The cheapest way to a brand new wardrobe

So February. The grimmest month: Still carrying the extra Christmas weight. Not motivated enough to stop eating left over chocolates (though not the nice ones – they went late December). Still suffering mild financial peril as a result of spending with gay abandon in December and then facing the epic wait for January’s paycheck. It’s cold. And don’t even get me started on Valentines day………Just YUCK.

But wait – what’s that you say? This blog post is in fact an invite to a swish clothes swapping night at Shoreditch House? I’ll be able to swap stuff I already own for new (to me) items of clothing? And listen to fashion advice? On a Monday night? For just £15? And I can feel awesome about that cos every penny of that £15 goes to charity? AND THERE’S GOODY BAGS!!!! Where can I sign up ? (here, you can sign up here)

If you aren’t free on the 22^nd, or you live outside London, Contact a Family can help you run your own clothes swap with friends – it’s a really fun just get in touch with Bella for more details.

So why do this in February? 

Well, hands up who went shopping in the January sales? Hands up who is now looking at the ‘bargains’ they purchased and wondering what on earth they were thinking?

There is nothing like sale shopping to tempt us into buying things that don’t really suit our personal style. And there is nothing like unworn clothes on hangers in our wardrobes to fill us with guilt and a faint sense of doom. And I’m guessing those clothes aren’t bad. There is nothing wrong with them – they are just not you. 

But maybe they are perfect for a friend, or someone in your office, or down your local pub? Now I’m not suggesting you offload everything you no longer wear onto your nearest and dearest – that’s a quick way to lose a friend, but have you ever considered a clothes swap? 

As a kid I did this all the time, my sisters and I would dig out binbags full of stuff we no longer wore and we’d fight over the stuff we wanted, I still leave stuff I’m getting rid of in a bag at my house for a month so friends can get first dibs before things go to the charity shop. This is great – but if I’m honest – it’s even better if I can pick up something I love for free too. And organised clothes swaps are the way forward for this. Because someone other than you judges the value of what you’ve brought along. So you don’t end up hating the friend who pounces on your (worn once) MiH denim dress, and argues it’s a fair swap for their ancient primark t-shirt covered in hot rock burns. “One in one out yeah?”. Don’t risk your friendship like that – it’ll leave a permanent mark.

But putting 10, or 20 people in a room and sorting their contributions for quality and being given tokens to ‘spend’ on new items really works. It feels less personal – in a good way. You’ve said goodbye to the stuff you’re happy to get rid of, and have a pocket full of tokens to spend as you wish. You might not always find something you are in love with – but the odds are on your side!

Anyway I’d love to see as many of you as possible at the Clothes Swap – it’ll be a fab night & Shoreditch House is an amazing venue.

Once again you can get tickets here.

Regular readers – I know you’ve been waiting to hear about India, and particularly how my clothes survived. Normally blogging activity will resume Friday & I’ll start updating you then – warning – there will be loads of photos of goats!

Happy New Year!