FAQ

Q: Why do you say "femme," not "womens"?

A: Because we recognize that clothing has no gender, just style. We don't assume our swappers are only women.

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Q: Do I have to stay for the whole four hours?

A: Not if you don't want to. These events are like open houses, people come and go as their day allows. Some drop their clothes, give their size a look-over, maybe grab one or two things, and take off. Others stay for the whole thing, and spend just as much time hanging out with friends as they do going over the tables.

 

Q: What can I expect at the event?

A: You'll drop off your swap items with our volunteers as you enter the swap, so you can get right to the tables to find the clothes you're bringing home with you. Everything on the swap tables is available for you to choose from. If you see something you want, you take it. The items on the tables rotate frequently as people come into the event, we recommend a few pass-throughs over an hour or two to get a really good look at what comes in.

 

Q: Are the events accessible for disabled swappers?​

A: Yes, the event space is ground level and barrier-free.

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Q: Are there dressing rooms?

A: There are spacious accessible bathrooms that double as dressing rooms, yes.

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Q: What's the parking like?

A: Ample, accessible, and free! While we recommend carpooling for the environmental and community benefits, there's plenty of parking for everyone. The space is also on multiple bus lines, check The Rapid for schedules and more information.

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Q: Can we leave and re-enter?

A: Absolutely! Feel free to pop in and out of the event as your schedule allows. We also encourage you to run your Swap finds back to your car as your bags fill up, and come back in for more!

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Q: Can we bring food/drinks?

A: Yes, we just ask that all drinks have secure lids, and that food is kept away from the swap tables.

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Q: What should I bring with me?

A: Your allergy medications. We'll have masks and gloves available, because clothes come in from households with all kinds of pets. If you have contact or respiratory issues with any kind of animal dander, you'll want to come prepared to be in contact with it until you can launder your swap finds.

 

Also, a large bag or box to hold your swap finds as you're sorting through the tables.

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Q: What shouldn't I bring with me?

A: We recommend bringing as little into the swap with you as possible. If it's something that you need to set down to use both your hands, don't bring it. If it's a cold day and you're wearing any outerwear into the event, we strongly recommend using the coat rack in the dance studio lobby, or leaving your outerwear in your car.

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Q: Do I need to sort my donations, or put them on hangers?

A: We ask that your donations be freshly laundered if they have been worn (you'd be surprised how much comes in with the original tags intact!), but they don't need to be sorted in any way, and you do not need to provide hangers.

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Q: Will there be maternity wear?

A: We welcome and encourage maternity wear, but it really depends on what swappers bring to each event. Traditionally, actual maternity wear is pretty rare to find at our swaps, but since we offer such a diverse range of sizes, we have non-maternity wear that would fit a pregnant body (elastic waists, forgiving cuts, stretchy fabrics, etc), so pregnant folks will still find helpful clothes for their maternity and postpartum time.

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Q: Can we drop off clothes for the event in advance?

A: Short answer: No. We are not an organization with a brick and mortar space or storage and transportation capacity, so we only take clothing donations during the swap event hours. If you cannot make it to the swap event but have clothing to donate, we recommend taking it to Helping Hands Mission Thrift, 1008 Leonard St. NW, Grand Rapids.

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On the flip side of that, and for the same reason, you also cannot pick up any donations in advance of the event. We simply haven't collected them yet in advance of the event.

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Q: I really don't have anything to swap...

A: That is absolutely fine, come anyway, get more clothes! ​

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Q: I just don't know what I'm looking for, this is so overwhelming...

A: The 3 Witches at the center of this event, as well as the core volunteers who have been with the swap since the beginning, are style and fashion enthusiasts who love helping people discover their true selves through clothes. Any of us would be happy to help you go through the swap and style some outfits for yourself, please just ask any staff member to help you or to introduce you to a stylist.

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Q: Can my tween/teen come with me?

A: as long as they're in an adult XS or larger, they're welcome to swap! We accept Juniors sizes along with adult sizes, our signage translates how the sizes compare to each other in fit.

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Q: Will I need a sitter?

A: Yes, please bring them along with you! We will have a nursing lounge and kid's area in one of the smaller dance studios. The space will be unsupervised, so make sure your littles have someone age 18+ accompanying them into the event to keep an eye on them, so you can focus on the clothing tables. Strollers are welcome, just know that this is a very busy and crowded event, having a stroller with you may make it harder to navigate the Swap rooms. 

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Q: Can I bring [anything other than femme clothes, shoes, & accessories] to swap?

A: We will have some tables in the nursing lounge for kids clothes and toys. Otherwise, we do ask that you stick to femme and gender neutral clothes, shoes, and personal accessories - we don't have the space for things like linens, home accessories, kitchen gadgets, etc.

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Are these the kinds of items you would like to swap? 3 Witches is both open to coordinating other swaps in addition to our semi-annual femme clothing swaps by request, as well as mentoring anyone who wants to get into hosting their own swap events, big or small. Email us at 3witchesclothingswaps@gmail.com either way.

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Q: What if I encounter any kind of problem or emergency while attending your event?

A: Please alert any of our staff of volunteers! We will take action to assist you immediately.

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Our Swap Rules (below) regarding swapper's conduct will be posted outside of each swap room. If anyone is in violation of these rules, we encourage other swappers to let us know, so we can rectify the situation quickly and keep the swap a fun and safe place for everyone.

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• Respect your fellow swappers. Bring your clothes, not your drama.

• This is a safe space for gender expression and exploration.

• Anyone under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

• Please go to swap staff with any concerns or questions you may have.

• Swap organizers reserve the right to remove anyone disrespecting the swap rules.