Swishing Party: Not What It Sounds Like

Picturing Roger De Bris key-swapping with canapes? Me too. But think less swish, more swap:

“Swishing parties,” which according to the HuffPo are a new, green, “international craze,” upon closer examination prove to be…clothing swaps.

At a Swishing Party, guests bring one or more nice pieces of clothing or accessories and pick an item brought by someone else. “When we organized our first Swishing Party two years ago, over 100 people showed up”, recalls Lucy Shea. “Many were ‘greenies’, but many fashion-conscious people came, too.” Shea, the fashionista co-founder of London-based green PR firm Futerra, is the brains behind the Swishing Parties. (Swishing: the sound of clothes).

This concept apparently strikes many as a novel stroke of genius. As one Swedish enthusiast, well, enthuses, “People enjoy doing something good for themselves and the environment.” Paris Hilton and Leona Lewis are also converts. Now, obviously, being green and letting others benefit from clothing is great. And as to January 9th’s International Swishing Day, well, the more the merrier. (If you want to host an official event, check their website.) For those of us who’ve been swapping – or, indeed, donating – unwanted clothes for years, the idea may come as less of a revelation. But, hey, good for them. I’ll even donate a coat on Saturday in support of the effort. Just please don’t make me say “swishing.”