Plus Size Clothing Swaps Make Secondhand Sexy
Clothing swaps are the best. Reducing, reusing, and recycling all in the name of a brand-new-to-you pair of glitter pants? Yes, please! However, if you’re not the same size as your buddies, it’s easy to get left on the sidelines, with nothing but a printed scarf to dry your tears. Thankfully, that’s changing—large and most definitely in-charge ladies across the country are joining forces to host fashion swaps that cater to sizes 12 and up. Events such as “The Gold and The Beautiful” in Chicago and “Fatshion…Turn to the Left!” in San Francisco have demonstrated that if you build it, the fat and the fabulous will come. And they will bring piles and piles of gorgeous, gently worn clothing to trade.
At a recent San Francisco swap, participants were seen noshing on mini-cupcakes and sipping champagne while trying on some hot looks. “There were ladies there who were literally crying,” says organizer Heather Cummings. “They had never seen so much selection or felt such a sense of community.”
If you can’t find a plus-size swap near you, try throwing your own! All you need is a spot with space for makeshift changing rooms, and some ladies looking to get rid of clothing (and pick up some great new looks). There’s a dearth of options in the plus clothing market, and what’s available is often expensive; these swaps offer larger ladies more options and help them forge new friendships. We’ll swap to that.
Written by: Laura Hooper Beck
Photo: Courtesy of The Gold and The Beautiful and Fatshion…Turn To The Left
This story originally appeared in BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
