One Man's Trash: How to Host a Clothing Swap Party

If you've never heard of a clothing swap party, then you're missing out. The idea is that you clean out your closet, pull any gently used (and sometimes new with tags/never used) items that you no longer want, and then get together with a bunch of your girlfriends to swap till you drop!

Not only is this a fun get-together with your friends, it's an opportunity for you to clean out your closet while also scoring some new-to-you clothes, shoes, and accessories for free! It really does not get any better than this.

We Harris Sisters have been doing this among ourselves for many years.

Tips for Hosting a Clothing Swap Party

1. Guests: Decide how large of a party you'd like to host. Remember, the more people you invite, the more items you're group will have to choose from. But, the larger the group, the longer the party will last. Then invite family and friends of all shapes and sizes. Make sure that for each size person you invite, that person has at least one or two other people to be matched with size-wise. For example, do not invite only one size 2 person to your party because she will not have any clothing items to swap with anyone.
   
2. Space: Find a space. If you’re hosting a small event, your living room will probably suffice. If you're hosting a larger party, check to see if your local community center or church has a large room available.
   
3. Theme: Will your swap have a theme? If you want to limit the types of items that people bring, make sure to include the theme on your invitations. Some types of themes you might want to consider are formal dress (including clothing, shoes, purses), kids clothes and toys, seasonal (specify the season), accessories only, the list goes on.
   
4. Announcements: Give people a few weeks' notice before a clothing swap. This will give them time to clean out their closets and make sure they are available for the date you've chosen.
   
5. Collect Donations: Have guests drop off their donations a few days in advance if possible so that you can sort clothing before the party. Alternately, you can extend the hours of your party to accommodate time for each guest to help sort her clothes as she arrives.
   
6. Sort Donations: Sort clothes, accessories, and shoes into based on type. This will make it easier for people to find what they're looking for and will also make it easier to sort the donations as they come in.
   
7. Rules of Play: Make sure people know what they should bring and what should go straight in the Goodwill donation bin. Here are some guidelines:

• No holey, ripped, stained, pilled, scuffed, or otherwise shabby clothes or accessories. All clothing, shoes, and accessories to be swapped must be in good clean condition similar to what you would find in an upscale consignment store. If someone wouldn't pay you money for it, don't bring it.
  
• Unmentionables are called that for a reason. If you have any underthings that are unworn and new with tags, you may bring them to swap with the understanding that you may be openly mocked for doing so. Mocking will be allowed and encouraged. Your NWT drawers may be modeled for others' amusement purposes.
  
• When scouring your closet, please follow the Frozen rule. If you haven't worn it in a year, it's time to "Let it go!"

Make Sure Your Party Goes Off Without a Hitch

1. Designate one area for guests to leave their personal shoes, coats, and purses so they don’t accidentally become part of the swap. You don't want anyone driving home barefoot!
   
2. If you want to let guests try on clothes before taking them home, then make sure to have a separate changing area or room with mirrors. Let guests know that you will have this area so that they can choose to wear leggings and/or camisoles to make changing in a large group of ladies more comfortable. The benefits of providing a changing area is that guests won't leave with a piece that doesn't fit and that they may also need to get rid of at the next swap (one that might have been right for someone else). To up the "fun quotient", if a guest tries on an item and looks awesome in it, make sure you give her the opportunity to "stomp the runway" and show it off to the other guests. You better work!
   
3. Make sure each guest brings a large empty tote bag or shopping bag to store the clothes she arrived wearing as she tries on new items (and to also hold swap items she will go home with).
   
4. Play fair. If you know that you can't squeeze your feet into those killer shoes, don't be tempted to take them just because they're gorgeous. You won't be able to hobble around in them anyway. Let the lady next to you (who actually fits them) take them home. There will be plenty of swap items that will actually be the perfect fit and style for you and if everybody plays by these rules, it will be a much more enjoyable experience.

