Danville Weekly
Clothing Swaps, a growing phenomenon at which women meet to trade unwanted pieces of their wardrobe, are spouting up all over the East Bay. with swaps serving as anything from hip nights out in San Francisco to fundraisers in Danville, the word is spreading. And Suzanne Agasi, who has hosted more than 100 swaps says it's not just about the clothes anymore. "It's about feeling good about ourselves as women." said Agasi, who donates all leftover swap clothes directly to Bay Area battered women's shelters.
Her swaps work like this: Women bring garments they no longer like, need or just want to give away, and then pay a cover charge of about $20. In exchange, they get a chance to bring home goodies from other women's closets. Here, the old saying is fitting- one person's trash is another one's treasure.
As the mix of swap-goers evolves, the events are especially catching on in upscale areas like Danville. "This all started out small in my apartment with me just inviting women I know. Now it's huge," says Agasi, who is making a go of hosting swaps as a full-time job.
The reasons for throwing and attending swaps are as varied as the swap-goers themselves. Free thinkers come as an alternative to supporting big clothing companies. Socialites come to make friends and network. And thrifty women go to get a deal.
No shopping experience beats the "high" of finding a free piece of fashion gold, thee women say. "I am so much more proud when I get a compliment of clothes I get from a swap," Agasi said.
But with all the fun and seemingly superficial air of a gals night out based around clothes, it's really about the giving spirit. Along with the supporting battered women's shelters, the donated clothes also go to Dress for Success, a nonprofit that provides low-income women with clothes and teaches them etiquette for job interviews.
Heather Paulson, outreach associate for La Casa De Las Madres, says that high quality donated clothes can give women at shelters confidence for job interviews and meetings with apartment Realtors. A new outfit can help a battered woman feel beautiful and competent, she said. "Women come to our shelter with nothing. it's usually not safe for them to go home and get their things," she said.
When coupled with the light subject of fashion and the female bonding that inevitably follows, the swaps are also a valuable way to get the word out about their cause, Paulson said. "Domestic violence is an uncomfortable subject," she said. "But these events get people talking."
Just the act of cleaning out your closet in the name of something good can be therapeutic, Agasi pointed out. "We all have things we buy and never wear." Swaps don't just help women look good, they help them feel good. Her Swap tonight entitled 'Diva Eve' was held at Pink Nightclub in San Francisco. The group of smiling ladies exiting that posh club on a recent swap night would tell you the same. As they left the pink lights behind, their hearts were fuller than their hampers.
