You’ve probably all heard about clothing swaps, and maybe even experienced one first-hand, but do you know about the S.W.A.P Team?

The S.W.A.P. Team is behind North America’s largest clothing swaps. So far the organization has exchanged over 12,000 items! I had the pleasure of volunteering with the Calgary (Alberta, Canada!) chapter this spring, experiencing the beautiful chaos that is a clothing swap. And it’s definitely something everyone needs to know about.

For the “Take Off Your Clothes” events, a S.W.A.P. Team staple, volunteers collect clean, undamaged items ahead of time (people can also bring them to the event, though they have to wait for them to be sorted.), at which point they are sorted to make sure they are swappable. If your stuff meets the criteria, you (the swapper) are given one ticket for every item you bring in. Then, on the day of the event, you take those tickets and go shopping… er… swapping, choosing from the thousands of items in the “boutique.”

Yup, you get tons of “new” stuff and you don’t have to spend a dime! That’s the beauty of the swap. Read More »

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I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve sort of been getting bored with most of the clothes in my closet lately.  I tend to keep wearing the same things again and again, while other stuff keeps getting pushed to the back of the closet.  I’d love to get rid of all the stuff I’m not wearing and raid the mall for some new stuff, but I can’t really afford to do that.  But recently, I’ve found a way to get rid of the clothes I don’t want anymore AND get some new stuff at the same time–without having to spend a lot of money, either.

ThredUP is an online clothing exchange that lets you trade the clothes in your closet you don’t wear anymore with clothes other people don’t wear anymore.  Right now, the site’s only set up for shirts, but I’m betting (or at least hoping) that new categories will be added soon. Read More »

So you’re stuck on campus for Spring Break, watching people flee to warmer climates or their parents’ house. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to be bored. There are plenty things to do on campus that are fun and don’t break the bank.

Have a beach party – just because you’re not at the beach doesn’t mean you can’t pretend you are. Break out the bikinis and shorts, blend up some margaritas and blast the songs that remind you of summer. Invite others that stuck on campus. You might even find a cute boy you can ‘lei’.

Theme parties – Still not in shape to don your bikini? What about another type of theme party? Have a moustache party (no you don’t have to grow one, just squiggle a nice one on your finger and hold it up to your face). Or you could try out our makeup tips for a decade party. Or how about a party from one of those fabulous places you didn’t get to travel this break. Fiesta anyone? Read More »

Finals week drained me of a lot – my last pint of Cherry Garcia, my final cup of Folger’s, my sanity – plus the extra cash I had stashed in my wallet all semester. Cash that was supposed to help buy gifts for well, everybody, on my holiday gift list.

But it’s the holidays and sometimes magical things happen. So I’d like to extend a big THANK YOU! to the Holiday gods for sending this little gem my way: SwapStyle.com. It reminds me of my junior high days when my BFFs would bring over extra clothes for me to model and “borrow.” We all knew that “borrowing,” however, actually meant my friend would never see her A&F tee again. And she was cool with it, because she only brought it over because it made her look fat.

Yeah, so it’s just like that only on a much larger scale. Thanks to the information superhighway you can “borrow” clothes from women from all over the globe! That means you’re not limited to extra large, ratty Mickey Mouse T’s and super-flare Mudd Jeans from your somewhat-frumpy best friend’s wardrobe. Instead you can “borrow” Coach bags, Forever 21 dresses and MAC eyeshadows.

Plus, clothes-swapping is super environmentally friendly (you are reusing other people’s things instead of wasting new materials!) and the site is easy to use. Did I mention it’ s free to sign up?

Check it out here.

With less than three weeks before we welcome 2009, now is the time to do everything you said you would do in 2008. And if any of those plans go awry? You can start off with a clean slate in under 30 days. Now is the time to carpe diem, my friends, so see 2008 out with a bang.

1) Get a jump start on your New Year’s resolution. It’ll make January 1 so much less painful. Dead set on losing weight? Start out each day with a mere 20 minutes of cardio. You’ll lose a couple of pounds before the big par-tay and be motivated to keep toning up throughout January (and beyond). Want to quit smoking? Cut down now. Cold Turkey will be easier when you’ve already cut a pack-a-day habit down to 2 or 3 nicotine sticks.

2) Ask out that hottie from lab. What do you have to lose? The semester’s almost over anyway. And if he’s interested, you might have your New Year’s kiss all lined up. Read More »

Is the economy killing you? Yeah? (Join the club. I can’t even afford mixers for my vodka anymore.) Don’t wanna spend money on cute clothes if you can help it? Well, rally up your girls and organize a clothing swap party. They’re fun AND you end up walking home with tons of new clothes-for free! Here is how it works:

Get together with a group of your favorite ladies – especially those with wardrobes you would kill for. Tell everyone to bring clothes to the party that they don’t wear anymore. Assign each girl to a spot on the floor where she will pile up all the goodies she brought with her.

Each girl will take turns going around the circle and holding up one of the items she brought with her. Whoever wants it can raise their hands. If more than one girl wants it, settle the score through a trivia game…or a drinking game… whichever you choose. Read More »