The Swap Party on Guangba Road

By Ershisikou

At 4 or 5 o’clock on a Sunday afternoon, it is darker than before because of the pouring rain.Many visitors flood here during the cherry blossom season, making Guangba Road even more crowded and noisy on such a rainy day.

In the deep alleys, people put away their dripping umbrellas and walk into a small café. Sherry is serving the customers with cakes and drinks while Giorgia is busy preparing the colored tabs for the swap party on the window.

A small-sized swap party is to be held here. Sherry and Giorgia are organizing it. Sherry is the owner of Gatto Café who likes wearing a baseball cap backward.She is slim, yet has been in business for four years.Giorgia is from Italy and has taught Italian in Wuhan for many years. She is not particularly good at speaking Mandarin, but knows enough for simple communication.

The swap party, to put it in another way, is more or less a second-hand exchange party: each participant can take out two spare tops, two spare bottoms, and two accessories to exchange at the party.

This party was initiated by Giorgia—for this kind of second-hand exchange activity is very common in Italy. Sherry said that she agreed to do it together after hearing the idea. As soon as they hit it off, they began to prepare separately.

星期天的雨越下越大，下午四五點(diǎn)鐘天色已全部暗下來，櫻花季和雨讓本就嘈雜的廣八路更顯擁擠和混亂。

從人來人往的小道轉(zhuǎn)向小巷子里，收起濕淋淋的傘，小小一間咖啡館里滿是人。雪莉在吧臺(tái)里準(zhǔn)備著蛋糕和飲品，喬治亞在窗戶邊準(zhǔn)備著置換派對(duì)要用的彩色標(biāo)簽。

這里即將開始一場小型置換派對(duì)，發(fā)起人是雪莉和喬治亞。一個(gè)是“加圖”咖啡館的老板，喜歡反戴棒球帽，小身板的她經(jīng)營這家店已有四年；一個(gè)來自意大利，在武漢教意大利語多年，普通話不算好，但簡單的交流完全沒問題。

置換派對(duì)，更接地氣的說法是“二手交換派對(duì)”：每個(gè)活動(dòng)參與者可拿出自己閑置的兩件上裝、兩件下裝、兩件配飾來派對(duì)現(xiàn)場進(jìn)行交換。

這個(gè)玩法由喬治亞提出，在意大利，這種二手交換活動(dòng)很普遍。雪莉聽過她的想法后表示愿意一起玩，她們一拍即合，便開始分頭準(zhǔn)備。

雪莉在小店里結(jié)識(shí)過很多生活在武漢的外國朋友，喬治亞是其中一個(gè)，來喝咖啡的次數(shù)多而逐漸熟絡(luò)。英語、法語、意大利語， 隨意自由的氛圍讓這個(gè)空間逐漸變成“外語角”，周末的時(shí)候，上下共20平米的小店總是擠滿人，大家有說有笑。還有人帶來自家小蘿莉，瞬間變成逗笑的焦點(diǎn)。

“我的外國朋友們周末都喜歡宅在家，他們說武漢不好玩，我卻不這么認(rèn)為”，這是喬治亞策劃這場置換派對(duì)的初衷，她覺得只要有人帶領(lǐng)和引導(dǎo)，這個(gè)城市也可以變得很有趣。

這是他們的第一場置換派對(duì)，場地面積有限，天氣也不太給力。其實(shí)雪莉并不看好，畢竟派對(duì)消息發(fā)出后，看熱鬧的人多，大家都是一副“我只是想看看你們要怎么玩”的心態(tài)。

“中國人還是活得太傳統(tǒng)、太拘謹(jǐn)，身邊大多數(shù)人對(duì)二手的東西十分抵觸，特別是衣服，覺得用舊東西膈應(yīng)，也有人是擔(dān)心自己價(jià)位高的衣服換到價(jià)位低的衣服。”言語間，雪莉滿臉無奈。

In her cafe room Sherry meets many foreign people living in Wuhan. Giorgia is one of them.She often came to drink coffee and gradually they became familiar with each other. They speak English, French, and Italian,making the small cafe room a“foreign language corner.” On weekends, the cafeteria, though only 20 square meters in area, is always bustling with people, and everyone is talking and laughing there.

