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Sunday, June 28, 2009
'Shopping' for free!
By Rivkela Brodsky
Journal Staff Writer
A group of local women has gone "recessionista chic."
That's their term — taken from Vogue magazine — for dinner, shopping and a night with the gals without spending any money.
In simpler terms, it's an exchange party.
The idea is to clean out the kitchen cabinets, the living room shelves and the bedroom closets of items that are no longer used but in good condition, then take them to a get-together where other women can exchange their lightly used items for those they can use.
In return, each woman goes home with much-needed household items, wall decorations or a new outfit — all free. Any leftover items are donated to a local charity.
"You can't just drop $100 at the mall anymore — or ever could," said Lianne Pierce, an APS teacher who has been attending swap parties organized by the group since it began this spring. "Let's face it. I'm a teacher, so I never could drop that much at the mall."
Pierce showed up at a recent exchange party in the Northeast Heights in May, hosted by Suzanne Fields. A core group of seven friends — Pierce, Fields, Lori Van Note, Laurie Schneider, Beth Houston, Jennifer Moreno and Stephanie Granfors — attended the party. Accompanying them were some colleagues new to the idea, a few kids, and boxes and bags of summer clothing, books, jewelry, DVDs and even a large indoor plant.
Clothing was set up on racks in the upstairs living room with shoes lined up underneath. Jewelry, books, DVDs and other household items were laid out in the dining room.
After a bit of wine, food and chit-chat, the shopping began. Shopping is the term they use for going through items before deciding the picking order.
A large mirror on one wall in the living room allowed them to hold up shirts, dresses and skirts to themselves and get comments from all the women around them.
Granfors, one of the founders of the exchange party, tried on a long black jacket.
"It's sexy on you," said attendee Beth Houston.
But host Fields also tried on the Laura Ashley item and got a similar response from Houston.
"You have to get that," Houston told Fields.
"Oh, I think it's too big," Granfors replied, inciting laughter from the group.
The women drew numbers, which determined the order in which they could choose an item of clothing or a few books and movies.
A few rounds in, Granfors still hadn't taken the black jacket and Fields was up.
"I gave her lots of chances," Fields said as she picked it up.
Once all the "good items" were gone — including some designer brand labels — a free-for-all ensued. That meant the freedom to pick any leftover items as long as another woman didn't have her eye on it.
"It really helps (save money)," Pierce said. "Even in good times, it helps. Also, there's the camaraderie."
About 25 percent of the items at the exchange party were donated to charity.
Exchange party guidelines
✔ Keep it small
✔ Take turns hosting the party each month
✔ Pick a focus for the types of items people will bring (clothing, books, household items, etc.)
✔ Items should be lightly used but in good condition
✔ Donate leftover items to charity
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