Contra Costa Marketplace
Diva's Eve Clothing Swap is gaining momentum as the newest way to incorporate all those simple pleasures that we as women all love- massage, makeovers, spa treats, yummy good, shopping and networking with the girls! If you've ever dreamed of having just a couple of hours to indulge and treat yourself to time that is designed just for you, Diva Eve is the way to do it!
I had the awesome opportunity to attend a Diva Eve CLothing Swap event in El Sobrante, CA at Cafe Soleil on Thursday, January 11. From the moment I walked in the door, I was warmly greeted by the event organizers and many volunteers who gave graciously of their time to ensure the event was successful. I was thrilled to meet Suzanne Agasi, Founder and DIrector of Clothing Swap, Inc. Suzanne has been featured on many media circuits including The Today SHow, NBC11, The New York Times, The Danville Weekly, and The COntra Costa Times to name a few She is truyl an innovator and extremely successful at what she does, having hosted over 100 clothing swaps in San Francisco, New York City, and the Bay Area over the past 10 years.
The atmosphere for the event was a combination of networking, spa treatments, and a girl's night out all packaged into one. The vendors were positioned so the brick walls served as a backdrop while hosting tall, white pillar candles set atop the ledge to add a subtle spa ambiance to the room. The food, positioned on three-tier hors d'ourvre trays were scrumptious and included mini quiche, mini-cheesecakes, cream puffs, min-swirl sandwiches, and other finger foods along with a fabulous medley of seasonal fresh fruits. Beverages were also available for a small fee and it seemed as thought out (guy) bartenders had an awesome time as well! Attendees could purchase tickets in advance or at the door. On event night, you simply bring clothing from your closet that you either no longer wear or need. That includes the small sizes we typically keep in our closets in hopes of someday fitting back into them or the larger sizes that we pray we won't ever have to wear again once we finally lose the post-pregnancy weight! Once at the event, you give your bags of clothing to the volunteers who then sort items on various tables and racks while you enjoy the event and mingle. When you leave, you most likely will have found clothing items that are new to you that you can enjoy without spending a large amount of cash and at the same time make new friends, support local businesses, and a philanthropic cause!
The first hour-and-a-half was devoted to networking, spa treatments, and enjoying yummy food and beverages. During this time, you had the opportunity to have a makeover including glamour makeup hair, and nails and if you chose, you could have a photo taken to sport your new look. Chair massages were also available to relieve tension and get rid of those annoying knots we all get in our shoulders and upper backs but sometimes ignore due to busy schedules. Vendors provided information about their respective products and services along with free samples and complimentary coupons as a way for potential clients to learn more about their businesses and try their products. Next, it was time for the clothing swap portion of the event to officially begin. At approximately 7:30pm Suzanne Agasi made a brief announcement of the rules and gave the signal for the swap to begin. Above all, the true goals of the swap are to have fun and compliment eachother (no cat fights!!) or maybe even try on something that you normally would never try on your own.
The clothing swap itself is quite an opportunity! Think of great sales at the malls or other stores with awesome items that you simply love, but without the hassles of standing in long lines or dealing with irritable people. Once the swap officially begins, there is literally a race to the various tables. Everyone joins the fun and starts diving through the mounds of clothes to find items that most appeal to them. I participated at Suzanne's urging, so I could get a feel for the actual swap itself. I'm glad I did!! Being on the floor as a participant definitely is different than being a bystander on the sidelines. Not only are you swept into all of the activity but you get to experience everyone around you looking through the clothes and if they don't find something that suits them, they may just toss it to you to try on. Tall screens are set up and changing areas are available so you can try on items with privacy or grab a couple of friends and relive those shopping jaunts you used to take with your girlfriends back in high school. Gals compliment each other on their new-found clothes and it creates a true feel-good atmosphere. Networking continues during the swap and new friendships are made. When you leave the swap you have a renewed feeling that you treated yourself to something special, made new friends, and came home with new items for yourself without spending and obscene amount of money. How sweet is that?
There are other great benefits to the swap too! And clothing that is left over following the event is generally donated to a local agency that benefits women. Additionally, the businesses that come together to support the event benefit because it increases awareness of their products and services and brings new customers to their doors. Also, the generous support from the local businesses and gracious volunteers helps keep costs down and also shows the community what positive efforts result when local businesses and community residents pool resources.
It seems that with the success of El Sobrante's first Diva's Eve Clothing Swap there will be many more to come. To be notified of upcoming Diva's Eve events register at www.clothingswap.org
Julie Stevenson is an Administrative Professional freelance writer
Photos by Carlos Ocegueda, CEO Photography
