I recently indulged in a monthly Rent the Runway Unlimited subscription, and it has really changed my relationship with my wardrobe. It is a fantastic solution for women who do not like shopping in public, who want to wear designer clothes without spending the money, who love variety but don’t want to grow the size of their closet, and who have a monthly clothing budget of $150. Read on for all the details – and for $30 off your first purchase from RTR!
Let me first break down the pricing and how it works for you because I know that $150 sounds like a lot. You pay $150 ($139 + some other fees that make it $150) per month to rent and receive three items at time. If you only try 3 items per month, the breakdown is $50 per item per month to wear a designer bag, jacket, dress, top, jumpsuit, etc as many times as you want. The more you wear, send back and then get 3 more items, the less per item you are paying per month. This is a great deal for pieces that usually have a price tag of a few hundred to a few thousand dollars each. You can also rent gowns, sunglasses, and accessories.
WELL-FITTING WORKWEAR
I’ve chosen to use Rent the Runway for tailored work dresses and jackets. These have really served me well in interviews recently and for some major work meetings I’ve had to lead. This Rebecca Taylor white jacket is very reminiscent of Chanel (in fact someone even said, ‘Make way for Chanel!’ when I walked by her), and I wore it over this Vince black sheath on three different occasions on my recent trip to New York. I also wore the jacket with jeans and booties for a casual date night and the dress stood alone with some red heels and red lipstick on one other occasion. Point is – I chose items for their versatility, structure, high quality and ability to be worn several times before returning them and choosing others.
To put this even more into perspective: the Vince dress retails at nearly $400, and the Rebecca Taylor jacket at $550. This means I essentially looked like nearly 1000 bucks on 5 different occasions for the price of only ~$20 per time. Remember I estimate $50 per rented item – worn 5 times is $10 per wear, per item. Style math is the best math!
ICONIC PIECES – THE DVF WRAP DRESS
One of my favorite parts of this subscription has also been getting to wear iconic designer pieces I’ve always wanted to try – like the DVF wrap dress I just wrote about recently. I’ve been hearing about this fabulously flattering and sexy dress since I was a girl but wasn’t ready to drop the hefty price tag of nearly $400 until I got to see the magic for myself.
My feelings were mixed. Being my own worst critic, all I saw in the mirror were my bulges under this drapey jersey fabric. I put on some spanx, and a camisole, and a slip and sucked in all day. It was a lot and I didn’t love it to be honest. I felt like I was adjusting the front fabric flap all day so that no one could see too much leg. But then I put it on for this photo shoot (taken by my sister) and it took her breath away. She thought it was so flattering and said it would be the perfect little black dress for any party or after-work drinks. Point is – I’m so glad I didn’t just buy a DVF without testing it out and my Rent the Runway subscription gave me the opportunity to try-before-you-buy and now I’ll get to form my own opinion on whether I invest.
DESIGNER HANDBAGS
I mean – where do I begin?! You get to front like you have a Zac Posen or a Loeffler Randall without dropping the dough and then send it back and try a new one! This Zac Posen blue bag is just unbelievable and in great condition. There’s a little wear and tear on the front buckle but otherwise, it is truly out of this world. The Loeffler Randall black bag was pretty worn and was a bit disappointing when I received it – you can see some of the scratches in this pic below. This is where the user reviews come into play. READ THEM. People can post pictures and comments about how items fit and where they wore the item, and they’ll also make recommendations about sizing. It’s very helpful, and I’ll make sure I post about the wear on the bag, too.
ADVENTUROUS AND TRENDY STYLES
I’ve also used my RTR subscription to try some really out-there pieces that I was attracted to but wouldn’t have spent the money on – like this beautiful satin printed blazer by Sachin & Babi. I wore it to a rock show with a leather mini-skirt and booties, then with burgundy pumps and skinny jeans to a pizza party, and with these black cigarette pants and a ponytail for brunch out with my parents. I think the print is GORGEOUS, and the cut is so feminine and powerful that I could’ve pulled it off at work with a pencil skirt and black pumps.
Next up, I’m going to try a flared jumpsuit and an off-the-shoulder dress – two trends I love but don’t know that I can pull off yet. I’d rather try them out in a designer cut and quality than wasting money on something that won’t work and doesn’t fit, for less. I’ve also got a few weddings this fall and will use RTR to get a few gowns and cocktail dresses for the occasions.
Clearly I’m a huge fan of Rent the Runway! But let me quickly be honest that I haven’t stopped buying things to build my permanent wardrobe. I have spent some money on basics like jeans and tops for summer that I’ll wear on weekends when I don’t have major events. And RTR does not have shoes, so of course I need shoes (can’t live or breathe without shoes).
Other fun facts – Rent the Runway is one of the largest dry cleaners in the country! When you send your items back, they go straight to the cleaner and everything you receive has been professionally cleaned prior to your wearing it. Also, if you are a style blogger, this is for you. You can photograph yourself in beautiful outfits without spending major dollars – and no one needs to know!
Finally, I’ve got something special for you just for making it all the way through this post. $30 OFF to try Rent the Runway yourself! Whether it’s just a dress for a wedding or an unlimited subscription, you can use THIS CODE to get $30 off your first purchase!
Try it! You’ll like it!
And then tell me everything about your experience because I must know!!
Love y’all,
Belle
