Another clothing swap is in the books! By rights, this one ought to have been #20, but thanks to COVID, we are just shy of that milestone. But swap #19 did not disappoint! It had the biggest turnout yet, which included four ‘next generation’ members. It’s so nice to see our daughters engage with the tradition and continue it. Mine had been looking forward to the swap almost more than me! She helped me with the set-up, which was a game of house Jenga this year, as we had to find a way to make room for eighteen people (plus all their swap goodies) in our smallish living room. The event is becoming a joint venture between my daughter and me, and I love it! Family rituals and traditions like this are a wonderful way to remain connected through her teenager years and beyond.
But enough about that – let’s talk about the swap business!
As always, I kept things pretty informal and chill; there are no real rules to my swap except ‘bring good vibes’. Everyone takes turns showing off the clothing items they’ve brought, and we encourage each other to get/try stuff we think they would enjoy. It’s not too often that several people are interested in the same item, and when it does happen, amicable negotiation gets things sorted out. There is always a ton of clothes to go around. This year, for example, the bags that people brought took up most of the floor space in my library. This was just my contribution:
Items that don’t immediately get claimed go in a big pile in the middle of the room. During breaks, people usually go back to look through it for things they are (re)considering – like a second, and third and fourth, pass. Breaks are also for trying out clothes (and exchanging with others, if items don’t end up working out) and snacks and chatting and perusing the ‘boutique’.
The boutique is the display of accessories – jewelry, bags, belts, shoes, scarves, etc. – home goods, makeup and skincare, books, and other small bits and bobs. I set this up separately, and people add their stuff to it as they come, so that’s it’s easy to view and offer an experience similar to being in a shop … except everything is free. Truly, such a fun experience! Here, too, everyone can take as much or as little as they like (just as they can bring as much or as little as they like/have for the swap). In fact, my whole swap tradition is built on the premise that there is no keeping track of who brings what and how much. This may not be feasible for large, public swaps, but I think it works well for smaller, private ones like mine.
When I started my swap, back in February 2007, I was motivated by the idea of sharing my love of secondhand style. That still remains at the core of this tradition, but my philosophy has evolved over the years, influenced by my experiences – both in swapping, and life in general. I’ve come to see how important it is to share abundance. Giving makes room for receiving. Some of us have more to give, others need more to receive; and we can take turns giving and receiving. This is why I don’t keep score when it comes to my swaps. I am lucky to know women who have generous spirits, and who have adopted the ethos of my swap. It wouldn’t work without them. (And if someone didn’t, they probably wouldn’t get invited back. I mean it when I say that bringing good vibes is the only rule of the swap.)
Ok, I know you’re waiting to see what I got this year.
The short answer is: a lot more than I was expecting/planning. The one thing I really need at the moment is pants – my size has changed and I’ve been struggling to find pants/jeans that fit both my body and my current style – so that was my focus. That was also pretty much the one thing I wasn’t able to get, lol! This is the thing about swaps: as with thrifting, you can’t control what the universe delivers. But, don’t worry, I found plenty of amazing things to make up for the lack of pants.
Starting off with some skincare stuff. I love trying out new products in a low commitment way. Last year, I picked up a hair spray that I ended up loving and re-purchasing on my own. This year, I’m especially excited to try the Clinique moisturizer. Also, that Biore sunscreen is my absolute favourite, so I’m pumped to get a tube since it’s nigh impossible to buy in Canada now.
More personal care stuff. I’ve been wanting to try the MAC Turquatic perfume for ages; ditto for the Armani perfume (and the bottle is almost full!). I’m currently wearing the Nars Orgasm blush stick, and it’s quite nice.
Two pairs of cute earrings. I love pomegranates and butterflies, so these are both totally up my alley.
Never overlook basics! They might not be exciting finds, but they will definitely come in handy. Two pairs of opaque tights (one of them is going to my daughter) and two base layers in neutral colours. I’m pumped about the turtleneck bodysuit because I have a super long torso and this one fits!
Extremely excited about all of these. I’m not a baseball fan, but these NY hats are my faves; the plain black will be a great ‘go with everything’ option. I’ve been wanting a belt like this for ages, and this Banana Republic leather one is really nice. I’ve also been wanting to try these Free People bralettes for a while and see if I can pull off the peekaboo lace look this summer.
As soon as this came up, I was, like, ‘YES, PLEASE’. Everyone immediately agreed, because everyone knows my love of (a) brown, and (b) tulle skirts. I’ve been stalking one just like this on Poshmark for more than a year, never quite satisfied with the options to pull the trigger. Well, the universe delivered!
I’m not 100% sold on this dress because it’s polyester (and unlined), but I do love the colour and the full, faux layered style. And I was ‘peer pressured’ into taking it, because the consensus was ‘it’s an Adina dress’. We shall see. I do think it would look great layered over the tulle skirt, so that will be my first experiment.
This Pendleton cape was an instant ‘yes’, too. I mean … just look at it. It’s reversible, too!
This dress was one of my other fave pieces. I am obsessed with the magnolia stained glass window effect.
This might seem a bit boring in a flatlay, but trust me when I say that the fit of this Holt Renfrew shirt is absolutely insane. Just wait until you see it in an outfit – you’ll understand.
This is just a cute, fun summer top. Is it too ‘young’ for me? No such thing!
I love long column dresses that are not too bodycon, and this is a nice, elevated staple from a local designer (Emmy Deveaux). It’s hard to see but it has a zippered slit on the side, which gives it a bit of extra sex appeal.
I actually thrifted these pants for one of my friends, but she’s outgrown them so she brought them back. They’re a bit big for me, but as no one else was interested, I decided to take them and give them a whirl. Belted, they have a paperbag waist effect that’s kinda interesting. We will see if they work out in the long run.
Also not 100% sold on these jeans, but thought they were worth a try. I like the fit in the waist and hips, but the length (cropped) and leg (skinny-adjacent) are question marks for me. I’ll give them a few wears and see how I feel about them.
I’ve been low-key thinking about getting a new denim jacket for the summer, so this was very timely, haha!
Last but not least, this is a funky, witchy-coded tulle shrug thing. Marie Saint Pierre is a high-end Canadian designer, so this is def luxe Stevie Nicks territory. Now and then, I do love me a witchy moment.
And that’s it! That’s a wrap on my 2026 clothing swap. What do you think – which is your fave piece?