clothing swap party!

It’s the middle of winter and there is little to no sign of spring. Perhaps you are broke, or don’t want to spend any money on new clothes. What do you do? Throw a clothing swap party, of course!

There is no better way to kick those assiduous winter blues to the curb and gain a new wardrobe (or at least some cool, functional pieces) while you’re at it, than to gather a group of your favorite ladies and throw a soirée to trade clothes with each other! Why is it that everyone else’s clothes always looks better than your own? Consider this your own economic stimulus package, paid by means of clothing. Shoes, and accessories such as purses, scarves and jewelry can also be swapped at this party. For those of us who are impluse/trend shoppers (aka. moi at times), this is also a great way to deaccession your wardrobe and g e t  r i d  o f  t h i n g s that you only wear once or… not at all (i.e. the tag is still on there!). The key is to be picky and not try to re-accession your way back to a crowded closet again.

The best way to host one of these parties is to have everyone bring gently used or good condition clothes, shoes and accessories to trade with other guests. Some items are definitely more forgiving than others. Divide the clothes in different sections, such as shirts, sweaters, jackets/coats, pants, dresses, shoes and misc. accessories. If you have a small group and competition isn’t fierce, then introduce the pieces (the former owner can also give their “sales pitch” during this time) before diving into the various selections. Donate the unwanted/rejected items to your local charity, laugh and have a lot of fun.

But wait, let’s not forget to feed our generous guests and enlarge their waistlines while we’re at it. An quality clothing swap party consists of mouth-watering appetizers, both sweet and savory, desserts, veggies and dip and your choice of water, red or white vino and coffee/tea. Enjoy those treats after the big clothing swap. You’ll leave with brilliant (new to you) items. What’s not to love about that?

FYI: I participated in my first clothing swap party tonight, got rid of a decent assortment of clothes, and can’t wait for the next one. This could get addictive…