How to Host a Clothing Swap

A stingy wallet, a hungry appetite for novelty, and an eco conscious conscience, satisfy all three with a clothing swap soiree, following is a scheme for a successful fashion swap.

one. invite

Scout out those which which you share a common style penchant and send a gracious invite in their direction, at least two weeks in advance. You could invite guests with a common proclivity for vintage, a passion for accessories, or those who have children in the age vicinity of your own. Allow your guests to suggest additional attendees who corroborate with the evening’s theme: for more ladies means more selection. Set a minimum number of garments as a cover charge to the event, but allow guests to bring as many additional items as they prefer.

two. inventory

You and your guests should then cleanse your closets, accumulating clothes which no longer flatter the owner’s body, lifestyle, or personality. Items suffering from stains, tears, or extreme wear should be sent in a separate direction, even if it was ridiculously cute at some point in its shelf life.

three. launder

Each attendee should carefully wash, press and hang their inventory, items should be showcased for a premiere.

four. ambiance

In preparation for your event, prepare your party’s ambiance. Please as many of your attendee’s senses as possible, music for their delicate ears, pleasant scents for their pretty noses, treaties for their palettes. Also ensure you have adequate seating, tables, garment racks, a designated changing area, and dress forms for display. You may want to include a few full length mirrors in the common area.

five. retail

When your friends arrive, give each guest an equivalent number of blank stickers, which they will initial, in exchange for each item they bring. Then merchandise the items as prettily as you can in your own home store. Grouping items together by color will make for a lovelier display, but grouping them by sizes may be more useful to your guests.

six. auction

Allow the guests to mingle and take note of available pretties, individuals can indicate interest in an item by placing an initialed sticker upon it. Following the open floor period, items with only one sticker can be automatically claimed. But items with multiple stickers will be tried on by each sticker owner, allowing your collaborative audience to vote on a winner. Following the auction, guests can mingle through the remainder of the inventory. Donate any unwanted items to charity or thrift shops.

New ensembles without a dime parted. Enjoy and tell me about your own party results.