Ashleigh Powell can now envision herself as a career woman.

The laid-off call-center worker felt the change as she was outfitted with a Navy suit, a cream-colored blouse and a pair of understated cream earrings from the Dress for Success Triangle program.

Powell, 26, is going to school to become a medical assistant. She plans on moving from her home in Spring Hope to Raleigh, where she believes there will be more job opportunities.

"I'm trying to keep focused on being a better woman," she says. "You have to look the part. You have to be what they want."

Powell's spirit has been buoyed by Dress for Success, which provides low-income women with free business-appropriate clothing, mentoring and professional development programs. Clients can also participate in the Dress for Success' Going Places Network, which includes help with job preparation and career advancement. The Triangle chapter has boutiques in Raleigh and Durham.