OK, so being the fashion editor and, let’s not lie, a law student, I occasionally feel the need to put on some airs and graces – the kind that would fit right in on The Devil Wears Prada/Amanda of Ugly Betty. Things that cause me to drop the cool, sophisticated,
somewhat cynical and occasionally downright cold façade include (useful) free gifts with magazines I regularly buy anyway,
MAC limited edition ranges, American Apparel’s unisex circular scarf and a swap-shop in Dublin.
Now that the formalities are over with, can we get back to how excited I am? I’ve already registered for my ticket at
[email protected], I can’t wait to pay my €5 and raid my wardrobe for five items in good, clean, wearable condition. I’m already imagining turning up at Powerscourt
and having the lovely girls take my old stuff away and give me tokens for bright, shiny, new old stuff. There will be bartering and rummaging for the type of things you see on other people and wonder where does one buy things like that?
As if that’s not enough (!) the lovely people at roughgem are providing cakes and punch! There will be a make-up artist! Not to mention a DJ, but more importantly; a photo booth – to take photos of this excitement
in action! (I am aware of my over-use of exclamation marks, but really, if you were looking at me right this second, you would know I’m actually toning it down.) There will be a stall stacked high with vintage and handmade clothing and accessories – and I have been solemnly promised that not one item on this stall shall cost more than a mere €10!
In case you all don’t know/are in denial, there have been a few rumours circulating
that we’re in a credit crunch, a financial pickle, ie, the shit has hit the economic fan. Also, it seems that we are, in fact, the generation
of the future, and are supposed to be all “environmental”, “eco-friendly”, and generally “green”.
Combine this with the fact that apparently
everywhere from Penneys to our beloved Topshop uses child labour, consider
that Lindsay Lohan was using her popularity(?) for the greater good this summer
– to promote Visa Swap Shop in Covent
Garden – it seems that swap-shopping is not only unbelievably inexpensive, but
guilt-free and ethical. And, clearly, all the cool kids are doing it.
If you want an example of such cool kids, see bluebirdsaresonatural.wordpress.com; it’s the blog of the two lovely lovely ladies who masterminded and organised and single-
handedly (excepting the hands of their many friends) the Dublin swapshop.
Fall a little bit in love with both Katie and Ailbhe and their musings on fashion, music, Dublin and occasionally even life in general.
And if you didn’t manage to make it to the swapshop, have a look on there on the third Saturday of every month – where the girls put a few items up for grabs on the website and all you have to do is get there first, claim it and find something to send to them in return.
Aren’t they nice?