Little Extras to Make the Party Super-Special

Have your guests bring an appetizer or wine along with their donations. Then you've got a real party on your hands! If you're hosting your party in the morning, consider serving mimosas instead of wine. If you're hosting a seasonal party, consider serving a champagne punch or wassail. Or mix up a batch of margaritas, sangria, or Caribbean rum punch for a summer themed swap. Give your guests a chance to mix and mingle a bit after they've sorted their clothes and then get down to the business of swapping. You'll have a blast!

You may want to have hanging racks handy so that you can hang clothes as they come in. This method is optimal if you're inviting a large group of people because they can browse the racks by themselves. If you're inviting a small group of people, it's fun to have each person go through the items that she brought, model it, and "sell" it to the other shoppers.

For example, if you know the designer, you would mention that, the size of the item, and any additional features. This is the method that The Harris Sisters use. However, we are very silly about it and often mention things like "this is a pair of shoes; there are TWO of them." Maybe we drink too much wine at these parties?

Here's Harris Sister Deanna modeling a dress and showing off that it has pockets, which is an actual feature that you would want to highlight. (I assume that it has TWO pockets).

If you use the method of each person modeling and "selling" her own clothes, it's also fun to "vote" on them. You can either make paddles that say 1-10 to be very professional about this. But, since we Harris Sisters are silly (have you caught on to this by now?), we use the good old-fashioned thumbs-up and thumbs-down.

This part of the party will only work if you have invited a very close-knit group of people who will not be offended if people dislike/thumbs-down something that they brought.

Here are Harris Sister Misty and Niece Charlotte giving a big thumbs-down to something they both disliked.

Take candid photos at your party! You might not think that this is the optimal party for photos (after all, people will be digging through clothing racks, trying things on, trying to sell you items, and evidently liking or disliking what you're selling), but just like any other party with your girlfriends, this will be an opportunity to snap some candid shots. Don't focus on photos the whole night, but do make a point to snap a few pics to commemorate the occasion. You'll be glad that you did.

Don't Forget to Look for Halloween Costumes!

Before everyone heads home with their finds, make sure that everyone takes one last pass at the "No Pile" for any possible items that could easily be repurposed into Halloween costumes. These are some items that we set aside for the Halloween closet this year.

This is a Free People beaded Bohemian style dress.

When it was passed up, we added it to the Halloween closet because we thought it would make the perfect Hippie/Flower Child costume if paired with some long beaded necklaces and some wide legged jeans.

This is a black 3/4 length sleeve Old Navy maxi dress.

When accessorized with a pair of square toed boots (also from the "No Pile"), some owl jewelry, and a cape and witch's hat from the Halloween closet, you've got the perfect Witch's costume.

This is a short-sleeved, knee-length red dress with white trim.

Harris Sister Misty was quick to make this costume connection, and I'm so glad she did. This would make the perfect Little Orphan Annie costume if paired with some black flats, a red wig, and a heart pendant. I've also shown it here with my original 1982 Little Orphan Annie necklace. I think I would have a hard time deciding whether to wear that one or the heart pendant! Update: you can see the whole outfit styled here in our 2021 Broadway's Back Group Halloween Costumes.

Bonus points if you have a scruffy little dog named Smitty that could be your Sandy for the night:

When It's All Said and Done

When you've filled your bags and scoured the "No Pile" for Halloween costumes, make sure you collect all of the leftovers and donate them to a local charity.

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What to Wear Over Your Thanksgiving Holiday

With the big day just a week away, it's time to start thinking about Thanksgiving.  We all know we have many plans to make.  We have to plan the menu, the shopping list, perhaps even the decor.  We meticulously plan how long each dish will take to prepare, what can be made in advance, who will be helping in the kitchen,  and who will sit next to who.  We plan what big Thanksgiving Day games we will watch on tv and when they all start.  So why wouldn't we start thinking about what we should be wearing on Thanksgiving? 

