Sydney Clothes Swap Virgin

Sydney Clothes Swap Virgin

It’s now spring, and what a great time it is for new beginnings, letting go of excess baggage and forgetting what once was.

If you’re like me, your still holding onto that dress that you thought was amazing, but that was five years ago and you have not worn it since, let alone pulled it out of your wardrobe! Or maybe you were too overwhelmed by the long line at Zara so you guessed your size, got it wrong and couldn't return it in time to qualify for an exchange. Then there are the clothes that no longer fit as our bodies change with age, but we keep them none the less, just in case one day soon someone builds a machine to allow us to shape shift into our former selves.

Frustrating, I know. Not to fear however, as I have a solution to these problems and its good for the environment, your pocket as well as people in the same sentimental boat as you. It’s called clothes swap.

The way it works is simple. You check the next date that the event is on in your state, pay online or at the door, hand in up to six items in exchange for the same number of buttons and then wait till kick off.

Then comes the hard part, you must compete as well as pray that you can get to the item that you have been eyeing off since you entered. It doesn't always work I guess, my first experience was a disaster. I walked around for the whole hour we had to shop without picking up a single item and I watched as one lady picked up every item that I had wished for and hoped to snag, much to my disappoint and her delight.

I ended up going home with a bag full of six items that I wasn't keen on (one of which was mine to begin with) including a pair of heels that are three sizes too big but I did so in order to keep them handy for the next swap date. I seemed to be the only woman at the swap that didn't have 20 items let alone one on her arm, I must be picky!

On a positive note, I now have my six items ready for the next swap meet and I'm going home to Google it now and check the dates so I'm ready. Next time round I know what to expect, I have a plan; go in hard and ruthless, grab whatever you can and don't let them go. Of course in the back of my mind I'm thinking "what if it’s a repeat of my first experience?"

Oh well, I'm not going to let that stop me. It was a new and fun experience, I helped people out and I was part of a new way to shop and recycle. I'm just glad I didn't swap over my Alannah Hill cardie, I'm planning on cashing in on that one the old fashioned way, Ebay!