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?

How To #3: How to Shop in Normal Stores While Staying Modest

Hello from the airplane, friends! My brother-in-law has a conference in St. Louis this week, so I'm off to LA to help my sister with the kids for the next 6 days. I hate almost everything about flying, but I have to say that JetBlue is more civilized than most airlines. And I get free internet! So I can update the blog! Guys, life is so exciting.

This marks a return to our how-to series. Today, I want to offer some tips for how to look for modest clothing in mainstream stores. Depending on fashion trends, modest clothing can be more or less difficult to find without shopping from designated modest clothing stores and websites. These days, midi and maxi skirts seem to be having a moment, so it's easier to find skirts that offer a little more coverage. However, mini skirts and sleeveless dresses will always be around, so it's helpful to know how to adapt (and when to pass on a look.) Here are some of the things that have worked well for me. If you have other thoughts, please leave them in the comments!

1. Get great layering pieces. Many things with no sleeves or that are very low cut can easily be made more modest if you have good layering pieces. Here are some thoughts and options that I have found helpful:

• I used to have trouble finding camisoles that weren't super low-cut (isn't the whole point of camisoles that they provide extra coverage???), but then I discovered these from Downeast Basics. They are cut with a higher neckline, and they're pretty inexpensive, making it more affordable to stock up. (Certain colors are also now on sale for half off.) They're long, so they give a little more coverage over the hips as well. I found that they run relatively true to size.
• If you have a sleeveless dress or top and are looking for sleeves, I recommend layering tops from Kosher Casual. The main complaint I usually have about layering shells is that they are often super high cut at the neck, which I find super uncomfortable. Since I don't mind showing my collarbone, I was really excited to find these. I especially like this one and this one, since they're cut lower around the neck but still provide a lot of coverage. They're also fitted enough wear under things, but sturdy enough to be worn on their own. The boatneck shirt is cut pretty short, and they are both on the tighter side, so you might want to size up, especially if you are going to wear them as shirts. I've never ordered the elbow sleeve shirts, but they look great as well.
• If you don't want to add a whole shirt under your outfit, you can try sleeve extensions. I've never worn them, but I have friends who swear by them. You can find options here.
• Believe in a good cardigan. Not only do they add coverage, they can also add a fun element to many outfits. I have cardigans in different lengths-- long/ grandpa-style, waist-length, and cropped. Between those three, I can make one type work with most things. Some of my favorites are here (on sale!), here (use my link from yesterday for 20% off!) and here.
• Use scarves creatively. If you have a cute top but it has a lower neckline, a scarf can be an excellent accessory if placed strategically. However, if it's the only layering piece, just be ready to commit to wearing it all day. (And if you're like me and you're cold much of the time, scarves are helpful for extra warmth as well.)
• Some people also wear pencil skirts under shorter skirts and dresses. This isn't generally my look, but if you like to go that way, you can find good options here and here. You can also buy a skirt extender, which is like a slip until the bottom, where the fabric is full.

2. Think creatively. A few months ago, I saw I dress that I LOVED at Anthropologie. Unlike almost everything else at Anthropologie, I could actually afford it, on account of it being on crazy sale. However, when I picked it up, it was clear that it was way too short for me to ever wear as a dress. It was a little too long, though, for me to wear as a tunic. So what did I do? I went back to the racks and found it in petite. When I put it on, it was just the right length to be a tunic! So don't feel bound by what an item is supposed to be. If it can work as something else-- a tunic, a vest or jumper, an accent piece-- then embrace that and make it your own!

3. Explore expanded sizes. On a related note to #2, while not often found in stores, many stores offer petite and tall sizes online. While it's not always possible to buy a dress in tall (or in petite to wear as a tunic), depending on your body's proportions, if you carry your height in your torso, a tall dress might provide the extra 3-4 inches that makes the dress adhere to your standards of modesty. And for skirts, tall length usually just means that the skirt is longer, so that should work no matter how your height is distributed. GAP, LOFT, Old Navy, Boden and many others offer tall sizes for at least some items on their websites, so order some things and see what works. (Even when extended sizes are only available online, you can almost always return them in store.)

4. Know when to walk away. I recently tried on a super adorable dress. It fit me perfectly, had a pleated skirt, and was made of a warm sweater-like material. I was in love. It was at least 4 inches too short for me. I tried to figure out if there was a way to make it work, over a skirt or pants, or if I tried the petite length. Ultimately, I had to come to terms with the fact that there was no way to make the dress work. Sad, yes, but there are so many options that can be worn modestly, that there is no reason to look silly unnecessarily. Not every trend can work for everyone. This is true because of modestly, but also because of things like coloring, body shape, and other factors. So admire yourself in the dressing room mirror and then move on to something else. You look fabulous!

What are your modesty-maintain tips? Leave them in the comments!