Many foreign friends love staying home on weekends. They say that there is no fun things to do in Wuhan, but Giorgia doesn’t think so. This is why she plans events like the swap party. She feels that as long as someone takes a lead in organizing them,there will be more and more fun things to do for people living in the city.

Today is their first swap party.The venue has limited space and the weather is not very fine. In fact, Sherry is not optimistic. The party news was sent out, and there are many bystanders. Everyone has a mentality of “l(fā)et’s see how this works.”

還好一旁的喬治亞十分樂觀，她總是笑嘻嘻地對(duì)著每個(gè)人，也努力在有限的環(huán)境里創(chuàng)造出更多好玩的元素。這場派對(duì)，喬治亞請(qǐng)來DJ，音樂是派對(duì)必備，緊張的人可以隨時(shí)上節(jié)奏搖擺放松。她自己用粉紅色的羽毛做了一個(gè)拍照框，拍照框上貼著置換元素的卡紙，少女心爆棚。

臨近派對(duì)開場，最先過來的是挺著大肚子的孕婦，預(yù)產(chǎn)期就在下個(gè)月。說到閑置品，準(zhǔn)媽媽最有發(fā)言權(quán)，懷孕前剛買的高跟鞋、緊身褲，買回后全新的躺在衣柜鞋柜。若不是帶來的衣物有數(shù)量限制，隨隨便便給你清出一整個(gè)衣柜也毫不夸張。

慢慢能看到來的人風(fēng)格各異，全黑禁欲系、森女風(fēng)、甜美系、名媛風(fēng)，這些生活圈子完全沒有交集的人聚在一起，并沒有無法交流。

“最近的天氣太變態(tài)，完全不知道怎么穿”；“武漢有沒有新開的古著店”；“這個(gè)包很特別，是在哪里買的呀”。聊天聲甚至蓋過背景音樂聲，明明剛認(rèn)識(shí)，卻可以聊得火熱。

戴著紅色禮帽穿著露肩裝的女生叫陳西瓜，剛從意大利留學(xué)回來，她一直吐槽現(xiàn)在的意大利多么破舊，數(shù)不清的古著店卻讓人欲罷不能。

西瓜拉著做國際貿(mào)易的姐姐奧利維亞一起，兩人都是閑置的衣物無數(shù)，因?yàn)榭粗械囊路芏?，西瓜把姐姐的名額要來，最后挑了四件衣服，還迫不及待把咖啡色的針織衫穿在了身上。

穿一身黑的酷妹子叫于于宙，她逛過武漢、北京、泰國、東京很多的古著店，笑稱自己家就是古著店，很多閑置的衣物也舍不得丟，換季的時(shí)候收進(jìn)收出，哪怕只是看著那些好看的衣服就會(huì)很開心。

于于宙喜歡山本耀司，喜歡斗篷，喜歡咔嘰范，喜歡印第安風(fēng)格，住在金銀湖，混跡于武昌漢口的音樂展演空間和大小酒館，這是她第一次來“加圖”咖啡館。

一旁專注吃東西的女生叫大頭蝦欣欣，在漢口做行政工作，從豆瓣上看到這個(gè)活動(dòng)，本想邀朋友們一起前來，卻無人響應(yīng)。活動(dòng)報(bào)名費(fèi)里包含一杯飲品和一個(gè)蛋糕，聊餓后她又加點(diǎn)了一份三明治。

叫小小的妹子一身森女風(fēng)，因天氣原因來晚了些，小小只的她看起來有些害羞怯場，轉(zhuǎn)個(gè)身再回頭卻看到她跟喬治亞的朋友用英語愉快地聊起天來。

比起能換到什么，大家更多是覺得活動(dòng)本身好玩。因?yàn)槿藬?shù)有限，選到合適衣服的概率變低，配飾比衣服更受歡迎，耳環(huán)、帽子、皮帶、手鏈這些對(duì)大小尺碼并不非常挑剔。

