A fashion phenomenon has been springing up across the country and is now due to make its debut in North Devon on 26 and 27 May. Swishing is a chance to swap your unwanted or ill-fitting clothes for a new look, exchanging your familiar attire for something completely different.
Sarah Harper owner of Rowan Tree Studio, who is co-organising the event, says: ‘Swishing began in London in 2007 as a way to make clothes shopping more sustainable. Rather than constantly purchasing new clothes, swishing encourages people to swap their items, creating less waste. It’s a low-cost way of creating a new wardrobe and making new friends. Any item can be swished, from evening gowns to winter coats and shoes to scarves and jewellery. The only thing we won’t accept is underwear.’
Participants should bring along clean, unwanted clothing which they are happy to swap. Registration starts at 10:30am, where swishers drop off their clothes and pick up their registration card. The clothes are then graded using a points system to ensure people partaking don’t arrive with a Gucci dress and leave with a Primark jumper. Swishers will also be able to browse the racks at this time.
At midday the fun begins and swishing starts in earnest. Those who bring high-end goods will get an initial 30 minutes to choose something from the allocated rack, before it opens to everyone. Swishers take the goods they wish to swap to the registration desk and have them stamped out on their card.
From 3pm onwards on both days swishers will be able to add money to their points to buy other items. All the clothes, shoes and accessories left over will be donated to a local charity shop. There will also be the opportunity to pick up hints and tips on up-cycling existing clothes using buttons, ribbon and much more.
Natalie Savage, Visitor Services Manager at Arlington Court says, ‘It’s wonderful to be hosting this initial event at Arlington. The back drop of the house is the perfect setting and will hopefully create enough distraction for those husbands and partners who are not interested in swishing.’
Entrance charges will still apply across the weekend, with free entry for National Trust members. To encourage visitors, anyone bringing 5 or more items to swap will be entitled to free entry on 26 and 27 May, saving up to £9.20 per person.
For more details please contact Rowan Tree Studio on 01237 431932 or Arlington Court on 01271 850296.
