Turner-Bowker's Article Summary

Diane M. Turner-Bowker’s (2001) article discusses the role that business-appropriate clothing plays in a women’s ability to get a job, as well as the obstacles women living in poverty face in attaining these clothes due to the inability to afford them. The article points to the fact that the average women’s business suit in a “midscale shop” can be anywhere between 50 to 200 dollars, and even at “lowscale shops” suits can be up to 65 dollars, on top of this Turner-Bowker (2001) also states that “the average three-person family earning just over $12,000 per year” spends most of their income on housing (60%) and transportation (38%), leaving only 2% left over for other necessities (such as clothing, food, and health care) (Turner-Bowker, 2001). In learning these two facts, I thought back to my volunteer work at Threads and Treads;
In the article, Turner-Bowker (2001) cites an interview conducted by one of the organizations dedicated to providing clothing and experience to women entering the workforce called Clothing Collaborative. This interview asks costumers of Clothing Collaborative a series of questions about their experience and the impact it had in the outcome of their job interview (Turner-Bowker, 2001). Almost all of the answers the women gave were positive; many of the women stated that the organization’s help had been crucial in them getting a job. The results of the interview also found that, despite the shortage of some sizes, “90% of the women were able to get clothes from the Collaborative before going on a job interview” (Turner-Bowker, 2001). Seven other costumer responses to a question from the interview stated that the staff at the program had all been helpful and polite, making the experience easier and more enjoyable, as well as helping them feel more comfortable with the staff (Turner-Bowker,