 

 

There may be more to this outfit than you think, depending on what your big Thanksgiving Day looks like.  For example, will you be helping in the kitchen? (or spending the entire day in the kitchen?) Or will you be showing up to Grandma's just in time for the turkey carving?  Will you be traveling?  Or at home? Is your family Thanksgiving more formal or more casual?

 

Once you boil things down to your basic requirements, you can start to build your outfit from there. Regardless of how your day shapes up, there are a few things that we should all agree on.   And regardless of what you plans may include, Thanksgiving is in fact usually a time when family gets together.  In many cases, you are seeing family you don't see all that often.  And at some point, someone usually pulls out a camera to document the festivities.  You will want to look nice  for photos and of course for your family too.  

 

  

1. Comfort is key.  And while comfort is always important, I rarely say that comfort should come first when it comes to fashion.  However, the Thanksgiving holiday is in fact, an exception.  I mean the day basically revolves around cooking and eating, and then cooking and eating some more, which doesn't exactly lend itself to restrictive uncomfortable clothing choices.  However one should never confuse comfortable clothing choices for sloppy ones.  It is still very easy to create a cute and cozy ensemble that will have you looking well put together without sacrificing comfort.

 

 

2.  Jewel tones are a perfect choice.  These are the deep rich autumnal tones that line up so perfectly with the season, and are almost always universally flattering.   And let's face it, with a day dedicated to eating, you don't want to risk spots and stains on your lighter colored frocks.  Skip the bright reds, greens, and sparkle for now.  The holiday season is just beginning and there will be plenty of time for those closer to December.

 

 

3.  When in doubt, start by keeping it simple.  But remember, simple doesn't have to be boring.  Add interest to your outfit with some great accessories.  Gold toned jewelry will complement your jeweled toned pieces nicely.  Add a beautiful scarf or a vest.  

 

 

4.  Remember, there's more to dress for than just Thanksgiving Day itself.  There's also perhaps a travel day (or two), Black Friday, maybe a weekend get-together with friends...  Apply similar rules, keeping in mind what your activities will entail.

  

 

I hope this gives you a few good ideas for your upcoming Thanksgiving.

Whatever you choose, make it fun and festive, just like the holiday itself!  Cheers to a wonderful Thanksgiving to you all! 

Jordache Jeans

In case you missed the big news from just a few weeks ago, Sarah Jessica Parker was recently announced as the new face of none other than the 1980s mega fashion denim icon- Jordache Jeans! Now, in my mind, SJP can do no wrong stylewise.  Who didn't fall in love with Carrie Bradshaw's sense of style back in her Sex and the City days???

In the photo above, she is wearing a pair of the jeans, available from Walmart for just about $15. Read more about all THAT here.

Well, let me just say when I heard about this new development, I tucked that info away.  And much to my surprise on a shopping trip to Walmart earlier this week, I actually remembered that they were supposed to be selling Jordache Jeans.  So I boogied right on over to the ladies department and did indeed find them.  I thought to myself there was no way these jeans would be worthwhile.  But I grabbed a pair and headed for the dressing room.  Not only did I deem these jeans worth the $15 investment :), but I also must admit that they are possibly the most comfortable jeans I have EVER tried on.

Admittedly, they are more of a jegging than a jean.  Think lots and lots of elastine, tons of super stretch, amazing comfort and movement.  So that said, two pair made their way into my cart.  And just check them out.

Look at the pony stitched on the pocket of this pair.  Love it!

But this is the signature pocket I remember.

Thankfully, they both have the pony patch for the waistband.

Time will tell how they hold up.  Let's face it, it's not quite jeans season yet.  It's the dog days of summer here, so these won't go into the rotation for a couple more months, but I can provide an update then.  But for now, I do give them a strong thumbs up for nostalgia and comfort.  Oh, and for the look too.  They actually do fit really nicely and look great on. 

So if you find yourself in a Walmart anytime soon with a few extra minutes to kill, make your way on over to the jeans and see what you think, if nothing more than for a walk down memory lane.  And with that in mind, I leave you with this.

