How To #3: How to Have an Awesome Clothing Swap

This one goes out to Sarit and Ma'ayan, who hosted a rocking clothing swap a couple of weeks ago.

Loyal readers, as you know, I'm in the middle of a spending freeze. (For more about that, see here.) I'll write more about it when it's over next week, but in general, it's been going very well. I've been doing a good job of reacquainting myself with my wardrobe, and I have a much better sense of what I actually wear. However, as much as I enjoy spending no money, sometimes it's fun to have something new!

Enter: Clothing swap. In case you don't know, a clothing swap is a very simple concept. Email a bunch of your friends (of different size and styles) and tell them to clean out their closets. Have them gather in a mutually agreed upon location. Organize everyone's items into categories (e.g. dresses, sweaters, accessories, etc.) so that people can find things. And then root through the piles and try things on!

A clothing swap is great for a number of reasons. First, it's a great excuse to clean out the closet. (And anything that isn't taken at the end of the night can be donated to charity.) Second, it's a way to refresh your wardrobe without spending any money. Third, it's a built in set of opinions as you try things on, so if you're not sure if you look good in something, resources are easy to come by. And finally, because everything is free, it can be a chance to take a fashion risk and try something you wouldn't ordinarily wear. Worst comes to worst, you end up giving it away, or bringing it to the next clothing swap!

At clothing swaps in the past, I've been a little overzealous and taken things I didn't end up wearing. So I came to this one determined to only take things that I thought I could picture fitting into my wardrobe. Here are the results:

The sailor skirt, which I am excited to wear
when it gets cooler outside.

The red dress! I wore it today.

And some stripes via a scarf and sweater.

Everything I put on (except for the scarf, which was sort of just to hide my bad hair day), someone thought it was what I had worn there. I took that as a good sign that I had chosen things that would likely wear in real life. And indeed, I have already worn two of the five things I took. So I think I did better this time than in the past. And if not, well... now I'll have something to bring to the next swap!

Have you ever swapped it up? What's your favorite item you've ever swapped for?