Video and article taken from msnbc.com and metro.co.uk.
Style Counsel puts it to you that recession is more than just about cutbacks, it’s also about inventiveness. Ask yourselves whether buying something because it’s trendy and/or worn by your favourite celebrity is a sign of true style. Instead, make more of your wardrobe or bite the bullet and make your own. It’s all about getting creative.
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Three of the best… cost-cutting websites
For designer discounts: Net-a-porter.com finally launches theoutnet.com, seriously designer fashion at seriously high discounts. It’s not pocket money: £695 is still £695, even if it is 50 per cent off, but there’s no better way to get your designer fix. New stock is uploaded twice a week.
For online swapping: The web’s biggest clothes swapping site, bigwardrobe.com, launched last year and features more than $1million of free clothes, shoes and bags to swap. Interestingly, people are sometimes happy to swap Marc Jacobs for Topshop – provided the piece is good enough. www.bigwardrobe.com
For jewellery rental: Blu Bangle isn’t quite as ritzy as rentyourrocks.co.uk but it is cheaper. Membership starts at £14.99, for which you can borrow up to two gems per month.
Making your own
After a resurgence of interest in its fabrics – now found on everything from Kate Moss for Topshop to Nike trainers – London’s Liberty relaunched its sewing school this spring with classes in craft, sewing, patchwork and knitting.
‘We decided to bring back the Liberty stitch classes as we could see more people wanting to be creative and make their own clothes or rework existing items,’ says haberdashery buyer Julie Hassan.
‘There’s a real sense of achievement when you make something original.’
Beginners classes were booked out quickly but they run until June and start again in September.
Get busy.
Swishing: The Rules
OK, girls have been swapping clothes for yonks. But a swish/swap party can be a proper do. We asked the founder of swishing, Lucy Shea, director at Futerra Sustainability Communications, and Wendy Allport, volunteer organiser of Manchester-based Sust Swapshop, on how to create the perfect swap party.
1. Choose a venue. ‘If you can’t hold it at home, ask a local café to host the swap,’ suggests Wendy.
2. Don’t be shy. ‘Invite people from your extended networks via social media such as Facebook,’ says Lucy. ‘And don’t forget to give full details of time and location.’
3. Presentation is essential. ‘Make sure you have everything you need to display the goods,’ says Lucy.
4. Sort items by type – dresses, skirts, blouses, trousers etc – so guests can find what they’re looking for.
5. Keep up the quality. ‘We ask people to bring three items of clean clothes in good condition,’ says Wendy. ‘It’s fashion karma,’ adds Lucy. ‘Bring something fabulous, take something fabulous home.’
6. Create an atmosphere. ‘Alcohol, nibbles and laughter go a long way,’ says Lucy.
7. Think about the shopping experience. ‘Full length mirrors throughout the venue help guests to check out their new treasures,’ says Lucy.
8. Think ahead. ‘The busiest time is when the swish opens and guests pour in,’ says Lucy. ‘Make sure there are enough people to receive and sort the items and to explain the rules to everyone.’
9. Allow people to leave with as much as they like and don’t let anyone have first dibs before the event.
10. At the end, bag up unwanted items and donate to a local charity.
For swaps in your area, visit www.swishing.org
Source: Today Show and metro.co.uk. Article by
