Savannah Ladies' Community Clothing Swap
~ A Blissful, Free, and Fun Shopping Utopia ~
The Savannah Ladies' Community Clothing Swap is a grassroots event put on by me, Ashton Greene. Clothing Swaps build community, especially for ladies, and preserve resources. There are too many clothes in the world for anyone to ever feel like they can't afford to revamp their wardrobe. Everyone's got a pile of closet discards they want to rehome, and there's usually someone looking for exactly the piece you're letting go of, too. The system just works.
When we pool our pre-loved items together in one weekend-long event, the result is a ~Blissful, Free, and Fun Shopping Utopia.~ Our Clothing Swaps happen three times a year and are all about shopping sustainably and passing your beloved items on to someone who will give them new life with their fresh style. Even those who don't have anything to donate are welcome to come shop. There are always more than enough clothes to go around.
How did the Swap start?
As many girls who came of age in the 00's, I struggled with my body image and eating disorders throughout my teenage and early adult years. My weight fluctuated often, and I was in need of new clothes regularly. Clothing my body has felt stressful since I was in the single digits.
In my 20s, it felt stiflingly expensive to buy new clothes all the time so I could look and feel my best. I started keeping clothes that didn't fit me under my bed so that if I ever lost weight, I'd have them again. I even moved with the clothes as I migrated from Savannah to New York and back to Atlanta. It was literal baggage at this point.
As I tried to shove them under one more bed upon moving back to Savannah in 2017, I decided enough was enough. I invited my friend over to dig through my back stock of style, and she found SO much stuff. They were all things I'd loved or aspired to, but to see her enjoying them was immediately heartwarming and special. I gave her tons of goodies, and the Swap seed was planted.
The next time I had a giveaway pile going, I asked a few more friends to also bring their piles over one weekend, and we exchanged. It was 2019, and there were maybe 15 of us total. The joy pulsing through my house that day was astounding. Turns out all you need to create community is free clothes and a safe place to place to play dress-up.
Growing Savannah's Clothing Swap Community
In 2025, I took the Swap public for the first time in January. We've had 4 community Swaps since then with about 50 attendees at each. This year we look forward to growing our community even more.
Please reach out if you're interested in starting your own Swap and have questions or need support. These efforts make a difference in the community, the environment, and in people's lives. We are all that we need, and I'm here to help anyone who will answer the call to create something beautiful.