The sun was shining outside, but our venue Mambo was packed with swappers that were skipping through the racks, sipping  Barefoot Wine, getting mini-makeovers from Smashbox Cosmetics or checking out their great finds in front of the mirror.

Here’s a breakdown of the overall impact of our event:
1,162 garments swapped
780 garments given to charity
1,942 garments diverted from landfills
$23,240 saved by swapping!

A HUGE thanks to all of our partners, sponsors, volunteers and swappers who made this happen. It’s incredible what we can accomplish together.

See you at the next swap!

The SWAP Team

Kristy aka @Monochroma_Chic in a comfy coat from Dagg and Stacey.

@Monochroma_Chic has found the perfect every day look that is stylish and cute at the same time. The blue comfy coat from Dagg and Stacey makes it possible!

You can still get your ticket for Take Off Your Clothes on May 11! 

@StyleSisterCA has found her favourite outfit!

This is what a brilliant outfit is all about – nonchalant but elegant! @StyleSisterCA only needs a shiny electrical guitar in her hands and she can rock the stage – in a Betsey Johnson blazer and pants from @swap_team.

Hurry up – there are only a few advance tickets left! Betsey Johnson is waiting for you on May 11

Can’t wait and want to see all the fab looks up for grabs at once? SIGN UP now for our mailing list and we’ll send you the ENTIRE Toronto event lookbook!

See you at the swap!

@TheCheapGirl in a @swap_team's dress and jewelry from @StyleSisterCa!

Summertime – and the living is easy… Oliva aka @TheCheapGirl simply can’t wait for hotter days! With a light dress from @swap_team and a cute necklace from @StyleSisterCA she is all set for a nice summer walk.

Get your ticket for Take Off Your Clothes on May 11 now – who knows what you might find! 

Can’t wait and want to see all the fab looks up for grabs at once? SIGN UP now for our mailing list and we’ll send you the ENTIRE Toronto event lookbook!

See you at the swap!

RÉSERVEZ CETTE DATE

Place des Arts (Grand foyer culturel), 175, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Samedi le 28 juillet et dimanche le 29 juillet – Heure et détails à venir

Voici comment procéder :
* Nous acceptons des vêtements propres, des chaussures et des accessoires neufs ou peu portés pour hommes, femmes et enfants. (Veuillez consulter notre politique de nettoyage : http://theswapteam.org/francais/foire-aux-questions )
* Pour chaque article accepté lors de l’événement, vous recevrez 1 coupon d’échange valide pour n’importe quel autre article le jour de l’échange.
* Les articles restants à la fin de l’événement seront donnés à Fripe-Prix Renaissance.

COÛT : le prix de l’admission et les informations sur les billets seront bientôt mis en ligne!

Un grand merci à nos partenaires Zoofest et Renaissance pour avoir rendu possible cet événement!

QUESTIONS?
Commandites/Partenariats : aleece@theswapteam.org
Être bénévole lors de cet événement : http://groups.google.com/group/theswapteam-montreal-volunteers
Qu’est-ce qu’un échange de vêtements? http://theswapteam.org/francais/foire-aux-questions
Demandes des médias et toutes autres questions : info@theswapteam.org

PLUS D’INFORMATIONS À VENIR – RESTEZ À L’ÉCOUTE!

L’Équipe SWAP

Our tiger Monica aka @beautyparler in a Crywolf T-shirt and a skirt from Dagg and Stacey!

Let’s go hunt! The Crywolf T-shirt is a real eye catcher. And together with the skirt from Dagg and Stacey our model/blogger @beautyparler is ready to roll – rawr!

Get your ticket for Take Off Your Clothes on May 11 now – who knows what you might find! 

Can’t wait and want to see all the fab looks up for grabs at once? SIGN UP now for our mailing list and we’ll send you the ENTIRE Toronto event lookbook!

See you at the swap!

Miss Palermo always does it right. It's all about proportion and mixing patterns.

I’ve taken part in three clothes swaps. I’m no swap veteran by any means but having organized two of the three, I’d like to think I can offer a piece or two of advice. If you’re like me, you’re super psyched for this Sunday’s swap. Honestly, I’ve been creating a mental list of items I hope to find based on the gorgeous pieces I’ve seen in the Bay catalogues or online. I’ve been very good at not buying a single thing over the past month because I knew I’d score big this Sunday (fingers crossed).

So, what should you be doing in preparation for the big day? You most likely already dropped off your clothes at the designated drop-off locations but if you haven’t yet, not to worry, you can bring your clothing with you to the swap. Just don’t forget to purchase your ticket in advance!

Ok, moving on to the good stuff. You’ve emptied your closet and donated your clothing. But if you’re like me, you still have a closet that is bursting at the seams. So go ahead, attack it again. Don’t be shy, comb through each piece. When was the last time you wore it? Does it flatter your waistline? Does it wrinkle oddly around your chest or sleeves? Does the colour wash you out or bring out your eyes? Can you wear it to work and then out for drinks or is it limited in its versatility? Build a pile of ‘maybes’ and leave that aside for a day or two. If you don’t miss any of its items or think of wearing anything in that lonesome pile, you know you’re ready to let it go. More for the next person!

Until Spring shows her true colours, I'll promote fall coats

Now, what’s your game plan? Are you just going to show up, browse, and grab whatever strikes your fancy? GREAT! But if you’re the planning type (like yours truly) you’ll come in with a game plan. I thought I’d share mine with you in case you want to copy and paste and make it your own. I like to have a plan so I come home with useful, fabulous pieces that I’ll enjoy for a long time and not think: “What was I thinking!?”

