As a woman, I regularly stand in front of my closet and lament about the fact that I have nothing to wear (you too? I thought so… keep reading). I’m not sure if it’s that society has taught me to be more fickle now with everything, including my wardrobe. Or, perhaps it’s just that I always want to be styling something new and crave that feeling of satisfaction I get when I love my outfit. In either case – buying new clothes every week isn’t sustainable (and will KILL your wallet!).
Enter Rent the Runway. They’re a household name, but my guess is many of you had the same misconception I did, which was that they only have items for formal events. WRONG! They carry current ready-to-wear collections that you can rent for 4 or 8 days. They let me test the rental process (I snagged this black dress and this fall floral number) and I’m sharing my full review below!
Shop the Post
Outfit 1: Dress: Susana Monaco c/o Rent the Runway // Boots: ASKA Collection (similar here) // Earrings: Lisi Lerch // Bangle: Julie Vos // Wrap Bracelet: Victoria Emerson // Bag: Chanel (similar here, less expensive here)
Outfit 2: Dress: Joie c/o Rent the Runway // Leather Jacket: Maje (similar here and here) // Boots: M.Gemi (old, these are the new version) // Bangle: Julie Vos // Bag: Zac Zac Posen (mini version here) // Hat: Rag and Bone
Rent the Runway Review: My Experience with Rent the Runway
Yes, I’m late to the game! Rent the Runway (RTR) has been around for almost a decade and I’m JUST NOW TRYING IT! But, I am so glad that I did. After my first two rentals, I’m breaking down the process, my opinion on the selections available, and how much it costs.
Breadth of Inventory
Again, I thought all I could get on RTR were formal gowns. Friends had rented dresses for New Year’s and weddings. But, after combing through the categories on their site, I challenge you to not find a few things (or, in my case, a whole cartful of items) that you love. Like I mentioned above, RTR offers items currently in store, plus items from past collections.
Availability of the Item You Want
For many items, RTR lets you select the size you think you need plus a backup (smaller or bigger, you decide). This is where things get a little tricky. Depending on your event date or when you want to style the item, you may have to be a bit flexible or find another item if the sizes you want aren’t available. In my case, since I wanted items to wear to work – it didn’t really matter when I got them. So, no issues! Also, my cart was overflowing. So, I had plenty to pick from. Regardless, I think all but one item I wanted were available when I wanted them.
Pricing
So, pricing definitely varies depending on the item. For example, the Susana Monaco dress I rented was $35. A STEAL! But, the Joie maxi was $90. The good news is you can sort and filter by price. So, in a quick search for dresses under $100 there were more than 4,500 results! Long and short of it is that everyone can find something for the price range they want to stay within.
Process
From start to finish, the whole process was simple. I searched for items, read reviews on fit, made sure they were available in my size, and then ordered! The items arrive in garment bags, nicely packed. Then, you enjoy your rental! Special events or everyday outfits – that’s up to you.
Depending on how long you rented for (4 days or 8 days), you’ll use the prepaid return label and drop the package at your local USPS. PRO TIP: one of the few gripes I heard about from other RTR customers is that sometimes the returns can go awry. Maybe it’s because I’m regularly shopping online or maybe I’m just neurotic… I always get a copy of my receipt that shows drop-off. Problem solved.
Next Up! Rent the Runway Unlimited!
I’ll be kick-starting my Unlimited Subscription once we move this Saturday (and things settle down!). After a few months of that, I will share an update on how that’s going too.
Have you tried Rent the Runway? I’d love to hear your thoughts and reviews on their service. Leave me a comment below.
