My first clothing swap!

Earlier this month I attended my very first clothing swap! The idea is that you can bring clothes you no longer want or need, and/or you can "shop" through what everyone else has brought to find yourself some new treasures for free. You don't need to bring clothes to take clothes, and you don't need to take clothes if you bring clothes.

[my first clothing swap, June 2023]

So I gathered up a few things that I found myself not wearing much anymore - some things I had bought to wear at an old office job, and a couple things that just didn't quite fit right - and headed out. I told myself that I wasn't going to come home with any more pieces than I brought, but I was totally unprepared for just how much stuff would be available, and how much of it would be really awesome!

[the five items I brought to the clothing swap, laid out and waiting for new homes]

As a first-timer not knowing what to expect, it was a little bit overwhelming. There were just soooooo many garments! Men's, women's, children, and infants. Formal and casual. Everything you could imagine from head to toe, including a wide variety of accessories. I even spotted a few things that were brand new with their tags still attached!

A couple of my friends were also there, and Madison kept on slipping things into my bag that she insisted I needed, so I ended up coming home with eight items. So much for bringing home less than I took with me, oops!

[it didn't take me long to fill my bag right back up]

Some of the things I grabbed I've been wearing as-is, but there were also some items I brought home with a plan to update or modify. Because free clothes are perfect for DIY projects!

Here is a look at what I brought home with me from my first clothing swap. As I style or rework each one, I'll update this post so you can see how everything turned out!

[yes, I coordinate my pajamas like I would any other outfit | sweater: h&m]

The first item I picked up was a long, lightweight pink cardigan. I've been wearing this one a LOT! It's a nice weight for days when I feel slightly chilled by the breeze but it's too warm out for most long-sleeve garments. (I get cold really easily!)

I've discovered that it can also be worn tied at the waist. I have no idea if this was an intentional feature of the design, but it's my favorite way to wear it!

[does being young at heart qualify me to wear clothes for kiddos? | shirt: wonder nation]

Another item I have found myself wearing frequently is this adorable shirt covered in hearts. The colors are very "me" and it's incredibly comfy!

It's actually a girls size XL but it fits me perfectly. I've found there is often overlap between the bottom end of women's sizing and the top end of girls sizes, and since the kid-sized clothing tends to be cuter and more fun than the adult-sized stuff, I never rule out finding something in that section!

[you can never have too many good layering pieces! | both dresses: gillian & o'malley]

Among the items Madison slipped into my bag were a pair of jersey slip dresses, one red and the other a salmon-ish pink. I've been doing a lot of layering with dresses lately, so that's my master plan for both of these items.

• I paired the pink dress with my refashioned corset top project
• I styled the pink dress as part of an outfit for the 4th of July

[she's got potential | dress: dana buchman]

Another of Madison's contributions to my bag was a chartreuse silk dress. It's vintage 80s (there are snaps in the shoulders where it originally had removable shoulder pads) and the overall condition is good except for a couple of small flaws. I have plans for this one... stay tuned!

[is it PSL season yet? | dress: shein]

Madison's final contribution to my pile was a brownish orange sweater dress that just SCREAMS "pumpkin spice latte". It's a large that fits like a medium, and I took it even though I wear a small because I'm planning to rework it anyway. It's going to make an excellent statement piece for fall when I'm done with it!

[a little stitching and washing will make it just like new! | trench: new york & company]

I have a bit of an obsession with jackets and coats, so when I saw a cute trench sitting there I had to try it on, and I was unable to resist stuffing it into my bag. It's got a loose button that needs a few stitches, but that's about the easiest repair possible. It'll be a few months until jackets are back in season, but I foresee this one making many appearances in the fall!

[cute, comfy flats are everything | shoes: old navy]

The final thing I snagged was a cute pair of flats. I get kind of iffy on secondhand footwear sometimes, but cloth shoes like these typically do fine in the washing machine so they are fairly effortless to sanitize. And a girl can never have too many cute pairs of flats!

These swaps happen about every 3 months, so we should be due for another one sometime in September. I can't wait to see what treasures I find next time!