Strategies for Throwing the Perfect Clothing Swap

*photo of my friend Patty's B-day clothing swap (i'm far to the left sitting on the floor)

What You Need to Know for Successful Clothing Swaps

1. Play hostess
   You're putting together a party: make it feel like one. Give people plenty of notice, and send out actual invitations (even they're electronic) instead of doing word-of-mouth. Make sure you have food and drinks available—we all know shopping is exhausting!—and put some thought into your guest list: if all your friends have the same style, you might just end up with eight nearly-identical black blazers that no one is willing to pick up; on the other hand, if none of your invitees have even remotely similar tastes, then it might make it hard for everyone to find new pieces they love.


2. Get organized
   A huge pile of clothes on the bed, stacks of shoes in the corner, and a jumble of necklaces on the dresses isn't doing anyone any favors. Set up different shopping areas—use a bar or rack for hanging dresses, a table for folded t-shirts and sweaters, a peg board to hang jewelry, and a long space (like a hallway) to keep those shoes in line, with plenty of mirrors throughout. Then develop a system: whether you want to organize by occasion—work wear, formal, casual—color, size, or designer, just pick a format that makes sense to your friends and go with it.


3. Set some ground rules
   You don't have to be bossy about it, but specific guidelines about what people should bring will save you all a lot of hassle on the day of the swap. Some are just common courtesy: Items should be cleaned—dry cleaned, if necessary—and in good condition, without holes, rips, or stains. But others are more your call: what if a giver changes her mind after one of her items has been chosen? What will you do if your friend thinks it's unfair that she brought Burberry while everyone else brought Isaac Mizrahi for Target? What if two guests go for the same item? Better have a tiebreaker at the ready. And it doesn't hurt to have the name and number of a good tailor on hand, either, especially if it means your size 2 friend can go home with that size 6 dress and not think twice. After the party, plan to donate anything that wasn’t chosen to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army.


4. Keep thinking
   Now that you're a pro at swapping your own clothes, think bigger: what about setting up a swap for baby and kids clothes? Hand-me-downs are a right of passage for them, and you'll be glad you saved money on a dress she wore once before outgrowing it. You could also take the process one step further and swap books, movies, board games, home decor (like throw pillows or framed prints)—and, of course, set up a time to swap back if you'd prefer these only be temporary lends. Bringing in something that's new to you gives you the same thrill as a daylong shopping spree, but without the same damage to your budget.

Top Fashion Accessories Tips

1. Pick a good vintage
   The second of the three Rs, "reuse," is there for a good reason--granting an existing item a second lease on life, instead of purchasing brand new, means no new manufacturing resources had to be tapped into. As a bonus, we're spared from any additional pollution and carbon emissions.
   
2. Make it a fair trade
   Shelling out for fairly traded gear supports fair labor conditions and workers' rights, especially in developing countries. Helping producers get a fair price for their labors and promoting self-reliance also empowers them to break the cycle of poverty they're often caught in. Just keep in mind that trade, not aid, is the answer to improving livelihoods everywhere.
   
   
3. Re:purpose for a purpose
   Because the mining of precious gems and metals from the earth is an environmentally ravaging process, some jewelry designers have been taking a different, more eco-friendly tack. Recycled metals have been making their rounds of late, including a form of silver that is reclaimed from used photographic film. For your green wedding: engagement and wedding rings made from recycled gold and set with repurposed or lab-grown gems.
   
4. Suss out sustainable
   Accessories made from sustainably produced or recycled materials are lovely to behold and kind to the planet. On the fabric front, choose textiles such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and even soysilk.
   
   
5. Beg or borrow
   Plunder the contents of someone else's closet—with permission, natch—instead of shopping for your own. One company, Bag Borrow or Steal, even lets you rent as many as five designer handbags, belts, or pieces of jewelry at a time for a flat monthly membership fee (plus an additional fee per borrowed item). You can sate your desire for straight-off-the-runway ensembles without overtaxing the planet's resources.
   
   
6. Buy conflict-free
   Conflict or "blood" diamonds are sold, often illicitly, in war zones and used by rebel movements to fuel conflict and human-rights abuses in countries such as Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone. Make sure your diamond retailer can provide paperwork or otherwise prove that the diamonds are conflict-free.
   
   
7. Take care of your wares
   Repair a torn purse strap or restring a broken necklace instead of consigning slightly damaged goods to the rubbish heap. Treating your accessories with a little TLC will also go a long way to extending their longevity, which is kinder to the environment than running through a series of semi-disposable replacements.
   
   
8. Brevity is the soul of wit
   Accessories are meant to complement your outfit, not take it over. And, anyway, wouldn't you rather be remembered for your sparkling wit rather than that blinding hunk of ice that was weighing your neck down? Jewelry that is simple and classic will stand you in good stead, regardless of the occasion—or decade, for that matter. Which brings us to our next point.
   
   
9. Don't go with the flow
   Pilot your own fashion destiny and unchain your heart from the vagaries of fashion trends. Being a follower instead of a leader will only bring you to a dark place filled with tears and the gnashing of teeth, plus a closet and dresser full of dated gewgaws and doodads that have long fallen out of favor with the fashion gods. One word: poncho.
   
   
10. Buy indie
    Think of "mall" as a four-letter word. Instead of shopping at a big-box retailer, which is likely to cut corners by purchasing from sweat shops, undercompensating employees, and cheapening quality, check out the offerings of one of the thousands of indie crafters bringing their creative talents to market. Because craft businesses tend to be small one- or two-person operations, their carbon footprints are infinitely smaller to those of multinational retailers such as Wal-mart or Kmart. By supporting independent artisans, you're also taking a stand against the onslaught of crass commercialization and unmindful consumerism. Viva la revolution!