Minimum wage or not, I needed some new work clothes.

So I turned to local fashionista and friend Kimberley Jev for advice. She pointed me to Take Off Your Clothes.

The event, put on Sunday inside the Soho Bar & Grill, requires participants to pay $10 entrance fee and bring along some wardrobe items they are willing to part ways with.

My offerings included some old dress shirts that used to fit me when I was few belt notches wider and some old T-shirts acquired at charity events

Each item accepted into the swap earns you a ticket which you can then use to snag any other available item.

Not exactly fashion-savvy myself, I asked Jev, founder of Calgary Fashion, to join me for the journey.

It didn’t take much arm-twisting.

“Clothing swaps are awesome,” she said excitedly as we dove hands first into some denim. “You don’t need a big budget to look good.”

Jev admits she has lived on a strict budget for years but still maintains a wardrobe fit for all occasions. Here are three quick tips from her:

1. Mini-clothing swaps don’t have to be female-specific. “Girls do them
all the time, where they get together and trade all of their clothes,” Jev says. “But I think it would be good for guys too – get rid of
those jeans you don’t need.”
2. Make sure you have the staples – comfortable jeans, T-shirts, pair of good shoes. “You don’t need so much,” Jev says. “It’s more about how you re-cycle those items.”
3. Consignment shopping is a good idea. “Value Village is one of the best places to look for things,” Jev says.

After 20 minutes of pouring through hundreds of items, braving congested aisles and determined clothing swap veterans, I came away with three dress shirts, two collared shirts, a pair of dress pants and even a few items for my little brother.

Big thanks to Jev for helping me out. You can find out more about Calgary Fashion by clicking here.

Check back later this week as I explore ways to stay active without spending a cent and attempt to take my girlfriend Kelsey out for a night on the town.

Have a favourite place to go for a run or bike ride in Calgary? Let me know in the comments section below, e-mail me at jeremy.nolais@metronews.ca or catch me on Twitter @Metro_Nolais.