How To #2: How to Make Money Off Your Wardrobe

Now, for a question that I'm sure has been keeping you all up at night: how is it that a graduate student with a part-time job, who doesn't get money from her parents and is responsible about her budget, can afford to have such a fabulous wardrobe? (Because it is fabulous, isn't it?) Part of it is that, other than things like rent and food, I don't spend much money on anything other than books and clothes. I am convinced that the fact that I'm not really a drinker has saved me thousands over the years. But additionally, I'm all about finding ways to maximize my budget and monetize my clothing. And now I'll pass that wisdom onto you!

Here are my top five tips, in no particular order:

1. Never pay full price for anything. I do most of my shopping online, both because my schedule is crazy and because I like to be able to try things on at home and take a little while to decide if I like them. However, online shopping has an added bonus: I get to google for coupons. If I can't find a coupon, I make a mental note, and then either search again later, or wait for it to go on sale. For those of you who, like me, like to shop at places like Loft, Boden, Banana Republic, and the like, there are constantly discounts available. Take advantage of them! It will let your dollar go further. (Also, try to make sure you don't have to pay for shipping in either direction. That always feels like a sad waste of money.)

Note: the one exception to this rule is Stitch Fix, where everything is full price. However, because of my Stitch Fix evangelism, I have gotten enough referral credits that my last two boxes have been totally free. So even though I will eventually have to start paying again, I figure it all sort of balances out in the end.

2. Maximize cash back opportunities. Have you heard of Ebates? If not, you need to! Ebates is a website that gives you a certain percentage of cash back if you shop through their site. Although the bonuses vary and are not available for everywhere, I've had a pretty high success rate with the places where I shop. If, like me, you sometimes forget to go through website, you can install the Ebates tracker on your web browser. Whenever you go to a site that is eligible for cash back, an icon will pop up. Sure, it's a little big brother-ish, but I sort of assume nothing I do on the internet is private anyway, so I might as well get money for it.

Additionally, if you use a credit card and don't need to pay down debt, consider getting a cash back card. I have a Chase Freedom card, which automatically gives me 1% back on all of my purchases, 5% on certain categories every quarter, and additional discounts in certain places if I shop through their rewards website. You can use the cash back to get gift cards to your favorite places, or to pay down you balance. My rule is that cash back money is fun money-- I can spend it on whatever I want, and I don't have to feel bad. Let's hear it for guilt-free frivolity!

3. Get money for your old clothes. What happens when you look in your closet and you find something that's new or basically new, but that you never wear? There are a few ways to turn that item into cash!

First, you can sell things on eBay. (My selling page, which is pretty sparse at the moment, is here. I just had a good run and sold a bunch of stuff, so it's all quiet for the time being.) I've had especially good success selling things from Boden and Anthropologie on eBay, and boots seem to go quickly as well.
The pros: You get to set the price, and eBay only charges you if you actually sell the item. You can also design your listing as you wish.
The cons: eBay and Paypal both take a cut of any money you make. You have to be willing to package the item and shlep it to the post office every time something sells. If you're going to sell on eBay, I would recommend listing a bunch of things at the same time, so that you can bring them all to the post office at once if they sell. And be sure to save packing materials from any packages you receive, so you don't have to spend money on shipping supplies.

Second, if eBay is too annoying for you, you can send your new and like-new clothes to ThredUp. ThredUp is basically an online consignment shop/ thrift store combo. They send you a clean out bag, which you can fill to your heart's content. You then send them the bag for free, either via the post office or FedEx. They sort through the bag and anything they deem to be in sellable condition, they give you money for it. If you want them to return any items they don't accept, they'll take $12.95 out of the money they give you and send them back. Otherwise, they'll donate whatever they don't take. Once they decide how much to pay you, you can either take the money in ThredUp credit, or you can cash it out after 2 weeks, via Paypal.
(You can also shop on the ThredUp website, where everything is seriously discounted because it's pre-owned. I've gotten a couple of things from there and they've both been really nice, and way cheaper than if I had gotten them in the store.)
The pros: It is much less labor intensive than eBay. Someone else does the work for you! And assuming they take your items, you get paid right away in most cases, instead of having to wait for the item to sell.
The cons: You make way less money than you do on eBay. The processing takes a while, and then it's two more weeks if you wan to cash out. They reject a lot of things, so you don't make any money off of those. And they don't accept all brands, so make sure you check their list before sending things in.

Finally, if your old clothing is super high quality or high-end (my stuff tends not to fit into these categories), sell it to a consignment shop. Stores like Second Time Around are always buying. I'm not sure about how much they pay, but either way, it's like getting money you wouldn't have anyway, and more closet space. Win!

4. Clothing swap it up! This isn't a money making technique, but it is a good way to refresh your wardrobe without spending. Email a bunch of your friends, choose a location that has lots of room, and have everyone bring their cute things that they don't wear. Make sure you have a designated area for people to try things on, and that clothes are sorted by type and/ or size. When the night is over, donate everything nobody took. And speaking of...

