Have You Considered… Hosting A Clothes Swap Party?

Questions to ask yourself before you send out the invites.

With spring around the corner, it can only mean one thing – spring occasions are upon us. More events on our agenda often means finding more outfits to wear. Our new arrivals can be very tempting, but before you shop for something brand new, try swapping your collection with someone else’s first.

Swap parties are a more sustainable way to update your wardrobe and are a fun opportunity to socialise and share style tips. If you’re anything like us and have a stash of clothes, shoes and accessories hiding in the back of your wardrobe that you haven’t worn in a while, then maybe it’s time to host a swap meet.

Sharing is caring and your closet is no exception, but before you send out the invites, consider these questions:

Are your things worth swapping?

If the reason why you haven’t worn these pieces is because they’re physically not wearable, then they don’t belong in your swap shop and you should look for textile recycling options near you. Your edit should be clean, in good condition, and ready to wear. By making swapping a regular habit, it will encourage you to take better care of your belongings and make smarter investments when you do shop new.

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Who should you invite?

In theory, the more the merrier, but if you’re a first-time host, start with a small group of friends and invite everyone to bring a plus one to get involved. This ensures there’s a variety of styles and sizes to swap, plus it gives everyone a chance to meet new people and even share style advice. Suggest including accessories in the mix, like bags, scarves and jewellery, so that everyone – regardless of size – can find something to take home.

Do you have a system in place?

Set some rules to ensure a fair trade. Have an agreed upon minimum and maximum number of items each person can bring so that you’re not inundated with clothes, and set a limit on how many items people can walk away with so that it’s an even swap.

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What’s your Plan B for things that don’t get swapped?

In an ideal world, you’d go to the party with say 10 items you no longer wear and leave with 10 new additions to your wardrobe, but that’s not always the case. Don’t let this discourage you from hosting future swap parties. Think about what to do with the leftovers so that they get a second life and don’t make their way to the back of your wardrobe again. Try swapping them at a second-hand store (some places offer store credit for on-trend items), or donate them to charity.