Swap till you drop

• Throwing a swap party

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Fashion Writer

Julie Blue scored this angel dress of Sherry Chock Wong's, while Sherry, right, traded for Willow Chang's leopard mules. Photos by Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

What's a swap party? Simple. It's a clothes, shoes and accessories exchange friends can shape and make their own, according to their needs. It's a great way to do back-to-school or heading-off-to-college shopping. But it also works for friends who are cleaning their closets and finding stuff that's too good for Goodwill but no longer belongs in their closets.

A swap party has some advantages over ordinary shopping:

• It's less expensive than mall or even thrift-store shopping.
• Chances are your friends share your own good taste.
• It will motivate you to thoroughly clean your closet.
• There's a room full of like-minded people to offer opinions and help you pull together a total look.

The Advertiser's Fashion Forum, a group of young people who help us identify trends, thought a swap party would be a fun thing for them to do together. They all love clothes and decry crammed closets.

What started out to be strictly a swap party, though, quickly evolved into a buy, sell or swap party. It made more sense for the group, which consists of men and women, students and career people of different shapes and sizes.

The hunt is on

Joey Caldarone checks out Twan Matthews' cool sunglasses while Twan tries on a checked cap and striped shirt of Joey's.

The bathrooms became "try-on central" — one for guys and one for gals. A bedroom would work just as well, as long as it has a big mirror and good lighting.

All types of transactions — buying, selling and trading — took place. The only rule: That each person feel the transaction was fair.

Heather Meulemans traded a rayon skirt for two of Tanya Harris' tops. Julie Blue bought a layered white chiffon angel gown from Sherry Wong. Wong took possession of Willow Chang's burgundy velvet blazer, leopard mules, turquoise Byzantine necklace and brown mod-print stretch pants. In trade, Willow scored a pink angel-sleeved blouson blouse and a stretch black lace baby doll top. Twan Matthews purchased a fringed suede jacket from Willow. Joey Caldarone was happy to find two of Heather's T-shirts that worked for him. He paid cash.

Wong said inviting a diverse crowd helps guarantee success: "People of all ages and sizes and styles. Older people might have a lot of cool vintage treasures hidden in the backs of their closets that they no longer feel comfortable wearing that might be a great find for someone younger. Some items that are too big for a woman might end up looking surprisingly great on a man."

A note of caution: Though a swap party can give you a good start on a school wardrobe, if you are going away to college on the Mainland, be sure you leave some budget available for when you arrive. No matter how cool your look may be here in the Islands, there will be at least a few items that are "must-haves" on your new campus, and what a shame if you have no budget left to buy them.

Throwing a swap party

• E-mail or call a group of compatible friends as much in advance as possible so they can start collecting clothes and accessories.
• When making your guest list, consider the space and furniture available. Too many people means piles of clothes that are hard to sift through.
• It's tough to set any hard and fast rules. The best guideline we can offer is: Make sure no one leaves the party feeling in any way ripped off.
• Provide at least one shopping bag for each participant. (Leftovers from shopping sprees will suffice.)
• A cash box with some change is useful.
• Provide a calculator for the mathematically challenged.
• Borrow a dress rack from a friend (or a friendly retailer or designer).
• Bring a wide variety of items that aren't hard to fit: hats, belts, jewelry, shoes and handbags.
• Suggest the guests wear bathing suits or camisoles under their street clothes to make trying on in front of everyone easier. It's fun for others to see the clothes being modeled and to offer suggestions on how to wear things or what to wear them with.