Why the Revolving Wardrobe?

Or how choosing a name has shaped our upcoming Clothes Swap

For the longest time I have wanted to include regular clothes swaps as part of the services that are offered by Tales in Style. It has felt a particularly frustrating goal thanks to everything that has happened during the pandemic.

Finally, the time seemed right. This coinciding with the launch of a new community space, The Live Well Centre Kew, was definitely auspicious.

Attending a clothes swap in nearby Molesey inspired the name. Having chosen some beautiful swaps from their collection I sat with a cup of coffee and watched everyone enjoying the event.

One woman called out as another brought in a bunch of clothes “Oh, you’ve got The Dress”. Another added “I wore that to xxxx’s wedding” and another “that’s what I wore to my son’s prize giving”. This joyous exchange felt so much more rewarding than ideas of “outfit of the day”.

The concept of a communal wardrobe with women revelling in the shared experiences of wearing a beautiful dress is why I chose the name The Revolving Wardrobe. Maybe I am being fanciful but the connections we make through sharing feel so powerful.

We don’t create meaning by always having a new, on trend outfit. That story will always be one of consumption. Sure we can add meaning by getting a piece handmade, or buying from skilled artisans but how much more rewarding to pass these beautiful pieces on along with your experiences of the happy times you wore them.

This event coincides with Fashion Revolution Week as we are committed to supporting a more sustainable way of living. Our aim is to offer the opportunity to find beautiful pre-loved garments & accessories that will be new to you. We would love you to join us on Saturday 23rd April 10am, in Kew.