How to Break in a New Ball Cap

I am a long-time wearer of baseball caps.  I think my love of them started in college- born of late nights and early mornings, and the need to throw something on that would cover bed head for an early morning class.

In any case, I wear a ball cap at least twice a week now- usually on days that I'm cleaning house, working on chores and errands, etc- you know the not-so-fabulous, but oh-so-necessary, things we all do from time to time. 

And over the years, I've had a few tried and true caps that are my go-to's.  I have broken them in the old fashioned way through literally years and years of use.  

But how do you break in a new ball cap so it fits just right from the start?  I can't say I've ever really figured that out- UNTIL NOW, that is.  If you have a hot shower, a coffee cup, and about 24 hours, then you too can have your new ball cap fitting just right.  What?!?!?  If I had known that's all it took, I could have been in business years ago.  I require those things to fully wake up each day!

Here's the deal. 

I'm from the old school of ball cap wearers.  I wear mine low, facing forward, ponytail out the back, with a major crimp in the brim. But everyone knows they come with a not so flattering, super stiff brim to start with, and the chances of a new ball cap fitting my head just right are pretty much nill. 

So, take your new ball cap into the shower with you.  Plop it on your head and let the hot water rain down on you.  This doesn't require a huge amount of time.  Just enough to saturate your hat through. This step helps mold the hat to your head.  Once you are done with that, curl the brim so that it fits into a standard sized coffee cup and leave it there to dry for about 24 hours.  This steps puts a nice curve into the brim of the hat.  It will probably be a little overly crimped when you first take it out, but it will loosen up a bit once it's on its own. 

So there you have it.  Another handy yet practical solution to one of life's occasional challenges!

Everything Old is New Again

So this story began over a year ago.  If you will allow me to walk down memory lane for just a moment, we were expecting Baby Lexi last spring, and we found a stash of vintage baby clothes for sale that I quickly swooped up.  Here's the full story if you want to refresh your memory, or see all the details.    Back then I mentioned that you might see these sweet pieces again, so I couldn't let you down.

As it turned out, we used all of these vintage baby clothes to decorate Lexi's old fashioned nursery, so you might have noticed them when I first blogged about how we decorated her nursery last summer.  

But we did also get around to actually using those vintage baby clothes for more than just decoration. I knew once she grew into them, we would be using them for some of her milestone photographs, and that's just what we did. 

This is one of her 6-month photos.  She is wearing the pink 1950's bonnet in it. 

Here's a closer look at the bonnet and it's detail.  It is so lovely. 

And here's another shot of Lexi modeling it at age 6 months.

Fast forward three months, and we have Lexi's 9 month photographs.  This time the dresses fit her perfectly so we used a couple of them for these photos.  I carefully pulled them down from her nursery decor and tried them all on her.  They all fit, so it was decision time.  I ended up choosing this light blue one with the lace collar and puff sleeves.

Here's a closer shot of this dress taken right after we first brought it home. 

Add a vintage Raggedy Andy doll and you've got pure magic!

This pinafore was one that I bought in a little antique shop in Kentucky last fall on a separate antiquing adventure.  It still had the original tags attached.  So I slipped it right on over Lexi's vintage dress for a few more pics.  

And then our photographer was patient enough with us to allow for another outfit change.  So I quickly slipped her into the pink 1950's dress.  This one was perfectly handmade and in excellent vintage condition.  In the picture below, she is playing with her vintage Fisher Price Mother Goose pull toy from her nursery toy display. 

And that pretty pink dress is pictured below from my original blog post.  

And here's a closer look at the dress in action. 

So there you have it.  It has taken me a year to deliver on my promise of showing you how we used these vintage baby clothes. But when a Harris Sister makes you a promise, you can take it to the bank, my friends.   

