Beyond the Racks and the Register

At Top Buttons we have two main programs. The first program is our Boutique Program through which we serve ALL women in our community. We provide a beautiful environment with quality clothing items at low cost for anyone to purchase during public shopping hours. The items we offer would not normally be accessible to many who come shop with us. We strive to provide designer thrift items which are both clean and current for women to choose from for any occasion. It is not uncommon to have families of the girls enrolled in our Wearing Confidence Program come in and shop with us during public shopping hours. We love these opportunities as they enable us to pour into an entire family! We are often asked, “Who is your target market or the main demographic served through the retail side of Top Buttons?” When asked, we take great pride in saying, “As a nonprofit, our goal has never been to be a retail operation. However, we love that we are serving women of all economic backgrounds through our times of public shopping.” It is our hope that as a community, everyone has a way to both give to and receive from Top Buttons. The mission comes full circle as women donate clothes, volunteer, and shop with us. We love providing opportunities for all young women to volunteer. It teaches both job skills and helps many obtain community service hours through our Boutique Program and our Wearing Confidence Program.

Our Wearing Confidence Program is also facilitated through our boutiques and has two components. We offer education on contextual modesty, how to dress on the job, self- compassion, and most importantly - understanding identity in Christ. Through our Wearing Confidence Program, in addition to the educational sessions, we offer boutique sessions. Large groups of girls from our enrolled organizations come to us for private styling sessions. The sessions include styling services, free wardrobes of proper fitting attire, hair and makeup up touchups, free makeup (if age appropriate), professional photoshoots, and a mini devotional or educational piece. It's important for you to know that our stylists are not necessarily fashionistas, they are young women who want to give their time, love on, build up, and encourage girls in our community. Stylists are matched one on one with a program recipient where they shop our stores and talk about style preferences and clothing needs. Modesty really has so much to do with context even more than a specific set of rules. We look to prepare our girls with appropriate attire for school, the work place, and every day/casual options as well! It’s not about creating little GAP models. That’s why having nice thrift clothing is so helpful. We have an overwhelming amount of style options for our girls to mix, layer, and get out of their box with when it comes to their individual clothing vibe. It’s fun. Being together with other young women talking fashion, life, and faith makes for a great combination to connect and grow together. If you want more information about volunteering with us email info@topbuttons.org.

The Power of Being Seen | The Power of Being Enough

Everyone wants to be seen and everyone wants to be known. Growing up in a world with countless social media outlets and apps that filter pictures has created a whole other level to feeling worthy and accepted. I’m not saying all social media is bad, or that at 38 I don’t appreciate a good filter! But I am saying that many of the images we see can skew reality and create goals in the lives of young women that are not only unattainable, but unnecessary.

Top Buttons recently hosted our “Building Up Girls” Event. These events are some of my favorite because all of the girls we serve are invited to come together to receive training from phenomenal women who are excellent in their fields of expertise. While the girls receive important life skill information such as budgeting/financial planning and physical wellness, they also hear important life truths that pertain to who they are as individuals.

Throughout the morning of our most recent event, it was reiterated over and over to every young lady that she was created with and for purpose. Created intentionally by a Creator who sees her, knows her, and loves her.

Many of the girls we serve come from hard places and many would be labeled “at-risk”….meaning there is likely a lack of support and stability that make them easy prey for those who do not have God’s best in mind for them. Over and over again, we have seen how these life dynamics diminish self worth in the lives of young ladies who were wonderfully and fearfully made. It is not hard for young women to fall victim to lies that their life must have been a mistake, doesn’t matter, or has no value. Believing these lies can lead to dangerous behaviors - but as the girls who attended this event heard truths that combated these types of lies, a spirit of liberty could be felt across the room.

The final speaker of the event was Lisa Kirk and she made things personal for the young ladies in attendance. One at a time, she called several up….looked them directly in the eye and spoke into them that they are seen and that they matter - just as they are. She then made each of them own that truth by speaking it for herself.….not whisper it, or mumble it…but speak it confidently to a roomful of other both impressionable and valuable young women. The first young lady who stood up had tears running down her face as our speaker locked eyes with her, SAW HER, and said she was enough. Tears started streaming down many faces in the room as the silence was only broken by the sound of spoken truth as these young ladies acknowledged and verbalized that they mattered, they’re loved, and they’re enough. WOW. It was powerful!

Following Lisa, Sarah Powers closed by sharing her own testimony of overcoming hardship, feelings of failure from not living up to God’s standards, but yet how He saw and rescued her in the midst of it. The girls were given the opportunity to allow God to do the same for them. Heads were bowed and hands were lifted as the girls were asked if they wanted to surrender their lives and strongholds to a God who loves them, wants good for them, and will never leave them. It was a powerful ending to a beautiful event.

We know the young ladies we serve need life-skill training and we love providing it, but we also know these young ladies need the hope and acceptance of a Savior who DOES want God’s best for them. …and they don’t even need a perfectly filtered Instagram page to receive it.

They are seen as they are. And they are enough.

