I had a fundraiser to attend. I decided to try Rent the Runway (RTR). I didn’t know I would fall in love.
I picked the dress (Caroline Constas’ Melissa Dress), a handbag, and some earrings. They sent everything days before the event, AND they sent two (2!) sizes, just in case one didn’t fit.
The dress was gorgeous and of good quality (the pictures really don’t do it justice). I felt like a princess, and the night was completely perfect.
Not long after that night, I decided to pick a subscription plan. I’ve been using RTR ever since.
How it works
You can either rent for event (like I did initially) or choose a subscription plan in which you’ll receive items as frequently as your plan allows. Currently, I have the plan that includes two swaps per month, with five slots each. You can also pay additional money to add slots.
Everything comes in a handy bag complete with hangers. All items are dry-cleaned before they get to you, and there is no requirement to dry-clean the items before sending them back in the bag.
A return shipping label is provided in the bag. Once you’re ready to send everything back, you put the return shipping label over the original, bag up your items, and drop the bag off at your local UPS store. That’s it!
FYI- they do have a pick up service, but I haven’t used it.
What I love
- With RTR items in my wardrobe, it’s not uncommon for me to get compliments on what I’m wearing. It also feels good to love what I’m wearing, which is a HUGE confidence booster.
- Renting cuts down on waste and gives me access to more items than if I was buying each of these pieces at full price.
- You can buy the clothes that you love at a discounted price.
- Finally, even though I love Buffalo—I really do—we are not a burgeoning metropolis, and we simply don’t have access to the same level of clothing that those in New York City or Los Angeles do.
What to be aware of
Because of the reality of my busy life, I don’t usually end up using the second swap before my billing cycle is up. Thus, if you don’t think you’ll get around to swapping more than once per billing cycle, you might want to choose the lowest level subscription and, instead, add more slots. However, with that plan you won’t have full access to their entire inventory.
Something else to be aware of. Multiple size options are only available when renting for an event. In other words, it is not an option for the subscription plan, which makes sense, even though it would be nice.
What I wish was different
First, sometimes I get the sense that my subscription does not give me the same access that I had when renting for my event. That may not be the case, but if it is, please stop.
With that said, I’ve found plenty of items to try, and if you’re younger with no/less kids (or you have the magic genes I don’t), you will absolutely have more options than I do.
Second, while multiple size options don’t make sense for subscriptions, I wish there was an easy way to exchange a size, without having to use one of my permitted swaps. For the moment, I’m stuck if something doesn’t fit. It happens, but not often enough for me to even think about canceling my subscription.
Conclusion
For me, RTR is one-hundred-percent worth the cost. But, you don’t have to take my word for it.
