An end to fashion
Swap My Style combines shopping, cocktails and canapés, which, in Sarah Norris' opinion, rates as the ultimate night out
Take my clothes - please
It's hard not to get excited about the combination of cocktails,
shopping and bite-sized morsels of food; for many it's the perfect
evening. Which is exactly what 150 Sydney women thought when Shaughla
Ahmad launched the first Swap My Style in February, with fashion
hunters turning up by the taxi load, ready to swap clothes, bags and
accessories they no longer want, trading them in for new fashion
treasures straight out of someone's else's closet.
Was it a
frenzied hunt, a mad grab and dash of ruthless Sydney fashionistas?
"Not at all," says Ahmad, "it was surprisingly civilised with attendees
embracing the sisterly Swap My Style code of conduct. Rather than an
atmosphere of fierce competition, girls across the room were bonding
and women were getting excited to see who would fall in love with the
items they brought to the swap."
Beginning in Ahmad's lounge
room with a bunch of friends two years ago, and happening elsewhere
around the world, Swap My Style was created to allow woman of all
shapes and sizes with varying fashion taste to "edit down" their
wardrobe - all without registering a guilty dent in their bank balance
(as well as their consciousness). "We all have items in our closet that
either still have the tags on and have never been worn, or were worn
once upon a time but now sit gathering dust in the closet. By swapping
instead of shopping, women will be saving the energy, materials,
packaging and transport that would normally go into the creation of a
new garment."
Swap My Style works simply. Each person is
required to bring up to five fashion articles valued between $50 and
$200, which you are then able to swap for a similar priced item.
"Swap
My Style also provides participates with a stylist and alterations team
on hand, pampering, such as makeovers, eyebrow shaping and hair
styling, not to mention the complimentary canapés and $5 Champagne all
night. Basically it's a fantastic night out with your girlfriends and a whole new way to shop."
Swap
My Style happens on Wed 23 April at Dome; Thu 12 June at The Loft; Wed
23 July at Zeta Bar (VIP Night); Sun 21 Sept, The Loft (Races theme).