Vintage Clothing Swap!

I'm super excited that Swap Don't Shop! will be hosting our first Vintage Clothing Swap next month! Vintage means different things to different people, but we're going by Etsy rules, which means anything pre-mid 90s is fair game.

As usual, you'll get a ticket for each good quality vintage item you bring (max. 30 tickets). Each ticket can then be redeemed for a new swap find.

We're offering advanced tickets, this time around, though. As well as saving a bit of time at the door (and we all know that it only takes a few seconds to miss out on that awesome dress you spotted), if you buy in advance you'll get an extra 2 clothing tickets! Tickets can be purchased via the 'Book It' button in the sidebar, our facebook page, or our uniiverse event page.

Details are below:

Vintage Clothing Swap
Saturday, November 9
12pm-4pm
Arts Market, 846 College St. 
$5

All vintage (20+ years old) clothing, shoes, and other accessories (with the exception of socks & undies) that are clean and in good condition are welcome.

The swap starts at noon, but feel free to arrive any time after 11:30am to drop off your clothes.

At the end of the day, all of the clothing that is left will be donated to charity.

Check out our facebook event page for updates.

Tweet

Review: Brickworks Community Clothing Swap

Photo: Ashley Wallis/info.evergreen.ca

The Basics:

$3 gets you entrance to the 2 hour event, and you get a ticket for each item you bring to be redeemed for a new swap item, to a max of 12. Anything extra was $1 per item. 

Pros:

Nice space - the Brickworks is a nice venue in general, and the swap took place in a spacious  room, with lots of light. 

Relaxed vibe - there weren't many people in attendance, which meant that although the clothing selection was on the small side, the energy was very laid back. 

Well organized - clothing was organized by gender, with a third section for children's clothes. Women's clothing was also sorted by item - dresses on one rack, jackets on another, and tops and bottoms each had their own tables. 

Cons:

Difficult to get there. I lucked out with shuttle buses, but the Brickworks is definitely a trek for those of us who don't drive.

No mirrors or change rooms - many swaps don't take place at change room-friendly venues, but it would have been nice if there had been a mirror or two.

Clothing didn't seem to be filtered - I came across a number of items with stains, sweaters with pills, and a few old bras in the mix.

Good for:

Small sizes - the most interesting selection when I arrived was in the 0-2 range.

Basics

Kids clothes

Bad for:

Vintage and other unique eye-catching pieces - the selection may have been more interesting at the beginning of the swap, but by the time I arrived, it was mostly jeans, T-shirts, and casual tops and dresses in solid colours. 

Brought:

5 items

Left with:

6 items. The best find were a pair of near new H&M gladiator heels. I also got a hot pink sweater dress (which I'm on the fence about), a pair of lilac wide-legged 'inspiration' pants that don't quite fit yet,  and white loose-knit v-neck sweater. A lavender T-shirt and ill-fitting striped jersey blouse will be returning to the swap pool. 

Charity element:

leftover clothes were donated, and money raised went to Brickworks community projects

Overall:

This is an annual event, and I will likely check out the next one. As is usually the case with swaps, I think it's probably better if you get there early ( I arrived 45 minutes in to the event, this time). Even though I didn't find much, I can't really complain about spending $4 to get a cute new pair of dressy summer shoes. 

Tweet

Summer Swap Party This Sunday

Come celebrate the beginning of summer by finding some fun new outfits - our next swap is just a week away! We're a little further west and a little bit cheaper than usual.

Show up with $5 and the clothes you no longer want, and you'll get a ticket for each good quality item you bring (max. 30 tickets). Each ticket can then be redeemed for a new swap find.

Sunday, June 23
12pm-4pm
industREAL arts room
688 Richmond St. West, Ground Floor
Admission: $5

The swap starts at noon, but feel free to arrive any time after 11:30am to drop off your clothes.

As always, there will also be snacks, DIY tips and on-site alterations.

All clothing, shoes, and other accessories (with the exception of socks & undies) that are clean and in good condition are welcome.

At the end of the day, all of the clothing that is left will be donated to local charities.

Check out the Facebook event page for updates.

Tweet

Toronto Swap Events This Week: May 20-27, 2013

Saturday May 26

Anime North Swap Meet

9am - 11am

Venice Room, Doubletree International Plaza Hotel, 655 Dixon Road

Cost: $5

This week's big clothing swap is part of Anime North. With a focus solely on Japanese street fashion and Steampunk, it should be an interesting event. Items will be available for swap and sale. Attendees are encouraged to wear their PJs (because of the early start time) or their best street style outfit.

