We’ve all heard of clothing swap parties—you clean out your closet, bring all the dresses, tops, shoes and bags you never wear anymore, everyone else does the same, and you, well, swap. Now, a company called ThredUp is taking that same idea to the wilds of the internet. You post and give details about the items in your closest that are up for grabs and enter in exactly what you’re looking for and the site chooses clothes that fit your description that other people have grown tired of. Items are exchanged according to a schedule and using prepaid envelopes—like Netflix, for fashion! Sounds peachy, right? Well, not so fast. There are a few “issues” that I’m not so fond of ...

In my last column, when I gave five tips for staying chic for cheap during this economic crunch (and beyond), I promised to tell you everything you need to know for throwing a kick-ass clothing swap. Not only is a clothing swap a great excuse to organize your closets, get rid of stuff you no longer want, and gather a group of girlfriends for an afternoon or evening of cocktails and clothes, it’s also an opportunity to score some totally free new-to-you outfits and accessories. I mentioned in my last column that I found one of my favorite dresses — a vintage summer maxi dress — at a clothing swap a couple years ago, but I’ve also scored some cool jewelry, a couple silk vintage slips, a few purses, and once I even nabbed a pair of barely-worn Seven jeans that fit like a glove (for once, I was grateful for my curvy hips). Hey, one woman’s trash is another woman’s favorite pants, so after the jump, my top six tips for throwing a successful clothing swap…