I Swapped Clothes With Random Strangers!

An attempt at taking "Practice what you preach" was taken a step further when the thought of going thrift shopping occurred to me. One might imagine it to be a task to find thrift stores in Mumbai- it was, but as I was hunting online for stores offering sustainable clothing alternatives I stumbled upon Nirali Shah (Instagram: @nirali.s) story promoting an event where people swapped clothes. Whatever excess items remain are donated to an NGO along with the registration amount collected. This opportunity to shop sustainably AND ethically was something I couldn't miss. Now, even for someone like me who is open to the concept of swapping clothes actually going ahead and wearing a random strangers clothes was hard. After giving myself a pep talk and decluttering my wardrobe I reached the venue, paid the registration fee, received tokens in exchange for my clothes and then used the tokens for the items of clothing I chose. However, since I didn't register online I had to pay twice the amount so I'd suggest registering online in advance to avoid any mishaps.

I picked out 17 different pieces of clothing.

1-An oversized denim like shirt with long sleeves somehow still manages to look minimalist , you can layer this with any basic outfit or simply button it up and tuck it in.

But what caught my eye was the detailing on the collar.

2- This shirt specifically was so calming to my eyes and the neutral tone of it with the detailing almost begged me to get it.

It's made with 100% polyester. I chose tying a knot at the bottom but you can tuck it in or wear it as it is. To each their own. Add a few scrunchies, a hydroflask, shell necklace and you'd be an instant VSCO girl without the oversized T-shirt.

3- Next "item of clothing" I got was something I mistook for a kurta only to realize it was a shirt once I reached home. This shirt seems to be made from cotton since there aren't any tags to state otherwise.

The print mimics polka dots, however, on a closer look it's a simple white and black teardrop pattern. Not complaining.

Like any other layer you can throw this together with your usual clothes.

4- For someone who loves to wear jumpers and sweatshirts throughout the year, actually buying them is a real dilemma. Most of these are made from either Acrylic or Polyester or even both. The next best option is wool which isn't something I'd voluntarily buy anymore. Now with the option of purchasing my favourite kind of clothing out of the window I chose this. Can you say I'm "somewhat" into neutral colours? Despite consisting of 100% acrylic getting this was a great choice since the material is now being recycled instead of ending up in a landfill.

5- It does take courage to blow a bubble while people stare at you from inside their cars. This tee is made with 100% cotton and is now being worn again. It's slightly more comfortable than a few other ones, the texture feels good on your skin and you can pair this up with PJ's or skinny jeans and it'd look just as good.

6- Re-wearing an oversized green top with leaf detailing and a pair of shorts seemed like a smart outfit choice to me for a climate strike. Again, the tags weren't available and I'm not sure what materials they're made of but they do feel comfortable to wear on a sunny day.

Whatever material it's made of is quite breathable and loose without stepping into the "oversized" category. The shorts were just like any other pair of shorts you might own.

7- As white as it can get. Nope, not Ryan Gosling. This white "Kurta-Patiala'' set with chikan embroidery ( did that sound like naan bread or chai tea?) is definitely one of my favourites. The material and lining inside is comfortable without being heavy. While the Kurta fit perfectly the lower half was slightly shorter than the ones I own which is understandable keeping in my mind my height. I paired it with my mom's dupatta to add a bit of colour to it and also to not seem like I'm on my way to attend a funeral.

8- Why go both ways when you can just stand and stare? Because you're confused that's why. This printed pair of bottoms are like wearing your PJ's to college without actually wearing one, it doesn't stick to your body and looks good with neutral tones and bright colours likewise AND HAS POCKETS. I'd suggest pairing it with a plain mint green top tucked in. The top I'm wearing here is made from cotton again and is similar to one I already own. I wouldn't wear it that often in comparison to the one I have.

Uploading only 11 items of clothing since the rest don't fit and some are just not something I see myself wearing now. If and when I do, you'll know.

A few things to keep in mind here are:

A- Make sure the clothes you're swapping are in good condition and wearable and only get clothes that you know are of use. There might be someone who'd love to wear the piece you have.

B- Reach on time to get your hands on the best items.

It can't be denied that there's still stigma attached with wearing someone else's clothes for hygiene reasons and even because it's an alien concept to most people. Normalizing this won't just lead you to experiment with clothes beyond your own comfort zone but also do less harm to our home planet and its finite resources.

Also, this is the first "outfit blog" I've ever attempted to write, I'm learning still. Let's thank Moksha(@moksha086) for letting me live my wannabe dreams at her place and for clicking roughly around a million pictures throughout the day.