WINNETKA – New Trier High School seniors Kate Reynolds and Katie Ford have a passion for fashion, and they are on a mission to share their interest with teenage girls less fortunate than themselves. As a senior project, the students are working on a pop-up fashion boutique stocked with trendy clothing and accessories, where teenage girls can shop for a free outfit.
The seniors came up with the idea while searching for hidden gems at second-hand stores. While they find thrifting fun, they realized it probably wasn’t as much fun for teenage girls whose only option was shopping at second-hand stores. They decided they could help by stocking a temporary boutique with curated, donated clothing items that are trendy and fashionable.
“When you put on a good outfit it brings up your confidence,” Ford explained.
Ford and Reynolds project is part of New Trier’s Senior Project program, which allows students an opportunity to learn outside the classroom. Students choose an area of interest outside of school to explore for five weeks at the end of their senior year. The Senior Project replaces some or all of the classroom requirements, during which the students spend four weeks on the project, and a final week back in school sharing their reflections about their experience at an exhibition. A committee of New Trier staff and teachers guides the students, as well as a community sponsor who is an expert in the field.
Many students choose projects that explore a career interest, while others focus on service-oriented projects. Reynolds and Ford both liked the idea of helping others in need, while also exploring their interest in fashion.
“I feel like we can learn so much and help others in the process. A service-oriented project seemed the best,” Reynolds said.
The girls’ sponsor, Julie Radtke, is a speech pathologist by trade, but she also has a passion for thrifting and an interest in helping others.
“Thrifting is just an interest I have. It is a hobby and it lines up perfectly with these girls’ senior project,” Radtke said.
Radtke is working with the girls as they begin collecting donated clothing, as well as coming up with ideas of where the fashion boutique should pop up.
The girls’ focus at this stage is on collecting donations. Their goal is to collect a wide assortment of clothing styles and sizes so that the boutique has plenty of options for shoppers. So far, Reynolds and Ford have collected 12 bags of clothing through the Wilmette Virtual Yard Sale — a Facebook group that is a marketplace for second-hand items. The girls also plan to set up donation boxes at the high school and other area middle schools. They envision raising some money — possibly through bake sales or other means — to purchase mirrors and other display items to create a true boutique experience.
Once the senior project is underway, they will turn their focus on workable locations. They said they are open to anything, but hope to do a mix of both rural and urban locations. The girls want to hold a pop-up boutique in a soup kitchen, but may also hold one outside as the weather gets warmer.
Reynolds and Ford are excited by the positive response from the Wilmette Virtual Yard Sale community and hope to maintain that momentum throughout the project.
“It is a really cool opportunity. I am looking forward to it so much,” Ford said.
The seniors sort a large donation from the Wilmette Virtual Yard Sale.