What Is Top Buttons | Commonly Asked Questions

We recognize that we are still a relatively new nonprofit with a unique mission. We love answering questions about our operations. See some commonly asked questions below and if we don’t answer a question you’ve been wondering about, please email us at info@topbuttons.org!

LEGAL and Financial

• When did Top Buttons get started? 12/12/12 


•  Are you a 501(c)3? Yes 


• How are you funded? We obtain funding by community members, grants, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events, and the revenue from our Boutique sales. 


• Why do you sell? We did not start Top Buttons to sell clothing, but it has been a great blessing to our organization and to women of all economic backgrounds in our community as they can both donate and shop while supporting our nonprofit mission.

• Why did you add new clothing in with the designer thrift? At times it is difficult to outfit a Wearing Confidence Program Recipient in thrift clothing alone.  When this is the case, young women are able to take new inventory for free to add to their wardrobe pieces.  Additionally, it allows us to offer more options for customers.

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

• Are you a faith-based organization? Yes! We are a faith-based charitable and educational nonprofit organization. We believe that real change comes from the inside out through Jesus Christ and this message is incorporated throughout our program services.

• How do girls qualify to obtain your services? Organizations who serve at risk young women between the ages of 11-25 may enroll with us and receive our Wearing Confidence Program Services free of charge. 


• What type of services and education do you offer? Through our Wearing Confidence Program we provide faith-based, confidence building education and proper fitting attire to more than 300 young women in need each year. 
Click here to see everything we offer through our Wearing Confidence Program.

• How do you measure your impact? We measure our impact through evaluations administered to program recipients and also through feedback obtained from the directors of our enrolled organizations. Also we measure impact through the demand for our services, the number of young women who receive our services, the repeat visits we have through mentorship and life skills training opportunities, and the amount of program recipients who obtain jobs after completing our program.

• What organizations are enrolled with Top Buttons? The Department of Corrections, PACE Center for Girls, Girls Inc., Heartland for Children, The FL Baptist Children’s Home, One More Child, Parker Street Ministries, West Area Adult School, East Area Adult School, Young Lives, Teen Challenge, Boys and Girls Clubs of Lakeland and Mulberry, Echo Ministries, Christ Memorial Youth and many more. 


 THE SHOP AND CLOTHING DONATIONS

• Are you consignment? Where do you get your clothes? We are not a consignment store. We are an educational and charitable nonprofit with a women’s clothing boutique. We offer NEW AND THRIFT clothing. Individuals in our local community donate thrift clothing to us and a donation receipt is given upon request for tax purposes. 


• How much clothing is given away and how much is sold? Approximately 50% is given away through our program services and 50% is sold. It is important to know that the young women we serve, who obtain free clothing, come back in and bring their families to shop with us. Women from all economic backgrounds come shop with us because we offer new clothing and beautiful designer thrift clothing options for them at inexpensive prices.

• What type of clothing donations are you looking for? We accept clothing and accessories from pre-teen to adult, maternity and plus-size for women only.

• How can I donate clothes? You can bring in clothing and accessories any time we are open for public shopping at either one of our boutique locations.  They do not have to be on hangers nor do they have to be specific brands.  We only ask that the items be clean with no holes or stains. Click here to see our boutique locations and hours of operation.

What You Should Know about Top Buttons

So you may be wondering… what's Top Buttons all about?  Why do they call it "Top Buttons?"  What is their philosophy on modesty? We want you to get your fashion FIX  and get your questions ANSWERED!

In case you don't already know, Top Buttons is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization purposed  to be a modest fashion resource for young women.

So what does that mean?!!!

As a modest fashion resource, we promote TB approved fashion in the media, provide fashion ideas and help you get your hands on the clothing that has a bit more fabric.

The PHILOSOPHY on MODESTY

Modesty looks different to everyone. We do NOT define modesty through specifics on how long your shorts need to be, how much cleavage is acceptable, or even how tight is "too tight."  But just because everyone's view of modesty is different, doesn't mean the topic shouldn't be addressed.

Obviously, the topic should be addressed and an alternative provided.

We don't want to put young women in a box with one particular style.  Rather we work to encourage them in their self expression through fashion, along with challenging them to recognize the influence of culture on clothing ethics.

There is this concept being pushed in media that if a young girl wants to keep her self reasonably covered, she is somehow uncomfortable with her body or seen as insecure.  At Top Buttons we most definitely disagree.  A young women can love her body without flaunting her sexuality.  But if she feels this is the only way to get noticed and this is what is acceptable and normal, it will continue to occur.

It is our heart to encourage young women to consider the "why" behind what they are wearing, and to provide a "resource" that helps them accomplish their unique yet proper fitting look for every occasion.  

What makes an article of clothing "TB approved?"

In our opinion, it's about the total look of an outfit and the message it sends rather than an individual article of clothing.  TB approved looks are those which would not be defined as provocative by current cultural standards and those which would be acceptable in most settings.

That's about all the defining you are going to get.  To learn more about what we consider TB approved attire, take a look at our online magazine content.

Where did the name Top Buttons Come from?

