Plan a Clothing Swap for an Eco-Friendly Spring Party
What better way to spend time with your friends while giving back than with a clothing swap? From the snacks on the table to that once loved sweater in your closet, here’s how to plan a winning clothing swap for your next eco-friendly spring party.
Planning the Location
Would you rather have your event in a public venue or host it from the comfort of your home? If it’s a beautiful spring day, you may also want to consider hosting your clothing swap at the park. You could do a swap picnic where everyone brings goodies to eat and drink along with the clothes they’re looking to swap. If it’s a rainy day or going to be brisk, or you generally prefer to do things indoors yet public, you can ask a local café or restaurant with a private dining area if you can rent out or have a designated area to do your clothing swap. If the restaurant or café lets you have a space for free, encourage your fellow clothing swappers to make sure to purchase something from the venue to support them!
If you’d rather play host in your own home, that’s also a great idea if you prefer an intimate setting for your clothing swap party. Get your dining ware ready with the charcuterie boards and hors d’oeuvres. You don’t need a full-on meal for your clothing swap party. Instead, have bite-sized food to share among your guests. Your living room or backyard is the ideal place to host your clothing swap party. Make it comfy and well-decorated with throw pillows and other visual accents.
Decide on the Rules
Now that you’ve figured out where you want to host your clothing swap party, you need to decide on the rules so everyone can play fair and participate. You’ll want to be sensitive to all different kinds of shapes and sizes, not just your own. Decide on a list of minimum and maximum items, such as at least two items but no more than ten. Send the rules to everyone in advance, so there are no surprises or disappointments.
Transitional Sweaters
One of the great things about clothing swaps is that it clears room in your closet from the things that no longer swap joy for you while making room for new clothing in your life. What was preloved by your friend can be your new go-to. As we transition from winter to spring, encourage your partygoers to look at any transitional sweaters in their closet to bring to the swap. If you’ve been meaning to swap out that women’s wool sweater from your winter wardrobe for a different color one or a cashmere one instead, swap it with your friend who would love to wear wool when they want to crank the AC in their car this spring.
Holiday Costumes
Do you have any Christmas sweaters that need to go to make room for new ones? How about Halloween costumes that you don’t see yourself wearing again? Holiday costumes are great for swapping at clothing swap parties because while it’s old to you, it’s completely new to someone else. You may even have pieces in your wardrobe that go together that you didn’t realize could make a holiday costume. What looks like an all-black outfit could be a black cat costume to someone else. Your friend’s flannel shirt can be your future lumberjack costume. Even that flowy white dress can be turned into a ghoulish costume. The only limit is your imagination!
Dark Colors
You may think that spring is the best time for all bright colors, and it is. Break out the pastels and florals and all of that, but we can’t forget about our dark-colored clothes either. Don’t be shy about wearing dark colors during springtime. Even so, if you would prefer not to be wearing black turtlenecks or dark-colored shirts for spring but have several that you love or that catch your eye at the swap, then save them for fall or winter.
Spring Colors
If you don’t already have pretty pastel colors in your wardrobe, now is the time to get some spring colors into your closet. If you feel overloaded with several yellow tops and pink sweaters, then share the love with your fellow clothing swappers. Your spring colors may even include white clothing that you haven’t worn in several summers.
Fun Patterns
You may be sick of looking at that same old floral sweater while your friend could really use more florals in her closet. Meanwhile, your BFF doesn’t know why she bought that polka dot dress, but you’ve been meaning to get one for a while! Also, think about some fall and winter patterns that you may want to swap out this spring to make room for new patterns in your closet. If you have any women’s dresses with animals, plants, or trees on them, consider making way for more abstract or beach-themed patterns.
With all of these clothing swap ideas in mind, you’ll be the hostess with the most-ess at your eco-friendly spring party. If you need any ideas for snacks or really don’t want to cook or pick up anything else from the market, be sure to check out our wide selection of food and beverage options too!