5. Itemize your donations for tax time. If you're like me, you bring large bags of clothing to Housing Works or the Salvation Army or your local thrift shop multiple times a year. Even though it's sort of a pain, keep track of what you are donating. When it comes to taxes, you can write off those donations and maximize your refund! Delayed gratification, but gratification nonetheless.

So those are my tips! Hope they help. What else would you recommend to save money and maximize your wardrobe? Leave thoughts in the comments!

How to #1: How to Keep Your Wardrobe Organized

By special request of my friend Brooke (hi Brooke!), every so often, I'm going to write how-to posts, relating to topics of fashion, modesty, budgeting, etc. I certainly don't have all of the answers, but I'll give you all a sense of some things that have worked for me, and if you have other tips or thoughts, please leave them in the comments!

Brooke asked me to write about ideal or proper clothing storage. So Brooke, here are my thoughts. Hope they help!

1. Use your space efficiently. I live in a studio apartment. It's not a small studio, but it is a studio nonetheless. Add to the mix my compulsive book buying, and there's not a huge amount of space. However, closer examination highlights a number of hidden opportunities for storage. I bought over-the-door hooks, which I use to hang my hats and scarves. They just hang over the door of my closet, so I don't have to worry about them doing permanent damage to the wall. I also have a great shoe bag (see the picture in part 6), which means that the floor of my closet is free for my boots, and my shoes don't end up in a giant messy pile.

2. Organize your clothes by season. Most of us have some things we can wear year round, and others that are only appropriate at certain times of year. If you live in the Northeast, like me, there is no reason to have wool sweaters out in August. So put away the things you don't anticipate needing any time the in near future. (I recommend under the bed, in storage boxes, but do what works for you based on your space constraints.) Hang heavy coats in the back of your closet in the summer, and put away your lightweight clothes in the winter. You won't miss them, I promise. And when the seasons shift, change everything back. And while you do...

3. Clean out your closet regularly. Some people hold by the "One in, one out" model-- any time you buy something new, you give something away. While I find that to be a nice idea, I find that it's not a realistic goal for me. Instead, every time I rotate my wardrobe, I look at the things I'm putting away. Have I worn it since I last rotated my clothes? If not, it's gone! (In a future post, I'll give some ideas of what to do with all of those old clothes.) You won't miss it when it's gone, and you'll have more space for the things you actually wear.

4. If you wear it a lot, keep it in the front. We all have our favorites that we wear over and over. Keep them in reach. If you put them in the back, you'll just mess everything up looking for them. For example, I keep my sweaters under my bed because they're so bulky. But I put the ones I wear a lot at the top or front of the bag, and leave the special occasion ones in the back. Same with fancy clothes for weddings and the like-- they're all the way on one side of the closet, so they don't get in my way when I'm looking for that black pencil skirt for the 3rd time this week.

5. Look for space-savers. For example, I have a lot of skirts and dresses, which have the potential to take up a lot more room than pants. However, as the picture shows, multi-tiered hangers can be a girl's best friend. They allow you to see more of your clothing, and to fill the space in your closet vertically as well as horizontally. I have a few skirt hangers with six tiers, which are amazing but not easily found these days. However, the four tiered ones work as well. I suggest buying metal ones, like these, which tend to last longer. Additionally, the Container Store sells ones you can stack on your own, allowing you to add as many layers as your closet height allows. You can also do a similar thing with shirts, blazers and dresses-- just buy a set of hangers that come with cascading hooks like these, or, if you already have no-slip hangers, you can buy the hooks on their own here. Just be aware of the amount of weight you are putting on the hangers, as the strain can cause the top one to break if they aren't high quality. And buy a shoe bag! Now! It will make all of the difference.

6. Make sure you can see as much of your wardrobe as possible. Even if things are tucked away in drawers or under the bed, there are still ways to make sure you can see them. For example, I keep my sweaters under the bed (as mentioned in part 4) because they're very bulky. However, when I chose my under-the-bed storage, I was careful to buy containers that had a clear top. That way, when I pull out the bag, I can see what I have. That's also why I swear by the shoe bag. I have way too many shoes, so it's helpful for me to be able to see what's there. Otherwise, I would wear the same three pairs over and over.

7. Be strict about what goes where. If you are like me, you aren't always great about putting your clothes away. Frequently, at the end of the week, there is a giant pile of clothing on one my chairs. However, when I finally put things away, everything goes in this place. There's a drawer for long sleeve shirts, one for gym clothes, and an area for socks and tights. Each thing is put away where it belongs. Everything in its place. Trust me.

So those are my tips. Hope they help! Let me know your thoughts. And also, please tell me, what to do you do to stay organized?