Posh Swaps Blog

We have already established that clothes swapping is a great idea because it is environmentally friendly, frugal and fun, we have also discussed how to arrange a clothes swap. If you have already had a go at clothes swapping and enjoyed it, here are some ideas for clothes swaps with a difference.

1. A children/ baby clothes swap - this is a great way to recycle childrens clothes as they grow out of them. As baby clothes are only worn for a short amount of time they are often in really good condition. If you arrange a ticket system where everyone brings a bag of clothes and gets a number of tickets in return, it will allow people to swap clothes for the right size for their children.

2. A clothes swap and customising competition - not only can you get some new clothes but you could also get a completely unique and individual outfit that no one else has. You can ask frinds to bring along a sewing kit and any old buttons, trims, beads etc that they have. Once you have swapped, you can then spend the evening embellishing your clothes over a glass of wine or two. At the end, you can show off the clothes in a fashion show and award a small prize to the best creation.

3. Vintage clothes swap - If you and your friends love vintage clothes, why not arrange a vintage clothes swapping party. This is a great way to refresh your wardrobes.

4. Themed Clothes Swaps - for a bit of fun why not arrange a themed clothes swap. Perhaps try a flowers theme or  choose a particular colour which everyone should bring clothes in. In the run up to christmas, you could arrange a sparkly clothes swap with sparkly or evening clothes.

5. Accessories swap - you could arrange an accesories swap for accessories in general or for one particular type of accessories such as shoes, hand bags or jewellery.

Let us know your fun ideas for clothes swapping.

We were lucky enough to interview Sarah Korsiak Cellier of  Rice and Beans Vintage to find out a bit more about women’s vintage clothing and how it fits into her own unique style. Rice and Beans Vintage offers handpicked vintage and designer clothing to clients around the world. 

Rice and Beans is an interesting name for a vintage store, is there a story behind it?  

The name Rice and Beans Vintage comes out of a nickname that my now husband gave me a while back.  He used to call me Ms. Rice and Beans & according to him it is because of my sassyness (in a good way of course)!

How did you get started with vintage clothes? 

I have been wearing vintage clothing since I was around 10 years old.  I have always mixed vintage with modern clothing to create my own unique look.  I began dealing in vintage clothing about 7 years ago when I lived in San Diego and was studying to become an Acupuncturist!  I ended up choosing vintage & designer clothing over Acupuncture and I couldn’t be happier with my choice.

What is it about vintage clothing that you like?

I love that vintage clothing has a story to tell, it has history, roots.  The great thing about wearing vintage is that you can pretty much bet that you won’t run into anyone else that day who is wearing the same thing as you!  I also really admire for the most part the quality of vintage clothing, from the cut of the pieces to the fabric. 

Do you have a particular period of vintage clothing that you love?

I can honestly say that there is something from every period of fashion that I have at one time or another fallin in love with.

What is you favourite vintage piece?

I own a Vintage 60’s bright abstract print brocade coat with rhinestone buttons that I had shortened to right below the knee.  I love it because it has a bright almost neon pink lining and looks fantastic with denim.

How old does a piece of clothing have to be to be described as vintage? 

I consider a piece to be “vintage” if it is Pre-90’s. 

How can you be sure that an item of clothing is vintage?

I am not a vintage expert, I would have to clock a few more years before I would consider myself “schooled” in vintage.  However, I do a lot of research and try to be as thorough as possible when dating and describing each vintage and designer piece at Rice and Beans Vintage.  You can tell a lot from a label about the age of a piece as well as the styling.

Vintage clothing is become increasingly popular, why do you think this is?

I think vintage clothing has become more and more popular for several reasons.  Firstly people are recognizing the environmental impact of the clothing industry and purchasing vintage and pre-loved designer clothing is a great way to help minimize the demand for more and more new pieces to be made.  Secondly I think there is an economic component to the whole vintage craze.  Let’s face it purchasing a Vintage Chanel bag can be much less costly than buying a brand new piece and again it’s got history.  I also know that people love vintage because it does set your look apart from everyone else and gives you the freedom to be creative with your look.  Isn’t that what fashion is all about?

picture - vintage floral cotton maxi dress from Rice and Beans Vintage

First of all I would like to say, car boot sales are uber fun. Not just because you can find amazing one off items for next to nothing, but because if you’re like me on a Sunday morning (usually feeling lazy, hung-over and nursing a sore head) then there really is no better reason to drag yourself out of bed than to nose around other peoples junk.

