At swap meet, women gain clothes, goods and friendship
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BY ERIN ANDERSEN / Lincoln Journal Star
In these tough economic times, buying a pricey Kate Spade purse may seem irresponsible.
But what if that purse is free?
And what if there was not one but two Kate Spade bags up for grabs?
Could you justify taking them both?
You bet, says Deb Yeutter, who walked out of Kristi Shoemaker’s house Friday night with the two pristine handbags.
From jewelry to boots to little black dresses, about two dozen women weeded out and spruced up their wardrobes at the second annual Swap Meet, hosted by Shoemaker and Susan Kriz.
The idea is simple.
Each woman is asked to bring three to five gently used items from their closets, drawers and jewelry boxes to swap.
“It’s a great excuse to get a bunch of women together,” said Shoemaker, noting that many women are too busy with work, family and other obligations to enjoy time with other women.
“I love finding ways for women to be together,” she said.
“And it’s a great way to clean out the closet,” Kriz added.
The first swap was held in the summer of 2007, after Shoemaker read a magazine article about clothes swaps.
It was a small gathering but memorably enjoyable, say those who went.
For the 2008 event, Shoemaker and Kriz added a second swap. Each invitee was encouraged to bring a friend “so we all can meet them and make new gal pal friends,” the invitation said.
Over cosmopolitans and hors d’oeuvres, the women perused the dresses and jackets hung from closet hinges, the handbags and scarves lining the open staircase, and tables of necklaces, earrings, boots and sandals. They shared styles and stories as they window-shopped.
Yeutter spotted the Kate Spade faux fur handbag early on. She surreptitiously slung it over her forearm, hoping no one would notice.
At 8:16 p.m., Shoemaker stood in the foyer and proclaimed: Everybody start shopping.
The only rule: “You grab what you like. It’s like a Miller & Paine white sale.”
Anything left will be donated.
Laura Gyhra took a Limited black dress that still had its tags.
“I think my little black dress has gotten too little, so here we go,” she said holding up the sleeveless number.
Susan Booth drove from Omaha for the swap. She went home with a blazer, blouse and belt. Her friend Sara Conrad modeled the necklace she picked up.
“You took my necklace!” Booth exclaimed.
Good friends, same good taste.
Becky Moreland found a leopard print short jacket with faux fur collar. It looked small, and she almost didn’t try it on. But it fit like a glove “and guess what? It’s mine,” she said.
Amid much competition, Bonnie Macaraig netted the shimmering champagne-colored Wet Seal coat. Lots of women tried it on. But Macaraig was the only woman whom it truly fit.
“For the first time in my life, I’m glad I have no breasts,” she said.
M’Liss Montgomery snagged the cafe-patterned short jacket she spied the minute it hit the living room.
“I hid it,” she confided. “I just kept moving it around.”
And as Shoemaker sounded the shopping call, Montgomery stood right in front of the jacket and snatched it before anyone else figured out where it had gone.
At the jewelry table, a beaded bracelet with an angel dog charm spoke to her.
It was a sign from Ruffles, her late Saint Bernard.
“She’s in dog heaven and she’s an angel dog,” Montgomery said.
Jane Burkey brought both the jacket and bracelet.
“Sometimes things just click. It’s nice to see your stuff on someone else,” Burke said.
Reach Erin Andersen at 473-7217 or eandersen@journalstar.com.
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Woman wrote on November 20, 2008 2:00 pm:
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