During COVID, I stopped going to the office and when that lease expired, I did not renew. I was living and working in my condo in a walkable neighborhood. For several months, my days consisted of work (it was my most productive time ever), “outdoor socializing” (i.e. walks in the park), and binging various Netflix shows (Tiger King, anyone)? As such, I had no need for many of my business-y clothes, and did multiple closet purges. A relatively minimalist wardrobe remained. Skinny jeans, comfy tops, and athleisure with a few casual dresses and a handful of dressier items (and yes, a few blazers that were custom tailored or for whatever other reason I still can’t bear to part with). Well, fast forward two years. I leased a new office; I go out and about to various personal and work events; and I was BORED with my closet.
Enter Rent the Runway. I’ve heard about it for several years; when I lived in New York, I even visited their store once, and couldn’t understand why someone would pay around $100 per month to borrow clothes. Similarly, the idea of a one-time dress rental seemed yucky to me; I pictured sequins and polyester. In my mind, money would be better spent investing in a few quality pieces that you wear over and over again. Well, my mindset has since shifted. Did I mention how bored I was with my minimalist wardrobe? I wanted variety, but not cheap throwaway clothes whose threads start snagging after the second wearing. At the same time, I’m frugal by nature and my size fluctuates a lot lately, so I am reluctant to invest in a whole new wardrobe. Well, I’ve found the answer, at least temporarily.
I began a Rent the Runway subscription last week, and I couldn’t be happier. Originally, I thought the service would be great to snag a few outfits for a wedding coming up at the end of this month.
So, I selected four possible dresses. One was a bomb, too loose up top and too tight in hips and waist. The second is a winner for the wedding and I have it neatly hung on the back of the closet door. The third is adorable and fun, in a wild monkey pattern I would think really hard about before spending the estimated retail price of $600. The fourth is also a winner for wedding weekend. With my subscription plan, I can switch the items multiple times during the month. So I sent back #1, which was replaced a few days later by a different item. I wore dresses #3 and #4 once each – one to run errands, and one for Mother’s Day, and just sent them back. In a few days, I should receive replacement items – a loud-print blazer which I’d also be reluctant to invest in, and a cute summery top by a designer I have never heard of.
So what I love about this service:
- They are stocked with items that are way more expensive than I could justify for their uniqueness
- The shipping is super fast when you switch out your items
- They AI recommended sizing works pretty well! So far 4 out of 5 items fit like a glove.
And yes, there’s a promo code and link, with this link, you get 40% off your first two months, which I understand is unusual, since normally the promos are for a single month. Here it is: