Have you ever exchanged clothes with someone? Has anyone ever given you their clothes as a gesture of love or to keep you warm? Have you ever given someone something that is significant to you and was hard to give away?
email stories and photos to cincinnaticlotheswap@gmail.com I'll include them here.
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email stories and photos to cincinnaticlotheswap@gmail.com I'll include them here.
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Feb 5
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Throughout my life, my good friends have demonstrated their generosity and kindness through the giving of clothing. Clothes are items that are very personal to many young women. They have the power to transform us, and they allow us to express our style and identity. In addition, they can connect us to the people we know and love, and allow us to share ourselves with others.
Like many young college students, I did not have money to spend on books, let alone clothes. Luckily, I began to form close relationships with several women who I have continued to stay in touch with over the years. Early on, we realized that swapping our clothes was a great way to extend the life of our clothing, and gave our closets a breath of fresh air. My friends provided a large portion of my wardrobe with clothes that they no longer wanted. We would stash our misfit articles in a large plastic bag until we were all together, where we would sift through, try on, and test out the otherwise unwanted treasures.
As I have now entered my thirties, I am still wearing many of those same items from ten years ago. More than a few of those items I could not bear to part with. When I get out of bed in the morning, I put on an old coffee-colored cardigan from Corrina. It looks pretty shabby after years of abuse, but I love it just the same. A friend I used to work with, Connie, gave me an old chenille bath robe that was her mother’s. I step into it every time I get out of the shower, and it is well over fifty years old. During the winter months, I wear Shannon’s leather boots with Sarah’s corduroy skirt. The boots are the nicest pair of shoes that I own, and I intend to wear them for as long as I can.
Many of the clothing articles slowly travel through other circles of friends, bringing with them old memories. Some of the items have seen various parts of the country or even the world. It’s as if we’re all carrying around an extra identity--Erin is wearing Corrina, Sarah is wearing Shannon, and I’m wearing Sarah. These items allow me to feel connected to my amazing and talented friends, and I hope that the items that I have shared create a similar connection. We still swap clothes when we get together, even though that may only be once in a while. Since we all live very far apart, I am not always able to see my friends, but I am reminded of their kindness daily.
