By Reid Tankersley
With everyone looking to trim budgets and be more eco-friendly these days, two South Atlanta women have joined forces to create a fresh new business to do just that. The concept is called a clothing swap and combines a cocktail party with a day of shopping and spa services. “The first clothing swap I ever hosted was a result of me having a post-baby body and wanting my friends to have my awesome wardrobe that no longer fit me,” co-founder Adrienne Tankersley explained. “So I invited some of my closest mom-friends, pulled out the crystal and the silver, and we had a cocktail party.”
If you’ve ever had a wonderfully pampered spa-and-shopping day, consider how many places you went and how much money you spent. But now consider that day involving only one location, all-you-can-snag clothes and merchandise, cocktails, cuisine, music, spa services, and all for less than the cost of one item of clothing.
“Environmental issues have always been near to my heart,” says co-founder Meg Richards-Boeff, “finding a way to act locally by re-using items and saving money yet never sacrificing style really appealed to my personal philosophy.” Following this eco-friendly mantra, the ladies integrate many sustainable practices into their parties. After events, they select some of the leftover clothing for “upcycling” – turning those old clothes into new useful items. The remaining clothes are then donated to a local charity, helping a good cause and keeping items one step farther from a landfill.
The clothing swaps started as private events held at the homes of friends. It didn’t take long before they outgrew those homes, and Adrienne Tankersley spied a new niche. “With the real estate market down, it seemed like there were empty homes on every block.” Pairing with some real estate agents, she began holding the clothing swaps in empty houses. “At the last swap, I remember neighbors and even other curious real estate agents asking what type of caravan was going on that had so many people attending,” said Meg Richards-Boeff.
After so much success on a small, private scale, the two ladies decided to take the clothing swap idea to the next level and open it up as a larger public event. The business is called Given Take Boutique, and their first public clothing swap will be on May 1. The event will be hosted in a south Atlanta location. Tickets will cost $22, and guests will purchase the tickets as they drop off a minimum of 10 items of clothing for swapping.
For more information about tickets or Given Take Boutique, check the website www.GivenTakeBoutique.com or get event information at their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pages/Given-Take-Boutique).
You can look forward to other swaps in different areas of town from now on. If you find this to be the perfect time of year to cull your wardrobe, why not make it out to an event and score some new spring duds!
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