Happy April! It's that time of year when the seasons are in transition, which is a good time to re-evaluate your wardrobe. You'll likely find things in your closet that you don't wear, or you no longer need. If they are still in good condition, you may consider a Clothing Swap! Get together with friends, make (or buy) some delicious snacks, and get to trading! Read on for how it works, and how to plan a great one.
1. Set-Up: Each guest brings clothes he/she no longer wants. Just make sure the clothes are still wearable. You can organize the clothing space however you want, but I've found it's good to do it by piece or style (i.e. all jeans in one pile, or all formal wear, etc.). Don't worry if you don't have much space, either. Putting everything on the couches and chairs works fine. As a plus, you and your friends can catch up while digging through clothing mounds. :)
2. The Trading: It's up to you, but I find it most gratifying for everyone if you don't have cost involved. Everyone brings clothes, and everyone takes clothes home. There's a fun community aspect to it when it's done this way. If you have high cost items from which you hope to profit, you may consider posting it on thredup.com or other consignment shops.
3. Streamlining Details: Here are some things to consider in making this event as practical as it is fun.
- Bags: Have some spare shopping bags your friends can use to take home their swap-finds.
- Neat Snacks: Considering that you and your guests will be digging through clothes, you may not want to serve snacks that leave a lot of finger residue or stickiness. Otherwise, you can consider separating your time. For example, my friend who had a Tea Party/Clothing Swap had tea time for about an hour, and then we transitioned into the living room for swapping once we were done eating.
- Atmosphere Setting: Play some fun music, set out candles, and set the lighting. Make sure it's adequate for seeing the clothes well, but also for a sweet time of getting to know your friends better. After all, when clothes and food fade away, it's all about the connection you have with your besties!
- Mirrors: If you have a few full length mirrors, place them strategically so that people can see themselves when they try on clothes.
- Fitting Rooms: Open a couple of other rooms in your house for friends to try on clothing privately. If you have a small apartment or studio, try designating a hallway or walk-in closet as extra fitting room space. Or get creative with room dividers. Make it fun!
- Leftover Clothing: The host often donates whatever is left to a charity of choice (Dress for Success, Salvation Army, etc.). If you don't want to take care of the details of giving the clothes away, you can also just have your friends take home whatever pieces of theirs that didn't get taken.
My friends and I used to do semi-annual clothing swaps, and it was such a great thing! Especially if you like thrift store finds, or if you're not really into trends, this is a great way to find unique pieces. It's better to get clothing from a source you know, also, rather than grabbing stuff from unknown whereabouts. And of course, it's free! Best of all, it's a great way to connect with friends and invite new people into your social circles. Enjoy!
