Spot Tries: Clothing Swap Party at Vintage Weekend x Basically Borrowed

(SPOT.ph) Walking inside the Vintage Weekend market last weekend at Xception in Makati, I spotted a huge banner that said: “Clothes deserve a second chance. Not your ex.” It had me nodding along, echoing the sentiment as I looked through racks upon racks of clothes waiting to be given new life. Secondhand and vintage shops do exactly that, giving old, pre-loved items a new home with a new purpose. 

Local vintage shops that sell secondhand clothes are one thing, but inside Vintage Weekend was another event that gave "second chances" a whole meaning. By event I mean a clothing swap party, which we got to participate in for the first time during our visit.

Also read: Making a Case for the Pre-Loved: Why Secondhand Shopping Is the Better Online Habit

What is a clothing swap party?

The clothing swap party is courtesy of Basically Borrowed, a community fashion-sharing hub that has been around since 2019. It’s their first-ever swap this year, but keep an eye out because there should be more to come.

What’s a clothing swap party? It’s an event where people bring clothes they no longer wear or have outgrown, and trade them for “new” pieces (a.k.a. other people's pre-loved items). This sustainable approach to shopping feels like going to an ukay-ukay, but without the uncertainty of the clothes' origins—yes, you don’t have to worry whether the owners of the clothes are still alive. Heck, you can even meet them, learn their stories, and go home with not just "new" clothes but new friends. Clothing swap parties can help you declutter and bring new pieces into your wardrobe without actually shelling out money for it. At the same time, it minimizes overspending and even unnecessary waste.

Jessie Jiang started Basically Borrowed in 2019 as an online consignment shop for pre-loved fashion. Its purpose was to immediately rehome or share her old clothes after going through some big life changes, which included moving from Singapore to Manila. 

"My vision was to create a platform that would allow style-conscious people to share fashion easily," she told SPOT.ph. She had to close down the online shop due to the pandemic, but shifted her focus on content creation and community building instead.

Basically Borrowed's clothing swap parties see around 30 to 90 attendees, depending on the venue, location, and theme, among others. 

Also read:
10 Thrift-Shopping Tips, According to a Frequent Bargain-Hunter
The SPOT.ph Guide to Ukay-Ukay Shops in Cubao

My clothing swap party experience

I brought ten of my clothes to the swap, which can have a participation fee, depending on the event. In this case, it was P500 to join. It took me a long time to decide on the clothes to contribute, but ultimately, I settled for a few tops, a pair of jeans, and a cute, green checkered dress with a retro vibe (which really didn’t fit me well and I only wore a few times). The rest were just items I realized I hadn't worn at all last year. Unfortunately, I was too excited to take photos of the clothes I gave away. Here are old pictures, though.

What clothes do they accept?

Of course, the clothes you bring to a swap have to be in good condition with no major flaws. Make sure they don't have holes, tears, permanent stains, excessive fading, broken zippers, et cetera. Pieces should also be clean, while buttons, snaps, and closures should be functional. Undergarments, swimwear, and socks are not accepted for swapping. 

After a little chat with Jesse who gave me a rundown of what clothing swap parties are (as a first-timer), I handed over the clothes to her, and she told me to just pick out pieces from the “selection.”

Jeans and other bottoms were displayed on one table, tops on another, and dresses hung neatly on racks. Shoes, accessories, and bags were also available. There were even bags filled with clothes on the floor. The selection was vast—I was told I could take home as many pieces as I brought—with a wide variety of different sizes, colors, materials, and designs. I spent most of my time browsing through tops: shirts, blouses, polos, button-downs, and a whole lot more. There was a knitted green vest that I had a hard time deciding whether to get or not (I ultimately didn't).

I excitedly went through the wide array of clothing. I gushed (internally) at other people's choices and even kept an eye out for my own contributions to see if ever someone had picked them up (and maybe even strike up a conversation about them). Unfortunately, I never got to see them get picked up while I was there, which would have been cool. I repeatedly returned to the clothing pile, checking for any new additions. I also browsed the local brands selling vintage pieces downstairs (Milagro Clothing, Poplin, Nami Collective, Hiyas Maria, Part of Growing Up, Vintage Party, and Love, Dianna, among others) before returning to the swap area. This went on for about three times, and with each visit, I added one item to my "cart." 

There's a front desk-slash-cashier where I signed up for the swap. After picking out your "new" clothes, just head back to this desk to log how many items you're taking home from the party. 

I ended up with five pieces of "new" clothing from the swap, five new items to refresh my wardrobe without spending too much money—while also freeing up so much space in my closet. Instead of being buried inside my closet and never seeing the light of day, the clothes I contributed will be able to find a new home and purpose with someone else, just as I did for someone else's clothes. 

What happens to clothes that are not taken?

According to Jessie, they are rolled over to the next two clothing swap parties. And if they're still not taken by then, they donate the clothes to charities. 

"We have also worked with designers to upcycle some select pieces. For example, in September 2024, we provided 16 leftover denim items to designer Irene Subang (who teaches at SoFa and iAcademy) for her upcycling project," she shared.

Basically Borrowed is always on the lookout for other designers who can do the same, as well. 

My verdict? There are so many things to love about clothing swap parties. One, they're sustainable. You don't have to throw away your clothes or keep buying more clothes. This also leads to our second reason: Clothing swaps save you money, letting you acquire new pieces for your wardrobe without spending too much cash. These parties can help free up space in your home and make the most out of your own clothes. Plus, they can get you to experiment on other styles and make new friends. 

Also read:
10 Stores Where You Can Cop Curated Vintage Pieces
Find Graphic Tees, Designer Goods + More at This Hidden Vintage Store in Maginhawa
Cop Leather Jackets From This Hole-in-the-Wall Thrift Store in QC