1. Flip through your latest fashion magazines or your fave online shopping sites and pick out a few items you really, really want. No guilt, no: “I don’t REALLY need this.” Just pick out some things you would love to have.
2. Now go through your closet and think about your lifestyle and your clothing needs. Do you work in a professional office? If so, do you have a couple pairs of versatile pants? How about a skirt? A few dress shirts, vests and one or two must-have dresses that you can easily throw a fitted blazer over. Look at what you have and think of one or two pieces that you could add to the mix to really shake things up and make better use of your other pieces. Maybe you’re a student and you want young, stylish pieces that go from classroom to pub. Well, jeans are always key, but the real clincher is one or two fun, flirty tops that you can wear in class with a cardigan and spring coat and dress up with a bold necklace. Are you a young entrepreneur? Looking for the perfect in-between outfit that is comfortable and fun but professional for those off-site meetings with clients? Gentlemen, don’t shy away from a fitted pair of jeans (show off your assets, PLEASE – you don’t have to worry about cellulite ok?). Pair it with a dress shirt and a v-neck sweater to add classic elegance to your fave blues. Top it off with shiny, brown leather lace-up dress shoes, an oversized leather-strap watch and you’re golden.
3. Next, think of upcoming events and trips you have planned. Southern destination? Do you need a light beach dress? Flats? A big hat to ward off those nasty UV rays? Maybe you’re heading up to a friend’s cottage, doing some gardening or just staying put, enjoying the city. Regardless, consider your potential wardrobe needs such as hiking boots, a windbreaker, summer shorts, or a jumper. It never hurts to have a plan.
4. Now leave room for a few of those ‘I want but don’t need’ pieces. You’ll love them, wear them and maybe leave them eventually but it’s a free item so go for it.

With your list of need-to-have items in hand, you’ll be able to face the swap with confidence, skipping the nice-to-haves for the must-haves and loving the feeling of leaving with an armful of clothing – for free! Enough said.

For more styling tips, visit Ef Magazine or email editors@efmagazine.com. Follow Ef’s editor-in-chief, Malorie, on Twitter @MalorieBertrand or her behind-the-scenes blog, What in the Ef?

Love a man in one sweater, two - take me now.

I just love her frickin' bone structure, never mind the earrings!

Delicate top with heavy boots, please note.

Great office wear, structured, professional, chic.

The queen of street wear - Kate Moss.

Doesn't she look great? Our model Janice aka @StyleSisterCA simply loved the multi-coloured belt!

Spring is there! Who would like to wear this upcycled belt by Embody Clothing? Or even better, in combination with this super-comfy Dagg and Stacey dress that our stylish model/blogger @StyleSisterCA is wearing?
Come and get ‘em at Take Off Your Clothes on May 11!

Can’t wait and want to see all the fab looks up for grabs at once? SIGN UP now for our mailing list and we’ll send you the ENTIRE Toronto event lookbook!

See you at the swap!

I really need a pair of boots. I also want them, but mostly I need them.
One of the many things I’ve learned in the last year is the true difference between want and need. On June 11th 2011, I embarked on a year-long clothes shopping abstinence that is thankfully nearing completion*. Don’t misunderstand, I’ve actually done quite well with the wardrobe I started with, but taking myself out of the fashion game and sitting on the sidelines has given me great perspective on many things. Namely that boot shaped void in my closet.

In the past my shopping trips would usually involve making unconsidered purchases. I would get pieces that either only matched each other and nothing else I own, pieces that weren’t reflective of my lifestyle, or both. I’m a filmmaker that mainly works from home but you wouldn’t know it from the amount of cute fitted blouses I own because I secretly think I’m Joan from Mad Men.

I am motivated to do many things, but sitting in my home office all day in a pencil skirt and sweater set is not one of them. Most days the only reason I change out of my uniform of yoga pants and hoodie is to walk my dog. One of my favorite things about dogs, other than their absolute lack of shame, is that they don’t care what you look like. Mine wouldn’t care if I had a Mike Tyson face tat and Nickleback pajamas so long as she gets most of my attention and a two hour walk every day. Which explains my boot situation.

Could you just pick a pair of shoes so we can go on our #@!* walk?

Prior to my self-imposed shopping amnesty I did a ‘last shop’. Among my many purchases were a pair of suede, Kate & Mel flats that I’ve worn all of twice. At that time I was still shopping for the life I thought I had versus the life I really have. In the life I think I have, well, I’m Joan from Mad Men except I don’t need my husband’s permission to apply for a credit card. In the life I really have, occasions to dress up are few and far between. I bought those cute flats to put with all the other cute shoes I barely wear and didn’t realize that what I really needed was a pair of practical, three-season hiking boots for all the long trails I walk every day with my dog.

Cute? Yes. Practical? Not so much.

In the next few weeks leading up to The SWAP Team’s event here in Ottawa, I will be combing through my wardrobe and I’m going to try to be ruthless. It’s usually not easy for me to part with my clothes, especially this year since I’ve grown unusually close to them, but I need to let some of them go to a better home. A home where they won’t be cooped up in a cramped closet but can run free and be loved and bring joy to others. I’ve not just learned the difference between want and need in the last several months, I’ve also figured out who I am, and it’s not Joan from Mad Men. Although if anyone could make hiking boots look sexy, my money would be on her.

* My no-shopping challenge is the focus of a documentary project called Something More Comfortable.
For more information on the documentary please check out http://slipintoit.com/
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/SMCslipintoit

Kristy aka @Monochroma_Chic models a vintage Chanel chain belt and a dress she's decided to swap!

Need we say more other than that our model @Monochroma_Chic looks stunning, and that there will be a CHANEL VINTAGE BELT up for grabs at
Take Off Your Clothes on May 11!

Can’t wait and want to see all the fab looks up for grabs at once? SIGN UP now for our mailing list and we’ll send you the ENTIRE Toronto event lookbook!

See you at the swap!