Foodies may also want to start thinking about what to make for next Monday's HomeEc event. The monthly potluck social takes place at Handlebar in Kensington Market, and this month's theme is bar snacks.

Tweet

Toronto Swap Events This Week: May 13-19, 2013

Spring is here (even though it doesn't quite feel like it at the moment), which means swap season is in full swing! This is a great week for swaps of all kinds: books? check! other media? check! bikes? check! clothes? but of course!

Thursday May 16

Book & Media Swap

5pm - 8pm

Harvest Noon, 16 Bancroft Ave (near College & Spadina) 

Cost: FREE

There’s no need to bring an item in order to participate, although the more items, the better the swap! Swapping will commence at 5pm, but items for swap can be dropped off anytime after 11 am. Local sustainable food, coffee and tea will be served throughout the evening. 

Saturday, May 18

Clothing Repairathon & Cookbook Swap

9am - 1pm

Withrow Park, 725 Logan Avenue, south of the Danforth 

Cost: FREE

This event is part of the Withrow Park Farmer's Market. Bring any clothes in need of repair, to get fixed for free! There will also be a cookbook swap.


MEC Bikefest
11am to 5pm
Trinity Bellwoods Park
Cost: FREE

This celebration of all things bike-related features a bike and gear swap, as well as clinics, group rides, demos, and lots more.

Sunday, May 19

Community Clothing Swap

11am - 1pm

BMO Atrium, Evergreen Brickworks 

Cost: $3

Clothing (except underwear), and fashion accessories are welcome. 1 token per item to a max of 12. Any additional finds cost $1. Proceeds go towards further community events at Evergreen Brick Works. At the end of the swap, all extra clothing will be given to charity.

Tweet

Swap & Rock Fundraiser - Just One Week to Go!

So excited about this event! Details are below:

Sunday, April 21
12:30pm-6pm
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W.

Show up with the clothes and any items you no longer want, and leave with a great new haul! You'll get a ticket for each good quality item you bring (max. 30 tickets). Each ticket can then be redeemed for a new swap find.

Performing in the front room:
The Bicycles
Blonde Elvis
Sphinxs
Persian Rugs




The swap will feature on-site alterations and a nail bar!

The swap starts at 12:30, but feel free to arrive any time after 12:00pm to drop off your clothes.

Bands start at 1:00!

All clothing and accessories you no longer use that are clean and in good condition are welcome.

$8 with swap items
$5 if you're just interested in seeing the bands

Everything left at the end of the day will be donated to charity, and all funds raised will go to Girls Rock Camp!

Tweet

Review: N/A Collective Co-ed Clothing Swap

Last weekend I checked out  the Co-ed Clothing Swap, organized by N/A collective and Shop My Clothes. The rules were a bit different from any other swap I’ve been to before – it was free to attend, but the clothing on offer was for sale. Swappers were asked to bring a bag of clothing, which they could exchange for 2 tickets to use towards new swap finds. Any additional items found were $5 each (or a bit less for the items in bins). I was initially a little put off by the idea of having to pay for each item of clothing donated to the swap (and the idea of the organizers profiting from the individual items of clothing I brought), but I was won over by the possibility of some cool vintage finds.

Down a little alleyway at Brock and Dundas, the studio was a bit hard to find (for less observant types such as myself, who missed the sandwich board on Dundas advertising the event - oops), but upon entering was met with a very well merchandised space, that had the feel of a tiny cute vintage boutique. There were a few tables and baskets, flanked by clothing racks on either side of the room. Men’s clothing was on one side of the narrow studio, women’s on the other. I was initially a bit disappointed by the selection, although that was mostly due to being an unlucky size at this particular event. There were some great pieces (both older vintage items and newer mall-store labels) in the 8-12 size range, and a few really great XS finds. Unfortunately the 4-6 range it was mostly H&M and Forever 21 cast-offs, none very appealing. I did manage to find a great shoulder bag, and sheer black 1980s secretary blouse with some cool asymmetrical detailing. Despite my initial curmudgeonliness about the cost, I ended up feeling guilty about leaving without spending any money, so I also picked up a cream-coloured mini with metal studs on the shoulders (which is cute, if a little too small).

In the end the concept actually did kind of grown on me. I was forced to be a bit pickier than usual, so a few items I was considering, but was a bit iffy on (and probably would have taken if it had been a straight item for item swap) ended up, thankfully, back on the racks. I’m also very excited about the two items I settled on (the third, not so much, but you can’t win ‘em all). It's also a good option for people who have nothing to swap, but are hoping to find some cheap wardrobe additions. The atmosphere was nice and relaxed; there was a makeshift changing area in the back, and some snacks for sale, as well. It was an all-day affair (11am-6pm), with people trickling in and out, so it seemed like the kind of swap that would merit a few visits throughout the day. Also worth noting was the men’s selection – it was pretty sizable, and better than what’s on offer at most swaps I’ve attended.

