How to Throw a Clothing Exchange Party

1.

Plan the party menu with snack foods that won't leave a messy residue on those shopping fingers -- such as cheese, grapes, crackers and pretzels. Include some decadent small desserts like bite-sized brownies or cupcakes. Serve a spiked punch, margaritas or an assortment of wines.

2.

Decide the best way to display the merchandise you're expecting. Dresses show best on a hanger so consider converting space in a bedroom closet into a temporary dress rack. Plan to display everything else by clothing type on tables or organized stacks on clean rugs, carpeting or as a last resort, the floor.

3.

Enlist a couple of friends who possess that creative flair to come early to help you decorate your temporary boutique. Include as many mirrors as possible and arrange for a few semi-private areas for guests to try on their finds.

4.

Give each guest a ticket for every piece of clothing she brings to exchange at the party. Consider giving double tickets for designer or high-end clothing pieces and requiring a higher number of tickets to "purchase" these items.

5.

Arrange in advance for your creative friends to quickly move the incoming clothes to their designated areas. Direct your guests to the snack and beverage lounge until all the attendees have arrived and your boutique is fully stocked.

6.

Draw numbers to decide the shopping order. Give your guests enough time to shop through the clothes and identify items they want to "buy" with their tickets.

7.

Start the exchange process with lucky girl No. 1 selecting her "new" item and trying it on for fit. The second in line can select hers right away or wait to see if the first item chosen doesn't fit and goes back on the rack. Continue down through the list until all your guests have made all their selections.