Lexi did have to grow into these lovelies first, so hopefully you will pardon the delay.   How could you not?  Just look at that face.  :)

Having a Moment: Birkenstocks

Before you start shaking your head and rolling your eyes, just hear me out.  It would *seem* that Birkenstocks are having a bit of a fashion moment these days.  Now, I know what you are thinking.  Aren't those the same ugly sandals that the hippies wore back in the 60's?  And grungy college kids tried to repopularize in the 90's?  Yes, yes, those are the ones.  In fact, I was one of those grungy college kids, and I too sported my own pair.  In fact, I still have them.  More on that in just a bit.  

Back to the fashion side of all this.  For some unexplained reason, these shoes are making a bit of a resurgence.  In fact, I have seen them all over my trusted fashion blogs and magazines recently.  And Good Morning America even did a piece on them recently.  And unlike other fashion trends that come and go, these shoes look exactly like they always did.  They haven't been updated to make them more fashion friendly for a new generation of wearers at all.  Hmmm, it got me thinking- maybe I should dig out my trusty old kicks and see what happens.  

Well, this is what happened.  My husband threw a fit.  I haven't seen him this passionate about anything in quite some time.  He just wasn't having it, and certainly wasn't down with me wearing my Birkenstocks out in public when we were together.  So I just thought to myself, maybe I will just wear them during the day when he's not around.  Yeah, that's the ticket.  Or it was, until I actually dug them out and slipped them on.  And it brought  back a flood of memories.  Memories of college professors who religiously wore their Birkenstocks with socks, regardless of the weather.  Memories of my fellow liberal arts college students clunking around campus in these gunboats.  Oh well, I put them on anyway, and studied myself in the mirror.  Oh dear.  Maybe I will put these away for another 20 years and see how I feel about them then.  My husband will be rejoicing right about now.  

I must admit that these are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned EVER!!  However, they are also the widest and flatest shoes I have ever owned, the likes of which we haven't seen since Crocs hit the scene.  In any case, I have long since learned that I would rather suffer for fashion than wear ugly footwear.  There, I said it.  These shoes are ugly, no doubt about it.  But I still think I will just tuck them away for a rainy day.  Who knows?  Maybe someone will pay me a fortune one day for my *vintage* Birkenstocks.  Here's hoping...

Rent the Runway- Revisited

If you are new to our blog, you may have missed my previous post on my Rent the Runway experience last year.  If so, check it out here.  In a nutshell, Rent the Runway is an online store of fabulous designer dresses that you can rent at a fraction of the cost of actually purchasing the same dress.  

Since my initial post last year, I have actually rented from this website four times, and each dress was more fabulous than the next.  

Here's a look at the dresses I have chosen over the past year.  

This dress was one I rented for the holidays.  I wore it to a Christmas party last year.  This one retails for $365, but rents for only $50.  If I had paid $50 for a dress in the stores, it probably wouldn't have looked this good!  

Around the same time last year, I also rented a dress to attend the CMA Country Christmas Special. And what a special night it was!  This dress is made by Bagdley Mischka, and retails for $420.  The rental fee was $75.  Oh, and once you rent from these fine folks once, they send you online coupon codes all the time, so this rental actually cost me only $50.

And then just recently, I decided it was time for another rental.  This time I chose this fantastic Kate Spade dress.  It retails for $398, and rents for $75.  And if this dress looks familiar, it may be because you have seen a celeb or two wearing the same dress.  I feel in love with it when I saw Taylor Swift wearing it!

And this is where it all started.  This was my first Rent the Runway dress (and the one I reviewed last year).  It was a Zac Posen dress that retailed for $400.  The rental fee is listed at $75, but as always, I searched for and used an online code to save money on the rental.  

In addition to their usual selection of awesome dresses, fast and easy service and returns, and access to instant style help, Rent the Runway is now actually offering a new service.  It's called Rent the Runway Pro. If you are so inclined you may now pay an annual fee of $29.95, and in exchange you receive free shipping and free insurance on all your dress rentals for the year, and what's more- you also receive a free rental for your birthday!  Now that's a pretty sweet deal for frequent renters.  

  

In any case, this renter couldn't be happier with her experiences here, so head on over and check them out.  

