7 Useful Tips for a Clothing Swap ...

On of my top tips for a clothing swap is that you need to have variety in your guest list! Ideally you should try to invite 10-20 guests, with different styles and sizes so that there is versatility. Not too different in styles, because you need to be able to swap clothes of course! But sometimes, a little push out of your comfort zone combined with the fact that an item is free may help you to try out something new and love it!

Many of your guests will want to try on clothes before they head home with an armload of stuff that they can’t use. If you don’t have a spare room for trying on items, try to fashion a curtain or use a room divider for semi-private changing. Be sure to provide many mirrors, as part of making a decision on whether you like something or not is seeing how it looks on you!

To make things a little more organized, it’s best to sort your items out by size. You can designate tables or piles for tops, jeans, scarves, jackets, etc. and then divide from smallest to largest. Most clothing swaps also include accessories like jewelry, bags, and shoes as well.

Provide your guests with finger foods to munch on while they wait their turn to try on clothes! Any event is usually more fun with food involved. Plus, you’ll have an excuse to bake your famous brownies and show off your skills!

In order to prevent hurt feelings or arguments, set some rules. Make sure all clothing that guests bring is freshly washed! You could set rules about how long the changing room is occupied, and draw numbers to see who picks first. Try to keep things fair and remind everyone to be on their adult behavior! Also remind guests to bring a bag to carry their clothing home in.

If two people want the same item, come up with games to play for tiebreakers! It could be something as simple as rock, paper, scissors, or something more competitive, like a mini round of jeopardy! Challenge everyone to try and leave the clothing swap with at least one complete outfit and wear it at least once even if it’s out of their style comfort zone.

Most clothing swaps are bound to have leftover pieces that were not a good fit for anyone. Leftover items can be donated to shelters or thrift stores instead of going back into your closet to collect dust! Ask a few friends to help you bag them up and drop them off if there are quite a few items left to take care of.

Above all, remember to have fun! I have been part of a few clothing swaps myself, and it’s always enjoyable to switch up your wardrobe for free! With fall and winter approaching, a clothing swap may be the perfect way to break up the monotony of the winter blues that set in, as well as punch up your fall wardrobe. Would you be likely to host a fashion swap? Please post your feedback in the comments below!