Sherilynn J. Kimble Story By: Tamala Edwards Sherilynn Kimble’s first suit was unlike any other. Just 14, she made the navy blue outfit herself, carefully crafting the pleats in the skirt and adding pearls and a pair of pumps. Walking into a Philadelphia bank to interview for a summer intern position, she felt like a professional. But a cousin added the most important finishing touch. “She said, just remember your self-value is not determined by other people,” Sherilynn recalls. “You can put on a great suit, but you first need to feel great about yourself.” These days Sherilynn’s suits are more likely to have designer labels, but they give her the same feeling she got with that original outfit. “I walk different, I’m more confident. Whether church or my job or going out, my suit gives me an extra edge,” Kimble says. Sherilynn imagines the suits and accessories she gives the Career Wardrobe helping other women walk taller and be sharper. “I feel like I’m empowering another woman to do what she needs to do, to get over that hurdle,” she insists. She has been gifting items to the Career Wardrobe for over a decade. And she has extended her effort beyond herself, using her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., for regional and national clothing drives to collect more suits to pass on. As well as earrings and scarves, Sherilynn has some special wisdom to add to her suit selections. “Arrive on time. When you give yourself time, you can relax and prepare rather than be late and rushed,” she shares. Sherilynn thinks back on what advice should would have given herself, imagining talking to that 14 year old waiting for the bank interview. The answer is all about living from the heart. Kimble, now a successful educator, at first wanted to be a fashion designer. “People said ‘You can’t do that, there are no black fashion designers, you’ll make no money,” she remembers. “I should have followed my passion.” And so Sherilynn hopes that as the women of Career Wardrobe select her gorgeous suits, stylish pumps and stunning accessories, they will use them to go for the gusto and follow their passions into the workplace. Photographed By: Jeffrey Holder, Jeffrey Holder Photography Photographed with one of the many “hats” she wears to represent the different roles she plays in her life. |
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