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How to spice up your wardrobe with spending a penny

Hey ladies!  Do you want to freshen up your wardrobe but are short on cash? Do you have quite stylish friends? Then why not hold a Swish?

Swishing is the brainchild of Lucy Shea, who believes that we should be swapping our clothes and accessories instead of buying new to help the environment. It also helps us cash strapped ladies that have the urge for something new but not the funds.

There are Swishes being held all over the world. It is such a simple but brilliant idea. I was lucky enough to go to a Swish several years ago that was organized by Lucy Shea, herself. It was a delight.

I have been to a couple of Swishes, in my experience the smaller ones are a bit nicer.  There is not such a grab and run mentality. The one that Futerra (Lucy’s company) organized was quite intimate with about 40 ladies.  It was an accessory Swish which I think works the best because you are not dealing with sizes and trying garments on.

We were asked to bring up at least three items but if you brought more you got to take home more. The organizers took my items and put them into categories such as all the sunglasses or scarves together. Then you get a drink, chat with the other swishers and most importantly eye up the goods.

You get to Swish three times: the first you jump on your most coveted item, then your next favourite and so on. If two ladies want the same item there is a raffle for it. It was amazing how polite and civilized everyone was! It was not quite the same vibe at a very large Swish, I went to that had about 300 ladies. That was a much more grab and run affair.

If you would like to hold your own Swish there are some basic guidelines. If you are doing a clothing Swish you will need to separate the sizes for easier Swishing and also have a changing area.

This is why I adore an accessory Swish. There is no question of the garments being soiled, sorted out by size, no need for rails or a changing area. If you could ever do a Swish in one size range that could work beautifully.

Most Swishes charge a small entrance fee and sometimes you get a complimentary cocktail, which is always a nice touch. There are some Swishes that donate the proceeds and any leftover items to charity.

Look through the Swishing calendar, to find one closest to you. Think about it in the same way you would a charity shop, the nicer the area the more likely the goods will be higher end. Bring good stuff that you are proud of swapping.

Have you been to a Swish? What are your experiences? Is it better than selling on eBay?

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