Swap Shop
Bryanna Brown
Shop-a-holics have a new way to tame their urges without blowing a ton of cash. If you want to get rid of your old cast offs but get something in return, we suggest that you try a clothing trade party.
Sanem Niazi and Aluda Niazi invited me over to their swap party for some thrifty fun and shared where they got their inspiration.
“We were at a vintage shop not too long ago. My sister and I have always enjoyed going to find random things together. One day this girl was telling us that in Vancouver she used to go out on the street and find girls with good style and invite them over for tea and have swap parties”. The Niazi sisters share that every party is a success if people are considerate and bring gently used clothing.
Attendee and friend of the girls, Alaka Reid, said that she was very excited to get rid of her cast offs and found a few unexpected items. Her favorite piece?
“I picked out the purple printed pantsuit, because I loved the colors. It was something that I would really admire on someone else, and seemed to be very reminiscent of Marc Jacobs' latest spring summer collection".
I brought two bags full of clothing that had been unworn in the last year to the swap party. My mother (an excellent organizer) said, "If you haven't worn them in a year, chances are you won't." I took this advice seriously and inventoried my closet while making mental notes of what had been loved, ignored and abandoned. I felt a bit guilty putting my clothing in the bags--they had so many memories attached to them. However, I felt guilty not wearing them, and almost felt as if I had been neglecting children. Hesitant to put my clothing on the "sharing rack", I realized that these pieces no longer had a place in my closet, but they would be in someone else's soon.
Luckily for my beloved forgotten frocks, the girls at the party were excited to try them all on and were even fought over. As for me, I got a very good deal out of the switch. I found a lightweight khaki hooded spring parka from H&M that I now wear almost every day, a blue button up shirt, and a lovely vintage jade bead necklace.
If you want to have your own swap party, call up all of your best dressed buds and lay out ground rules on how the switch will go, and quality of items (e.g., only gently used clothing - nothing smelly, torn or stained). Even if you don't find anything you like, you'll be putting your unworn clothing out to pasture and free up some much needed space in your closets.
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