Dusk 'til dawn: Swapping at the discotheque

Set off to a party in one outfit and head back home in another. From 23 to 28 May it will happen to a lot of women, as six clubs across Flanders and Brussels host “swapping”. Swapping (also called swishing) originated in the US but has gained a foothold in Flanders, especially in clothing shops. The concept is simple: make a selection of nice clothes you no longer wear, team up with a group of girls and start swapping!

For the big spring edition in Hasselt (23/5 Versuz), Bruges (24/5 Entrenous), Ghent (25/5 Culture Club), Leuven (26/5 3Hoog), Brussels (27/5 Havana Club) and Antwerp (28/5 Café d’Anvers) a few rules apply. Show up by 19.00, pay €10 and hand over your clothes to a team of stylists. They’ll reward each item with “swap dots” – up to four. The more clothes you bring, the more dots you get.

Around 20.00, browse the racks with clothes, try them on, then hang a “wanted” sign on the items you fancy. Should there be several girls after the same item, you use your swap dots to bid.

Stylists will even help you make the right outfit choices. But the €10 you’ve paid goes much further: A Toni&Guy team of hairdressers and make-up artists are available for a complete make-over, and Flair magazine photographers will snap pictures of the new you. Make sure you pick up your goodie bag before you leave!

All the events finish by midnight, at which point you can hit more clubs and bars in your new togs.

www.swapping.be

Katrien Lindemans

(May 18, 2011)