Top 10 Wardrobe Basics for the Fall

I started a Pinterest board last year to gather ideas on Fall Fashion, and I have slowly been adding to it.  If you are interested in checking it out, click here for the direct link to my board.  As I have mentioned before, I tend to dress for the calendar more so than the actual weather, within reason, of course.  But my calendar now proudly boasts the first of the "ber" months so I am starting to prepare for the transition to fall weather and therefore, fall fashion. 

So what are my must-haves for this fall?  I'm so glad you asked. Here are my top 10 wardrobe basics for the fall. 

1.  Chambray Shirts:   This is a classic wardrobe staple.  Chambrays are PERFECT for layering, under cardigans or sweaters, or over t-shirts or tanks.  They look great with colored denim, as well as with dark denim, or even long flowy skirts.  If I could only add one item to my fall shopping list, it would be this. 

2.  Animal Print Scarves:  Animal prints are making a big comeback this year.  I prefer leopard print to other animal prints, mostly because of the way the coloring looks on me, but you really can't go wrong regardless which print you choose.  I like scarves like this one- flowy and long.   That way you can tie it in multiple ways.  In this case, I think the leopard print looks great when paired with red or even over the chambray shirt above.  

3.  Tall Riding Boots:  I am in love with riding boots.  They are so comfortable to wear, and let's face it, they are also just plain stylish.  I have several pairs that I've had for several seasons.  The trick to their longevity is to buy quality items up front, and then make sure you take good care of them along the way.  Leather needs cleaning, polishing, and protecting (depending on the kind of material), so take good care of them, and they will last for seasons to come. 

4.  Skinny Jeans:  Let's be clear, the "skinny" part of these jeans refers to the shape of the jeans themselves, not the shape of the wearer.  No matter your shape, you can likely pull off this look.  I tend to wear tall boots with my skinny jeans, just to help balance the look.  But lots of people also wear these with ballet flats.  I'm thinking my first four items on this list are shaping up to make a pretty cute basic fall outfit so far.  

5.  Colored Tights: Colored tights can liven up a basic outfit in no time flat by adding a pop of color to otherwise neutral outfits.  But remember if you are choosing a colored tight, you want to add it to a neutral outfit.  Otherwise, you might come off looking like Rainbow Brite.  And if you are a little scared of color, you could start with a colored tight in a less bold color, such as brown.  For me, I like to pair colored tights with tall boots, so just a little color peeks out between the hem of my dress and the top of my boots. 

6.  Drapey Ponchos: I love ponchos and capes for the fall.  They are cozy and stylish without being too bulky.  This one also features a cowl neckline, another favorite of mine.  I would wear this over a long sleeved tshirt, and pop it on or off as the weather changes through the day. 

7.  Chunky Sweaters: Similar to the poncho, but the chunky sweater is intended to be worn on it's own rather than as outerwear.  I love chunky knits, and this one just fits the bill.  It just looks cozy and warm.  Yet, it's super stylish.  I would pair this with my skinny jeans and animal print scarf, and just like that, you've got your outfit.  

8.  Knit Socks:  I am a big fan of knit socks.  Check out how these are styled- over a warm pair of tights and under tall boots.  The layering is what makes this look work, and this look also provides the added bonus of extra warmth for your legs and feet on cool fall days. 

9.  Anything in Mustard Yellow:   This is a hot color for the Fall.  As you switch out your closet, it's time to put away the bright sunshine yellows that we tend to wear in the Spring and Summer, and instead pull out your warm mustard toned yellows to transition to Fall.  Of course, I love this sweater.  A scarf in this color would also be fantastic if you just want a pop of color. 

10.  Camel Colored Handbags: And finally, I always finish off my fall fashion choices with a camel-colored handbag.  This color just screams warm and rich.  In fact, I just switched to my trusty autumn bag today, and it already has me dreaming of cooler days ahead. 

So, there's my list of must haves for the fall.  What are your fashion go-to's for the cooler months?

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