EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Bachleorette Jen Schefft's Recessionista Chic Concept
Jan. 23 2010, Published 1:40 p.m. ET
Bachelor and Bachelorette star Jen Schefft has a new hubby, a killer job in PR and has a great idea for staying fabulously chic in the midst of financial crisis. RadarOnline.com recently caught up with the gorgeous blonde in Los Angeles, where she dished about her Closet Swap party concept, which is a frugal, yet chic way to keep your closet fresh and fashionable!
"What is one woman's fashion castoff is another woman's find!" she enthusiastically explains about her "Closet Swap" party idea, where you and your closest girlfriends get together all the clothes that have been collecting dust in your closets, set a date, and exchange threads over a few glasses of wine and female bonding.
The best part about Jen's Closet Swap concept, is that has a charitable edge. Get each of your friends to bring a $5 donation, pool it all together, and make a donation to the charity of your choice.
Want to throw a Closet Swap Party of your own? Read on in Style to get Jen's ten steps on how to host a fabulously stylish soiree.
1. Create Your Guest List - Make a list (complete with email addresses) of your favorite gal pals you want to invite to your very own Closet Swap party.
2. Click, Type and Send Your Invite - Log on to www.littleblackdresswines.com and click on the Little Black Dress Wines Closet Swap invitation which conveniently explains the party concept for guests. Type in your guest list, party date and local charity details (see step 5) and send away! You can also create a fun "event" page for your Facebook friends!
3. Discover Your Forgotten Treasures - What's one woman's forgotten fashion is another woman's fab find! Before your Closet Swap party, invite your friends to look through their closets with an open mind and pick out a couple items (clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry, scarves, etc.) they rarely, if ever, wear and are willing to part with. Tell them to bag it and bring it!
4. Encourage the Little Black Dress-code The always classic little black dress is the perfect closet staple to pair with a variety of accessories to transform your look. Encourage your guests to don their favorite LBD to "try on" and "model" the various Closet Swap items.
5. Giving Back is Always in Style The best accessory is a happy heart. Since its introduction in 2006, Little Black Dress Wines (along with its supporters) has helped raise more than $100,000 to charity. Join in their efforts to make a difference and ask your guests to bring five dollars for "admission" into the Closet Swap, which will be donated to a local or favorite charity of your choice.
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6. Create a Stylish Space Pick a place in your home where you'll "set up shop" for the Closet Swap. Coordinate an empty area or clear off a table where guests can display their clothing and accessories available for "swapping." Don't forget to have a full length mirror on hand for guests to try on and admire their gal pals' items.
7. Cheers to the Perfect Accessory For Any Occasion - As the "Official Wine of Award Season," Little Black Dress Wines is toasted by some of the hottest and most stylish women in Hollywood. Stop by a local retailer (retail availability can be found on www.littleblackdresswines.com and pick up a couple bottles of Little Black Dress Wines to share. A good rule of thumb for entertaining is one bottle of wine for every two to three guests.
8. Prepare Some Pizzazz A fashionable party should be delicious too! Prepare some fun small plates to set out during the party for guests to nibble on. Cheese and veggie trays, hummus, dips and fun finger foods are always easy and affordable options.
9. Swap and Shop in an Orderly Fashion To easily keep track of the number of clothing and accessories each person donates (and the number they get to take home!), give each guest one poker chip for every item they bring. Before the swapping begins, draw numbers to determine the order in which guests will make their selection. When it's time to get "swapping", guests can select one item during round one and go in order (ie. guest who picked 1 goes first); during the second round, guests should select two items and reverse the order of who picks first; the third round, guests select three items and so on. Any leftover items should be donated to a worthy local charity.
10. Drum roll, please Presenting Your Very Own "Closet Swap!" As guests arrive, welcome them with a glass of Little Black Dress Wine or other beverage of their choice, collect their entry fee (for charity), give them their poker chips and take their swapping items to the designated Closet Swap space. When there¹s a lull in the ³chitchat,² have them pick numbers and let the swapping begin! Review the ground rules and direct guests (a couple at a time) to enter the closet swapping area, where they have free reign to try on clothing and accessories and take an item. While not shopping and swapping, guests can mix and mingle, toast their friends, and rave about their new fashion finds!