Fashion Swap – we should all be stylish as we (credit) crunch
Want to look great during the credit crunch? Tired of too much clutter in your wardrobe?
This weekend, I’m taking some of my closet treasures to The Look’s Fashion Swap. Really love this idea – bring up to 10 pieces and get points to shop other people’s stuff next weekend when the swap begins. They’ll be selling bags to support Jo’s Trust as well – for only £2.
But I’m bummed that you can only bring 10 pieces this weekend, although I guess this makes it easier for the organizers and also ensures that the standard is high (better stuff get more points). So since I’m first clearing my closet, I’ve been looking online for a swap site based on a similar model.
I think there is a gap in the market here.
Most sites connect users and let them swap items directly with each other – but this makes it really difficult to swap! You’ve got to be the same size, you’ve got to like what the other person offers in return… and that’s not likely to happen in a snap. Which is what you’d expect from an online experience. Other swap sites copy ebay – swop or buy – but to me, it’s not swapping when money is involved.
What’s Mine Is Yours is a beautiful, fun site for swappers, but with all the above restrictions.
Swishing is a service which will let you create a swap event and invite friend via email – but you swap offline.
Swapit’s model comes close, but it’s not a fashion site, the content is dreaful, the site is busy and complicated to use. You also need to buy “swapit” points to “swap” items – which isn’t really swapping, is it.
I’m convinced there is a market for someone to create an amazing swap system. We’d send our stuff off to them – they’d evaluate it and decribe the item’s condition before posting them online. When swapped, they’d send it off to a new home and credit our accounts. I’m paying for Flickr to store my photos, so why would I not pay for an account on a fashion site to store my clothes?
If you know of anything like this online, please leave a comment!
See also:
About the author
Honed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Elin's skills encompass interaction design, information architecture and content. She is from somewhere very cold.
-
Comments (9)
-
Responses (0)
Covert Candy is a new site that just launched in beta that does exactly that. At the moment I don’t think there’s enough up there for it to be entirely valuable, but I guess that’s the issue any similar start-up will face!
http://www.covertcandy.co.uk/
Fiona
January 23, 2009
at 5:45 pm
Hi Fiona,
Thanks so much for that link! Looks like they launched just three weeks ago, so you’re right, they’re probably making a lot of amends.
They’re not doing exactly what I described, though – they’re still making users ship off the clothes directly between each other instead of being a hub, and I think there is a lot of trust issues that has to be overcome for that to work well.
I browsed around bit and was surprised that they didn’t feature any users or clothes on the front page, or show any activity at all – I think that adds to the feeling that there is not much there. I couldn’t get much of a feel of the site without registering – so I filled in my details but gave up after my 5th try to enter the security code… really hard to read! Hopefully they’ll do something about that:)
Elin
January 26, 2009
at 10:01 am
I go to 3 or 4 swap parties a year with my girlfreinds and love it!! I’m also going to the Look event in London… and i use a brilliant clothes swap website called Bigwardrobe.com. Definately worth a look. Happy swapping xxx
amanda
January 26, 2009
at 11:52 am
Bigwardrobe website is:
http://www.bigwardrobe.com
amanda
January 26, 2009
at 11:53 am
I think the strength of CovertCandy is that is overcomes the limitations of a one on one swap. Once you have sold an item and got your credits you can buy any item on the site. This opens up the possibilities massively. I noticed they put a browse function on the home page and there are actually some nice items up. Btw elin the security code is case sensitive. I had that problem to. I agree it does need to grow to get really good.
alexandra
January 26, 2009
at 4:19 pm
Thanks so much for that link, Amanda! Will have a look at this one too:)
Hi Alexandra! I agree that overcoming the “one on one” swap problem is a strength! But when it comes to the case sensitive security code, well I tried that too:) Maybe I was just morning grumpy and couldn’t see very well – so I’ll give it a try again.
Got my points from the swap – will be posting video footage from the line soon at my Vimeo account. Maybe I’ll see you next weekend, somewhere in the crowds!
Elin
January 26, 2009
at 4:34 pm
Btw, I don’t look like my avatar:)
Elin
January 26, 2009
at 4:35 pm
Hi Elin,
We’re working on it! We building Sharewear by developing trust in an off-line community and gathering a wardrobe large enough to be interesting online. Have a look at our blog please!!
Btw we’re swapping and up-cycling with teenagers this weekend in Herne Hill… more details on the blog
binki taylor
January 27, 2009
at 2:05 pm
Hi Binki!
That sounds really interesting – will follow your blog:) Let me know when you’re launching!
Elin
January 28, 2009
at 6:02 pm