her children what perseverance truly looks like. “I wanted them to see me struggle,” she shared. “Not to scare them, but to show them that life isn’t easy, but it is doable.” Through every challenge, Corinne has learned to anchor herself, not in circumstances, but in who she is becoming. “You have to be anchored in something,” she said. “And you have to know who you are.”

Her message to other women, especially those navigating uncertainty, is clear: start where you are, trust your journey, and make a decision.

“How do you move forward when nothing is perfect?” she said. “You make a decision. That’s it.” Through her journey with Dress for Success, Corinne has not only rebuilt her life, she has reclaimed her voice, her confidence, and her purpose. And in doing so, she continues to inspire other women to step forward, embrace their growth, and recognize that success begins long before everything is figured out.