挑選的衣物可以在現(xiàn)場進(jìn)行試穿，大家像買衣服一樣，手里先抱一堆，一件一件斟酌，再換再試，邊選邊聊。

任何派對(duì)都帶有社交屬性，雖然因?yàn)樘鞖獾脑?，有的人早早離場，也有人姍姍來遲，但最后大家還是聊到一桌，曬各家的寵物，聊各自的旅行。

比起買二手，大家更喜歡交換二手，因?yàn)殚e置衣物太多，與其等衣柜爆炸，還不如拿出舊愛騰出空間迎接新歡。環(huán)保自然是不用說，不花錢就買到新東西的感覺也很“勤儉持家”。

派對(duì)結(jié)束時(shí)，喬治亞和在場的所有人都有些意猶未盡，期待著下一次更大規(guī)模的派對(duì)盡快到來。

（圖/Minshawkwan）

Giorgia (right) and her friend

“Chinese people are still too traditional and reserved. Most Chinese people are very resistant to second-hand things, especially clothes, feeling disgusted to use old things, and some people are worried that their high-priced clothes will only exchange for lower priced ones.” Sherry looks helpless when talking about it.

Fortunately, Giorgia is very optimistic. She always smiles at everyone, striving to create a more relaxing environment.Giorgia invited a DJ for the party.That way, people with tension can keep up with the rhythm and start waving their body to relax.She made a pink-feathered photo frame for herself with SWAP posted on it, looking girly.

Near the starting time of the party, the first to enter the cafe room is a pregnant woman whose due date is next month. When it comes to unused items, expectant mothers have the best inventory.They might have just bought high-heeled shoes and tight pants before pregnancy—still brand new in the wardrobes or in shoe cabinets after purchasing.

Slowly, you can see the different styles of the participants: all black abstinence style, Mori-girl style, sweet style, and lady style. They have no connection in their life circle but can come to terms with each other.

“The recent weather in Wuhan is so erratic that I don’t know how to dress.” “Is there a new vintage shop somewhere in Wuhan?”“This handbag looks so special;where did you buy it?” The chatting voices blend with the background music. It is obvious that they have just met, but they talk most intimately.

A girl in a red bowler hat and a strapless out fit called Chen Xigua,who has just returned from Italy,keeps complaining about Italian life, but that its countless vintage shops are tempting to her.

Xigua summons her elder sister Olivia, who is engaged in the international trade business. Both of them possess countless unused clothes. Because there are many clothes to be settled on, Xigua asks for her elder sister’s quota,finally picks out four clothes, and cannot wait to put on the coffeecolored knitsweater.

A cute girl in black is called Yu Yuzhou. She has toured many vintage stores in Wuhan, Beijing,Thailand, and Tokyo, saying with a smile that her home has been nearly a vintage shop, and there are many unused clothes she is reluctant to throw away. Just looking at the nice clothes makes her happy.

Yu Yuzhou lives in Jinyinhu, Hankou, and likes Yohji Yamamoto, cloaks, khaki styles,and the Indian style. She hangs out at bars and music venues in Hankou and Wuchang. This is her first time visiting the Gatto Café.

The girl who is eating is Bighead Shrimp Xinxin, who is an administrative staff member working in Hankou. She learnt the news of this swap party on Douban, and invited her friends to come with her, but no one responded. After finishing her drink and a cake included in the cover fee, she orders another sandwich because she is hungry after all the conversation..

Xiaoxiao (literally, little or small) in Mori style is late because of the bad weather. She looks petite and a little shy, but very quickly, we find her chatting with Giorgia’s friends delightedly in English.

Participants are more interested in the activity itself than the items exchanged. The probability of choosing the proper clothes becomes slimmer, owing to the limited number of people.Accessories are more popular than clothes, as earrings, hats,belts, and bracelets are less dependent on size.

The selected clothes can be tried on at the spot. Like buying clothes, everyone holds a heap of clothes in their hands, deliberates one by one, and then tries again while chatting.

Any party has social functions—some people leave early and others come late because of the rain. They chat together, gossip about their pets, and talk about their holiday trips.

The exchange of the secondhand clothes is more favored than the purchase of them, because there are too many unused clothes. Therefore it is better to remove the old ones to make room for the new ones, avoiding an overstuffed wardrobe. It not only adheres to the principle of environmental protection, but also evokes a “thrifty feeling”to obtain new things without spending money.

When the party ends, Giorgia and all the participants are still lost in the scene, in anticipation of the next party, which promises to be larger. (Translation: Qing Run. Photo: Minshawkwan)