I bumped into a friend at the supermarket the other day. She eyed my sweater a bit too
enviously. "Love that color," she said. "Do you want to get rid of
it?" We both laughed and I politely told her to take her paws off. It wasn't ready to
be swapped - not yet.
We, along with about a half-dozen other friends, are clothes
swappers. We meet every so often with our bags of unwanted clothing after a spring (or
fall) cleaning frenzy to, well, swap clothing. I'm not sure when this ritual started - I
was invited to a clothes swap two years ago after a friend (who probably realized we were
about the same dress size) invited me to a clothes swap she organized at her house.
At first, I was skeptical on what kind of clothing I could get,
and, frankly, a bit embarrassed over the hopeless clothes I lugged along that nobody in
their right mind would want.
But, what ensued was a cross between a slumber party and an open
fitting room at Filene's Basement. There were about eight of us at my first clothes swap.
Veteran clothes- swappers immediately told us to dump our goods on the bed, and dig in. It
was finder's keepers - but you had to try it on first! One hand pulled out my awful maroon
wool dress (that previously belonged to my mother-in-law and fit too snug and short on
me). I had to admit it was mine. It was gingerly picked up by a petite woman who I only
knew in passing. Was she just trying to humor me by trying it on? When she emerged from
the bathroom it was like was tailor-designed just for her. It was snug in all the right
places; the hem hit just above the knee, where it should have. "I'll take it,"
she said and quietly folded it up into a growing pile she was gathering at her feet.
Wow. Hey, maybe this wasn't so bad after all! One woman
threw a very loud flowered dress at me. "This is YOU," she said. Huh? Me, who
wears muted greens, grays and black? It was not a dress I would ever try on, never mind
wear. But, with prodding from the group, I did try it on and sheepishly
modeled it. Claps, cheers. "Take it!" "Oh, it IS you!" I laughed and
kept it, I mean, what did I have to lose? (I've since worn it several times. A special
notice to all my friend swappers: I'm now tired of it and it will emerge again at our next
clothes swap).
Which brings me to the point of a clothes swap. There is nothing
to lose! I have come home with the most amazing clothing that I could not believe women
would want to part with: a genuine pea coat, an Alpaca sweater, t-shirts & turtlenecks
in every color, an elegant purple dress. The clothing also carries a special significance.
While casually flinging a silk scarf around my neck, the owner of the article said it used
to belong to her mother. I think of the history of that scarf whenever I wear it. In turn,
I often
see my clothing on friends. "Hey, that's mine!" I'll say jokingly. "But it
looks better on you," I add, sincerely. It's nice to know where my clothes are. And
it's nice to know where they came from.
After the end of 2 or 3 hours, the group of clothes swappers reaches the end of the pile
on the bed. There is an unbelievably deep sense of satisfaction knowing that your clothing
has found a new - and appreciative - owner. And, you leave with a pile of clothes that you
want to wear! And it's free!
So before you dump your clothes in the Goodwill box, think
of your friends!
How to organize a successful
clothes swap:
• Invite your friends & ask your friends to invite their friends
• About 10-15 people is the goal - aim for all shapes & sizes
• If you are hosting the swap at your house, make sure you have at
least two full-length mirrors available
• For those of us who are modest, make sure there are other rooms
available to dress and undress. If this isn't possible, remind people they can wear a body
suit or bathing suit underneath their clothing if they wish.
• Clothes swaps can be seasonal, but they don't have to be: The best
clothes swaps have all seasons clothing.
• If two people want the same item, you can have fun with this by
either a coin toss, or having each person model the item of clothing and have a vote (do
this only if you're sure there won't be hard feelings).
• If you have second thoughts about an item you have up for grabs -
speak up quickly. A simple "Hmm, I'm not so sure I'm ready to give that up yet,"
should suffice, before someone else gets too attached to the item.
• Be prepared - for a good time! You'll be surprised how much fun
you'll have with a group of women trying on clothing!
Marcia Passos Duffy is a freelance writer and the
publisher/editor of The Heart
of New England online magazine and weekly e-newsletter, a publication that celebrates
the unique character of the northern New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and
Vermont. To subscribe to her free weekly e-newsletter on bed & breakfast deals, New
England thrifty tips, contests, and gardening reminders, simply send a blank email to heartofnewengland-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
