D.C. Swaps for Spring Fashion
One of the best kept secrets to looking great for any season: secondhand shopping! I’ve always been a lover of secondhand, or “gently used,” clothing. From my days as a broke college student to a working adult with bills to pay now, shopping secondhand has been one of the best things for my budget and my style. And it looks like I’m not the only one who feels this way. Hundreds of women recently came out ready to swap and shop for spring at the SNOBSWAP & Dewdrop‘s “Swap in the City,” and to score vintage designer deals at the Yours/Mine Secondhand Shopping Soiree (YMSSS).
Women put away their pocketbooks and swap for designer deals
SNOBSWAP is an online marketplace where users can buy, sell, swap and save on coveted luxury and designer goods. While the site aims to bring the thrill of swap parties and high-end designer consignment shopping online, this spring it helped host Swap in the City at the tech startup hub, 1776 to raise awareness for Becky’s Fund, a non-profit helping victims of domestic violence started by Becky Lee (who was also the second runner-up contestant from the 2006 CBS show Survivor: Cook Islands). Shoppers, fashion bloggers and designers came to swap in their vintage designer clothes, to trade with other guests, to party and enjoy a fashion show.
Julie Donaldson, Comcast SportsNet anchor, emceed the night in a flapper-era dress from upscale consignment boutique, TARI. She introduced a fashion show with a sneak preview of curated pieces from SNOBSWAP’s secret celebrity closet and which ended with the D’Milikah collection, a Brazilian swimwear line by local designer Emily Gonzaga.
D.C. bloggers share their tips on emerging spring trends
Well-known and well-loved D.C. fashion bloggers also came to share their tips on emerging spring trends. Liz Fassbender first spoke about D.C. as a fashion hub. She is the blogger behind So Much to Smile About and co-founder of The Capital Area Fashion & Beauty Bloggers (CapFABB) organization, a group under which local bloggers can connect, collaborate and organize fashion events in the D.C. area. She said that with over 700 members in the organization, D.C. is actually a very fashionably involved and style-conscious city. Her spring trend report included less color blocking and more lace and pastels. But her favorite is the all white look. Bold stripes and fun florals are also OK in her book.
Jen Jean-Pierre of Comme Coco also shared her closet and spring style tips, many of which I have been seeing in new designs and on the street. She said black and white, thankfully, are still in and is the easiest, simplest and classiest way to look great. Everyone has black and white in their closets, and it’s a look that’s always on trend. For bottom-heavy women, she recommends wearing a dark item on bottom and a light colored top. Another trend mentioned that I’m excited about is warm-weather leather. In neutrals or in bold colors, leather is an easy way to add a little fun and edge to an outfit.
Elle Choi, the cutest and sweetest fashion blogger, demonstrated ways to create many looks from one outfit. Wearing slim and tapered floral patterned pants and a white tank, she transformed her outfit by simply changing her top. She first added a bold yellow pullover for a casual look then a gold, shimmery cardigan to class it up and lastly, a thin white leather jacket for edge.
First it was yours, now it’s mine
Yours/Mine Secondhand Shopping Soiree is a quarterly women’s secondhand and vintage clothing and accessory “sip and shop” created by Patrice W., a D.C. native aiming to reshape the idea of thrifting. She wants women to know that past stigmas behind thrifting are no more. According to her, thrifting is for the financially conscious woman and she holds YMSSS for stylista’s on a budget looking to score great deals.
As an avid thrifter, this was a dream shopping event. It was a relaxed, fun event with women and store owners who gave great care about their goods, but without the seriousness that can often accompany high-end and vintage consignment. Sellers help you try on clothes, pick accessories for you or simply tell you the story behind an item you were eyeing. There were pop up shops for exclusively online shops that didn’t have D.C. storefronts. I especially fell in love with the vintage clutches at B4 by Kizzy Evae. She often gets her vintage items from estate sales. She says she loves to learn the story behind the items, restore them and bring them back to life with her online boutique.
The most beautiful part of this event was that everything was reasonably priced. I walked in not expecting to buy a single thing and walked out with bags of items I couldn’t walk away from because they were either too good of deal to pass up or just one-of-a-kind items that would be so hard to find otherwise. The overall atmosphere of this event was pure happiness. Women were giddy with excitement, elated with the joy of vintage. And if you’re a woman trying to look your best while watching your budget, you would be too!
Liz Parker is a NOVA girl with a long love affair with Washington, D.C. A self-proclaimed Washingtonian, she spends her days and nights coffee shop hopping and wandering around the city. She’s fascinated with street-style fashion and has a soft spot for thrift and vintage shops.