So, we  wanted to think of a name that was loosely connected to modesty without being direct.  Something that makes you think of "classy" and is associated with style.  After jotting down tons of ideas and narrowing it down to the top three ideas.  We let the teens decide, and they liked Top Buttons best.  There you have it!

The Top Buttons Team

From around the world, Top Buttons has a team of young Christian men and women working together to serve you!  Our dedicated staff oversee each department of our organization,  from the Online Magazine Fashion Editor, Rebekah Miura to our Education Director, Katie Deloach.

Top Buttons also has numerous contributors for our online magazine that offer up to date fashion tips and tricks!  We work to collaborate with exceptional young men and women who are passionate about this cause and those who have artistic skills to inspire your wardrobe on a day to day basis.

Click HERE to read more about our STAFF and our REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS!

THREE PLATFORMS

Currently we operate on three main platforms: 1) The ONLINE MAG; 2) styling and educational services; and 3) wardrobe makeovers for teens in need.

1) The Online Magazine is motivated by our Motto…  Revealing Less; Expressing More! Not only are teen and collage age young people creating the content, but we feature everyday young people IN the content.  These young people can inspire you with their style and their life.  Check out our online magazine along with thousands of others each week for consistent fashion inspiration.

2)  As a part of our organization we also offer styling services. Pictured below, our TB Fashion Editor gives a style and beauty makeover.

Probably our favorite part of TB is sharing our message with young women face to face!  We have a fun and interactive program designed to challenge, encourage, and promote expression with healthy boundaries.

3)  We know young women can't always afford to go buy new clothing items when they need or want to.  As a part of being a modest clothing resource, we  provide young women in need with new wardrobes!

How it works:

• We accept nominations for recipients of our wardrobe makeovers from schools, religious or civic organizations.
• The nominated teen must be female and between the ages of 13 and 17.
• Through a review process and based on availability, we are able to provide the recipients with our TB styling services and a ton of new clothes!
• Our wardrobe makeovers include the donation of high-end, gently used clothing and/or shopping sprees!

For more information click here!

A REQUEST

We live in a world that rewards inappropriate and provocative behavior.  At Top Buttons, we are determined to provide a unique platform where young girls can be recognized for their individuality and their classy looks.  We understand the conflict with culture versus the young female on this challenging issue, we appreciate your support to continue propeling this movement.

Top Buttons is funded through donations!  Please share this article with your friends and family if you think they would be encouraged by what we are doing! If you would like to donate clothing, services, or financial support to our organization please contact Chris@topbuttons.org for more info or you can easily Donate Online by clicking here.  Surviving in the super competitive fashion industry can only come from, those with a similar passion, joining together to make an impact!  Our passion is simple, young women should have the alternative which we are providing.  Our alternative isn't motivated by profit, it's motivated by protecting, encouraging, and inspiring.

What do you think about what we are doing?  We want feedback from you!

Please contact us for questions and THANK YOU FOR SHARING IN THE VISION WITH US!

A SHOPPING SPREE WITH PURPOSE

The team would agree that our favorite part of the Top Button's Project is being able to Give Back.  In addition to providing cute and modest clothing styles online for young ladies to get ideas from, we take young women on shopping sprees who would not otherwise be able to do so for themselves!  As our organization continues to grow, we look to offer the Top Buttons Wardrobe Makeover opportunity for young women across the country- and more often.  At the bottom of this post are details on how to collaborate with us on this project if interested.

This month we partnered with The Core; a youth group from Epic church in Lakeland, FL.   Anastasia Malone, the host who nominated the teen chosen to be on this shopping spree, began as a leader for The Core a little over a year ago.  She shared a bit about why she volunteers to mentor youth by saying, “I do it because I have a passion for young ladies between the ages of 12-16 to see, understand and grab hold of what God has called and purposed them to do! I just love that age in general, so why not take time out of my week to just love on them!”

As we have done with shopping sprees before, we took Deni into a shop and filled 2 carts full of clothing!  Choosing clothes for Deni to try on was a fun-filled, group effort.  As the shopping progressed, the “no’s” turned into “maybe’s” and the “maybe’s” turned into “YES!”  We did have to convince her to step out of her box a bit to try on a couple items, but once she put them on, the smile of satisfaction on her face told us how pleased she was.  We enjoyed sharing ideas on how to wear different pieces in a way that would express her personal style, work with her body type, and keep her essentials covered.  After a morning of power shopping, Deni went home with several items to create a new wardrobe with!  This sweet young lady came out of the store radiating with positive energy.

And off to Peterson Park we go for Deni's photo shoot in one of her new outfits...

When asked what her favorite part of the day was, Deni said, “picking out the clothes!”  She shared how she felt honored to have been nominated, and we felt honored to have been able to provide her with this experience.

Anastasia Malone is seen below on the left, then Kenady (our TB teen team member), Deni (shopping spree winner), and Anastasia Jones (our TB Give Back Director).

All shopping sprees are funded through donations given to our non-profit organization. If you are interested in donating funds or services to provide deserving teens with a Top Buttons Wardrobe Makeover, please contact Anastasia Jones-Downing at anastasia@topbuttons.org.

Written by: Anastasia Jones

Photo Credit: Shelby Danielle