So last Sunday the 26^th of April the Sun was shining and the people of Carshalton were out in droves. After driving around the boot sale for 45 minutes (trying to park inside was like trying to get into fort knox) we finally found a parking spot and scuttled towards the boot fair. As we hurriedly walked towards the humongous school grounds of St Philomena’s catholic school the first thing I noticed was two women engaged in fisticuffs. Seriously. And it was over a dress it seemed, finger nails and hair tearing galore. This was when I realised this boot sale was going to be special, as the last time I saw this much passion for fashion was at the opening of the Selfridges spring summer sale 08.

 So I stepped over the bloodied boxers and inhaled a huge gulp of air whilst gazing across the fields and fields of bargain buys. Much to my Jaw dropping excitement, it was HUGGGE, like really huge. There were 3 fields of car bootie action. And it really was amazing, with unusual buys going for ludicrously cheap, confirming my theory. Boot fairs ARE every recessionistas dream.

After I had calmed myself down from all the excitement I headed towards the first stand I could focus on and noticed a vintage looking brown jacket. After examining the piece, I realised ok it wasn’t vintage but it was cute, like really cute. So after asking for a price on the jacket I was told “that would be a fiver love”. This was when it got tricky. The bargaining phase. Never one to be put off a touch of haggling (I conquered Pat Pong market in Bangkok don’t you know) I sniggered and put my bargain head on before quipping back “I’ll give you a couple of quid if ya luckie mate” (it’s good to put on an old east end accent at these car boots, gives the impression you’re a bit of a wheeler bargain dealer).

Anyway after much dispute over the value of the blazer we got involved on the finer details and finally agreed on a price of Two English pounds and fifty pennies. Luuuuuverly. So I left with a gem which cost less than my early morning hot dog. This purchased piece was the first of many that day, but it was by far the most expensive. Which taught me a lesson. Start ludicrously low when bargaining, because at these types of events it really does seem fifty pence is a reasonable price for a dress.

 At the end of the day I worked out I had spent £5.50, and I had purchased 2 dresses, 3 jackets and a jumper. Weighing in at roughly 50p per item, it was apparent boot fairs really are the ultimate bargain fest. This particular boot sale was in St Philomena’s in Carshalton, and it takes place once a month. If you fancy a spot of vintage chic on the cheap you can find the monthly dates on the following site.

http://www.stphils.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84&Itemid=90

But remember is just one of many on the London circuit of boot sales, the beauty of these events being clueless souls selling grandmas vintage brooches for 50p a pop. Fabulous.

If searching for a bit of car bootie action then do check out the nationwide listings on www.carbootjunction.com but be warned it is not always 100% accurate. I have often gone searching for car booties which don’t exist (I once drove all the way to Esher to be told the car boot wasn’t on that week) so if you’re looking for a more reliable source of information check out http://www.carbootcalendar.com/. This site is generally very reliable and has an annual subscription magazine costing just £14.00 (a year) which lists all the latest car boot sales across the country monthly. Worth every penny. So next Sunday when you’re feeling lazy get yourself down to your local car boot sale, for the sake of your wallet and your wardrobe.

Finally, for those of you thinking you don’t fancy getting your manolo’s grubby, I would just like to say I once found a vintage Chanel handbag for 5 pounds in a boot sale in Battersea. Yes really. Oh you’re suddenly considering it? So I’ll see you next Sunday?

This post was written by our guest writer

Alice Kelleher is a 24 year old freelance writer often known to be distracted by shiny pretty things. Fresh off the block after just returning from a five month travelling trip around south east Asia, Alice is slightly obsessed with Noodles, and totally obsessed by boys in bands and the latest greatest fads and trends. Currently she is working in a Deli part time (she loves cheese), until she finds a stable job in fashion Journalism/fashion PR.

pictures by Ross Matthews

” Fashion Fades, Style is Eternal’ This well known quote by Yves St Laurent, one of the most celebrated and influential designers of the last 20 years, is so true. You don’t need to be fashionable to be stylish and being fashionable certainly doesn’t mean that you are stylish. Real style is timeless and that is precisely why pieces by key designers like Yves St Laurent are often worth as much and more many years after they were first designed and constructed.

This quote is a great way to explain why you can get such a stylish look by swapping and buying second hand clothes. But it is not just designer clothes like those by Yves St Laurent that are timelessly stylish, there are also clothes made more recently by high street shops that can be considered timeless and classic.  The best vintage and second hand clothing is carefully picked out by a process of stylish natural selection. Usually, it is the most stylish and quality pieces of clothing that stand the test of time. The pieces that were only desirable in the first place because they were the latest fashion are more than likely to fall by the wayside.

picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yves_Saint_Laurent_(designer)