All-in-all, I was a pretty happy swapper. I entered with slight trepidation, but left with a smile (and an awesome new bag!). Definitely a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Check out their site (or our Events page) for info on upcoming N/A swaps.

Tweet

February is for Lovers... Fashion Lovers!

The post-valentine's edition of Swap - Don't Shop! is just around the corner! 

Show up with $8 and the clothes you no longer want, and you'll get a ticket for each good quality item you bring (max. 30 tickets). Each ticket can then be redeemed for a new swap find.

The swap starts at noon, but feel free to arrive any time after 11am to drop off your clothes.

As usual, there will also be snacks, diy tips and on-site alterations.

All clothing, shoes, and other accessories (with the exception of socks & undies) that are clean and in good condition are welcome.

Swap - Don't Shop Clothing Swap Party
12pm - 4pm
Beaver Hall Gallery
29 McCaul St.
Admission: $8

At the end of the day, all of the clothing that is left will be donated to local charities.

Tweet

November Swap - Don't Shop party!

An excellent opportunity to get some new winter clothes, and unload some out-of-season stuff - the next Swap - Don't Shop event is happening next month. Details are below:

Clothing Swap Party

Saturday, November 17

12pm-4pm

Beaver Hall Gallery

29 McCaul St. 

In addition the usual on-site alterations (by donation), delicious snacks and - of course - scads of great clothes, we have a fun new addition to the November swap. Professional image consultant Danielle D'Amato of Danielle D'Amato Image Consulting will be on-hand to provide advice on how to style your new swap finds, and incorporate them into your existing wardrobe. 

As always, all clothing, shoes, and other accessories (with the exception of socks & undies) that are clean and in good condition are welcome.

Admission (with at least 5 swap items): $8

If you have nothing to swap but still want to upgrade your wardrobe, just show up with an extra $5, and we'll give you a bag to fill.

At the end of the day, all of the clothing that is left will be donated to local charities.

Check out the Facebook event page for updates.

Tweet

Swap til you drop this weekend

The next Swap Don't Shop event will be coming up next month (yay!), but if you're looking to warm up for the main event, below are a few upcoming swaps to get you started. If you've ever wanted to pack as much clothing swapping as possible into a short period, this would be the weekend to do it!

SATURDAY:
Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts' clothing swap, which should be a good bet for those looking for halloween costumes. Clothing is $2 a piece if you have nothing to swap.
Sistering - 962 Bloor St. West
1pm-6pm

A UofT student organized swap is happening at Beit Zatoun, a cultural centre in the Annex. Swap-ables other than clothing are welcome at this swap, including books, music and art.
1pm - 3pm (doors open at noon)
Beit Zatoun - 612 Markham St.
$7 +5 swap items


SUNDAY:
Evergreen Brickworks is hosting a Community Clothing and Costume Swap. In addition to swapping, there will be live music and a halloween costume auction. Check out their website for drop-off dates and times.
BMO Atrium
1pm - 4pm
$3

If you have kids, they can get in on the action too, with the Walnut Studios Kids Clothing Swap. Money raised will go to their after school art program.
83 Walnut Ave.
1pm - 4pm
$10

Tweet

September Swap

The next Swap - Don't Shop! event is just around the corner. It's a great opportunity to unload your summer wardrobe, and gear up for fall!

Saturday, September 15

12pm-4pm

Beaver Hall Gallery

29 McCaul St.

All clothing, shoes, and other accessories (with the exception of socks & undies) that are clean and in good condition are welcome.

Admission (with at least 5 swap items): $8

If you have nothing to swap but still want to upgrade your wardrobe, just show up with an extra $5, and we'll give you a bag to fill.

At the end of the day, all of the clothing that is left will be donated to local charities.

As usual, there will be on-site alterations available (by donation), and yummy refreshments.

Tweet

March Clothing Swap Party

We're finally back with a new event! Here are the deets:

Just show up with all of your out-of-season and unwanted clothing, and leave with a fabulous new haul!

All clothing, shoes, and other accessories (with the exception of socks & undies) that are clean and in good condition are welcome.

Admission (with at least 5 swap items): $8

If you have nothing to swap but still want to upgrade your wardrobe, just show up with an extra $5, and we'll give you a bag to fill.

