Women vets style fashions for the civilian world

Women vets style fashions for the civilian world
Salt Lake City event aims to help women transition from military to civilian life.
Salt Lake Tribune
By Heather May
Special to the Tribune
First Published 8 hours ago • Updated 6 hours ago

Brenda Joy Talford didn’t just exchange sweat pants for a salmon-colored skirt and brown sweater vest, cinched with a brown belt Monday night. As the 51-year-old Army vet walked on a red carpet during an event dubbed Fatigues to Fabulous, she took steps toward abandoning a life of seclusion brought about by post-traumatic stress disorder for one in the world.

After her turn on the runway, Talford said she had conquered a mountain by letting professionals pull her short brown hair to the side and do her makeup. Recently diagnosed with PTSD from a military sexual assault in the 1980s, Talford said she was in the habit of making herself as plain as possible.

But that ended Monday night. "I want to get myself out there and stop isolating myself," she said. "I feel worthy right now, which I didn’t before."

She was one of 11 women who modeled clothes they picked out, and get to keep, from Kohls department store in front of about 200 women veterans at Zions Bank building in Salt Lake City. It was the 10th year the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System has held a women veterans celebration, but the first time it included the fashion show.
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