Clothes Swap

I went to a clothes swap yesterday.  My friend invited me to one some time back and I wasn't sure what it was and if I even wanted to go, but when she didn't have many people respond that they could attend, I decided to go to be supportive.  Honestly, I didn't think much of it and didn't care about swapping clothes, but it turned out to far surpass my expectations.

The way this works is you and your group of friends go through your closet and drawers and anything you don't want any more, you bring to the swap.  I had some clothes that fit me well between and after pregnancies, but that don't fit me now.  I also had some clothes that were in my closet for many years, but that I never seemed to wear and I decided those should go.

My friend send out the invitation to the swap four months ago.  This gave us lots of time and even included a season change so that we could set aside anything in preparation for the upcoming swap.

When I got to my first swap, I saw the experienced "swappers" pulling out things from their boxes and bags and laying them all around the room on the sofas, chairs, coffee tables and even a stepladder leaned against the wall.  Shirts went to one area while pants went in another spot in the room.  Shoes were piled in a corner and accessories went in another zone.   Then, after everything was dispersed around, we all jumped in.

It's a free for all and it's fun.  You quickly go through things because a lot of it isn't to your taste.  Some of it most likely isn't your size.  And, of course, some of it's yours, designated for the other people in the room.  People select items they like and try them on.  Some people take their shirt off and try on the items right there.  Other people prefer to change in another room and then come back in to model what they've found or get opinions.

Let me tell you, it's a fun thing to have someone try on your shirt, exclaim how much they like it and look great in an item that just wasn't working for you any more.   But there's a bit of sadness too.  There are clothes you really loved and you have hopes that people will be fighting over those great finds, only to see them sit there and have no takers.  But that's the way it works.

You can get into a bit of a retail mentality too.  I took my shirt off and put it in the corner, making sure I didn't get it confused with the other shirts because I had to put it back on when I was done.  And yes, that's what you do when you're buying clothes, but this is all free and you can take your current shirt off, stick it in your take home bag and wear out whatever great find you find.

It's fun, but you have to stick to your plan, or what seems to be the most common plan, of bringing home less than you brought to "get rid of".  The coordinator of the event or a designated attendee then takes the remaining, unclaimed clothes and donates them to a cause.

All in all, it's free and fun shopping with friends.

The Big Boy Update:  At breakfast, unsolicited:  "Reese likes Papa.  I like Nana...I like Nana and Papa."

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  On the phone.  If you get on the phone and it's to one of the grandparents and my daughter realizes this, you are going to have a tantruming child until she gets her fair share of talking to that grandparent.  Yesterday she talked to Mimi for some time.  She knows just how to hold on to the phone and she will talk back to you.  No one can tell what she's saying, but she will say a lot.  This morning, she got the plastic blue phone that goes with the shopping car and started talking on it.  She walked around the living room and the kitchen having a very nice conversation with whomever was on the other line.  It was a long call. 

Fitness Update:  I feel like I need some serious anti-oxidants today.  I was cranky achy at the gym and not in an overworked, over-exercised kind of way.  I'm off to the grocery store after this to help remedy the situation.

Someone Once Said:  A generation which ignores history has no past – and no future.