Sick and tired of the same clothes but they’re too precious to be tossed aside? Let some of your girlfriends shower these items with love and get some new ones for yourself by having a swap party! This way, you wouldn’t have to spend money and you’d get noticed for sporting new items you have in your wardrobe. It’s a win-win, isn’t it? Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Include friends of all shapes and sizes – Don’t discriminate and invite at least 5 friends of different body types and sizes. This makes the mix more versatile and besides, clothing items are easily adaptable to fit. If you like a body-clinching top, good on you. If the piece is a little too big, you can always throw on a belt or wear it as an oversized clothing item.
2. Note the minimum or maximum pieces of clothing one should bring – Two weeks ahead of the actual day, set some ground rules and make sure your guests are aware. Let them know not to come empty-handed and bring the required amount of clothing to participate. In order to keep things organized, limit each person to 10 items.
3. No stains, no tears, no really old clothes – Be stern about this and ensure that only items in good condition should be up for swaps. This means that they shouldn’t look worn out, should be free of stains and tears, and they should also be properly washed, folded or hung up and ironed. We’re pretty sure you wouldn’t want to receive an item that’s of poor condition, so be considerate.
4. Bring along bags and accessories – If you have bags, accessories or shoes that are well kept and taken care of, add them into the mix. You’ll never know as you might stumble upon unique pieces your friends have that you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else. Got some vintage items you’re no longer loving? Perfect!
5. Prepare some food and drinks – If you’re hosting this at your place, make sure your guests are comfortable. Make an effort to prepare some light snacks and drinks so that they’d be able to mingle with one another and make themselves feel at home. If all else fails, whip out that bottle of wine to keep everyone happy!
6. Designate dressing room areas and boxes – Before you start, make sure you have designated areas where your guests could try on the items, and have boxes for everyone to store their items. Keep the party organized and don’t leave piles of clothes on the floor!
7. Keep track of the number of items each person brings – If a person brings five items, she should be leaving with five items or less, not more. When your guests arrive, make a list of the number of items each person brings. This is to ensure that it’d be fair for everyone and if your item is of an above-average value, you should be getting another item of similar value.
8. Donate the unclaimed pieces if nobody wants them – If there are unclaimed pieces nobody wants, donate them to a charity near you instead of putting these pieces back into your wardrobe, only to rediscover them in years to come. Someone else out there would definitely be grateful and you’d also be doing your part in giving back to the community.
