A Clothes Swap Party

My girlfriends somewhat regularly gather for what are known as Clothes Swaps.  All the ladies gather, usually involving a little food and drink, and bring all the clothes languishing at the back of their closets, or in the pile destined for the second-hand shop.  All clothes are dumped in a mound in the middle of the room and it is a free for all! Grabbing, trading, trying on, passing, commenting, laughing, complimenting.  It is a very good time.  Sometimes it is chaos.  But, always fun chaos.
Infinitely kind and beautiful Chelsey.
The leftovers that no one wanted.  (Proof that we all have too many clothes!)
Genoa handing Steph something from the pile.
The swaps are great for a variety of reasons.  I enjoy spending time in the company of so many women all at once, something I don't have real often in my life.  Everyone ends up with some swell new clothing.  Clothing that needs a new home finds it.  And best of all there is no money exchanged by anyone.  It is quite literally a free for all.  And whatever is leftover at the end is still sent to the thrift shop.  It seems like a perfect cycle to me.  Well, at least for people who haven't completely broken free from the periodic consumerist desire for new clothes.
Steph, Larry (Genoa's husband), Genoa, Jen, Me, and Chelsey.  There were a number of others, but they must have left before I thought to take a group photo.
This particular swap also made me feel that I've turned a corner in my desire for new clothes.  I feel I have just about everything I need and want in my wardrobe and have become very particular when it comes to new additions.   So, though I did leave the party with a large bag of clothes, nearly all of it was just white stuff to tie-dye (another perk of the swap for our home based tie-dye business: free clothes to dye and sell).  I did score a plain, light colored denim dress (with pockets!) that I am currently pretty stoked about.  I would like to wear dresses more (and skirts less), but only own three (all acquired for free).  I'll build up a collection of free dresses yet...one swap at a time.  Or you never know what could happen over the winter....maybe I will get crazy and make some for myself!

Comments

  1. Awesome beth! This is cool, I will have to check out more stuff on this link!~Chelsey

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  2. I am so glad you were able to make it. Heck, I am glad I was able to make it as I've missed the last several! Any time I can see you though just makes the occasion all the sweeter. You are just so sunny and positive! I will see you again real soon!

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  3. That is a great idea and you have fun doing it. Tick, Tick.

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  4. Thanks Rhonda! I certainly cannot claim to have come up with the idea, but I sure do enjoy it!

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  5. Sounds like a ton of fun!! Sadly, my friends and I are all drastically different sizes. I'm petite (short, thin, small chest), and my closest friends are tall -- legs for days & big chests. So I'll stick to the store :-/

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  6. Maybe you and your friends could come up with a spin-off version. Like hats, gloves, purses, shoes, jewelery etc. I got an awesome hat at the last clothes swap. There had never been hats before. I was pretty excited.

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