At the end of the day, all of the clothing that is left will be donated to local charities.

As usual, there will be on-site alterations available (by donation), and yummy refreshments.

Tweet

A Couple of Swaps to Tide You Over

The next Swap - Don't Shop event is happening sometime in March (details to follow). In the meantime, you might want to check out some other swaps happening this month.

This weekend the winter installment of the quarterly Uber-SWAP event will be taking place. I've been to a couple of their swaps, with mixed results (but, such is the nature of clothing swaps). I would advise getting there early, for the best selection. It starts at 11am, Saturday January 21, at 947 Queen St East.

Creative types may be interested in xspace's art supply swap, happening Saturday January 28. Paper, pens, paint, ink, markers, crayons, pencil crayons, brushes, canvas, material, thread, tools, collage resources, clay, sculpey, and any other art supplies are welcome. It's taking place from 1pm-5pm, at 58 Ossington Avenue.

Tweet

Swap For Charity - this Saturday!

Hey everyone! There's a new swap happening this weekend. You know the drill:

Just show up with all of your out-of-season and unwanted clothing, and leave with a fabulous new haul!

All men's and women's clothing, shoes, and other accessories (with the exception of socks & undies) that are clean and in good condition are welcome.

Admission (with at least 5 swap items)
Women $8
Men $5

If you have nothing to swap but still want to upgrade your wardrobe, just show up with an extra $5, and we'll give you a bag to fill.

At the end of the day, all of the clothing that is left will be donated to local charities.

Here are the deets:

Clothing Swap Party
Saturday, June 19
10am-4pm
Bloor St. United Church300 Bloor St. West

All the proceeds from this event will be going towards a team from Global Youth Network participating in a Community Development Project in Kenya this August.

See you there!!

Tweet

Clothing Swap Party - This Weekend!

Sorry for the last-minute announcement, but there's a clothing swap happening this coming Saturday. Here's all the info:

Co-ed Clothing Swap Party

Saturday, October 17

St. Stephen-in-the-Fields Church

103 Bellevue Ave

12pm-4pm

Just show up with all of the unwanted clothing taking up space in your closet and drawers, and leave with bags of wonderful new clothing!

As well as amazing clothes, and delicious snacks, there will be seamstresses on hand who (for an additional donation), will be available to do any alterations you may need.All men's and women's clothing, shoes, and other accessories (with the exception of socks & undies) that are clean and in good condition are welcome.

Admission (with at least 5 swap items)Women $8Men $5

If you have nothing to swap but still want to upgrade your wardrobe, just show up with an extra $5, and we'll give you a bag to fill.

At the end of the day, all of the clothing that is left will be donated to Planet Aid.

Tweet

Fabulous Raffle Prizes!

Don't forget to buy a raffle ticket! There will be prizes available from Fresh, Ecoholic, Worn, Bargainista, Redux, Starlight Astrology Earthly Paradise, Hempress and Nickolette Reid, including gift cards, an image consultation, cookbooks and more!

There will also be a small treat for the first five people to arrive at the swap tomorrow!

Tweet

Swap-tacular Swap-iversary Clothing Swap Party

Upgrade your fall wardrobe and join us in celebrating a year of swapping madness with our first annual Swap-tacular Swap-iversary Clothing Swap Party! Here are all the details:

Swap-tacular Swap-iversary Clothing Swap Party
Saturday, August 15
St. Stephen-in-the-Fields Church103 Bellevue Ave. (at College)
12pm-4pm
Admission (with at least 5 swap items)
Women $8
Men free 

If you’re in need new clothes, but have nothing to contribute, it’s just an extra five bucks.

As usual there will be yummy snacks courtesy of Miss Cora’s Kitchen, on-site alterations and – of course – tons of clothes!

You can also look forward to workshops and demos(the schedule is below), door prizes courtesy of Fresh, Hempress, Earthly Paradise Gardens & Botanicals and lots more!

All clothing, shoes and other accessories (but no socks and undies please) which are clean and in good condition are welcome.

At the end of the day all unclaimed clothing will be donated to local charities.

Workshop Schedule:

12:30pm Shibori Fabric Dying with Christine of Hempress
Learn the traditional Japanese tie-dying art, using all-natural food-based dyes

1pm Alterations 101 with Angela
Find out how to save money by doing your own basic mending and alterations

2pm Top 10 Styling Tips for Men & Women with Carlton, a professional image consultant

Discover new ways to bring life to your existing wardrobe

2:30 Sewing Workshop
More info is coming soon...

Tweet