Ellington

You know you have them: shoes, clothes, belts and purses in your closet that you will never wear again. Maybe your favorite standby pair of black pants doesn't fit anymore. Maybe that leopard-print mini-skirt you got on sale never fit, but you bought it hoping one day it would. Maybe you are tired of your favorite sundress after wearing it to every wedding and graduation for the past three years.

Even though I give several bulging trash bags to Goodwill every year, I still end up with closets full of clothes that I never wear.

"Swishing," as it's called in England, is a new craze where people gather with unwanted clothes and swap them. Over the past year, when I lived in Spain, my British friend introduced me to swishing parties, and I was pleased to replace clothes—which had been simply hanging in my closet, reminding me of impulse buys—with cool new clothes from nice brands. It was also refreshing to see my friends breathe new life into my old clothes when they styled them in their own ways.

Here are the keys to having your own swishing party:

Invite your friends.
Keep in mind their ages, sizes and styles.

Bring clothes.
Everyone who attends must bring at least one clean, good quality item of clothing or accessory (or set a higher minimum). There is no limit on how many clothes you can bring; huge bags of unwanted clothes are welcome.

Don't forget it's a party.
Have snacks, drinks and music to remind everyone that it is not simply a business affair.

Allow 30 minutes to peruse.
Lay out the clothes where they are visible, and let the guests chat and check out the clothes before the swishing begins.

Ready! Set! Go!
There are several ways to swap clothes. Many people enjoy a free-for-all in which you can keep whatever you can grab. Other, more civilized people, prefer taking turns taking an item from the pile and trying it on. Still others do it "auction" style and hold up each item. If more than one person is interested in an item, they can all try it on, and the rest can vote to decide who it looks better on. Whatever you decide, make sure you have full-length mirrors available for trying on the clothes.

Don't Forget Leftovers
Take what no one wants to the Salvation Army, 110 Presto Lane, or N.U.T.S., 114 Millsaps Ave. Then go home and enjoy your new wardrobe.