How
It All Started
Months and months ago, I was flipping through a magazine and came
across a feature on women helping other women. There were a number
of good ideas in the article, but one that jumped out at me was
the idea of a clothing exchange. This wasn't just your normal skirt
and shirt swap, this was a chance for women to get together, have
fun, buy some great clothes at amazing prices, and help out those
in need. I knew that I couldn't do this by myself, and immediately
my good friend Kari popped into my mind as a fellow "planner"
who might want to help out.
The Planning
Planning the party was actually a really good excuse for Kari and
I to get together and catch up. No, really, we did do our fair-share
of chatting, but we also came up with a party plan during our coffee
get-togethers at Sisters Espresso, a wonderful Victorian coffee
house in downtown Littleton. Kari gained a new appreciation for
soy lattes and we worked out the details for our party. We each
had a folder with our special "to-do" list inside, and
as we sipped our cafes we decided who would do what. We brought
magazine clippings with party favor ideas, and created a yummy menu
of appetizers and beverages. After two meetings, we were set!
The Invitation
In keeping with the idea that this party was to benefit
others, Kari and I focused on how we could keep our costs low. First
to go was the standard paper invitation. We opted for an electronic
invitation, and Evite.com
came to the rescue. The website offered many different looks, and
we found one that was perfect for our party. After gathering e-mail
addresses, we decided what we needed to put on the invitation. Since
this was a first not only for us but for our guests, we needed to
be specific about what kinds of clothes to bring, etc. We suggested
guests bring only clothes that they themselves would want to buy.
This was very important to us...if you wouldn't wear it, why would
anyone else?
The Location
Kari and I chose to host the party at my house, which was perfect
for a small gathering. Had all of our invitees attended, we may
have been spilling out onto the patio or into the garage! For larger
gatherings, a conference room at a hotel, or a church, would be
a great option. My front room served as the "store" while
the living room and kitchen were the social areas.
The
Menu
Planning the menu was one of the most fun parts of the planning
process, as Kari and I both like to make (and eat!) good food. We
chose
a menu that was light but filling, since the party started in the
early afternoon and some guests may have skipped lunch. We chose
appetizers like tortilla roll-ups, cream cheese with jalapeno jelly
and crackers, salsa and chips, veggies and dip, and Kari's fantastic
shortbread. The food looked great and tasted even better!
The Set Up and Design
Setting-up for the party was relatively easy...I moved a loveseat
out of the front room to make way for the garment racks in the "store" part of my house, and set-up a coffee table in the living room so
guests had a place to put their drinks and snacks. We also put up
a card table that served
as our cash register, which consisted of a beautiful glass box and
everyone using the honor system to pay for what they were taking
home with them. Kari made cute little tags that we wrote the prices
on, and we hung all the clothes on nice, plastic-covered wire hangers.
I covered my kitchen table with a bright, cheery tablecloth, full
of reds, oranges, and blues, and placed a vase of terracotta-colored
tulips in the middle along with a vanilla candle. Vanilla tealights
were placed all around the house, to give the rooms a welcoming
and comfy scent.
The Party
Our guests began to arrive around 1 pm, and were welcomed at the
door. Once we had collected their many bags of clothes, we offered
them something to drink and invited them to make up a plate of
snacks and catch-up with the other guests. While our guests were eating
and chatting, we began the marathon clothes pricing! Our very generous
guests brought more clothes than we could have ever imagined, and
we scrambled to get price tags on all the clothes and accessories.
With our garment racks full and price tags running out, we laid
out the clothes that remained and opened the shop for our guests'
shopping pleasure! We were both surprised and excited at how much
fun our guests had shopping! For the next 2 hours we shopped, snacked,
socialized, and just had a ball!
The Outcome
At the end of the shopping sprees, Kari and I were both shocked
to learn that we had collected over $120 for the Gathering Place.
We were hoping to amass $30, so to break $100 was unbelievable!
Our wonderful guests helped us package up the remaining clothes
in bags to take down to the Denver Urban Ministries, where women
in need can go to find good clothing. We were surprised when we
realized we had 10 large bags to deliver! Adding those to other donations, we donated a total of 26 bags of clothes to Denver Urban Ministries.
Article written by Melissa England
