I spend less money on clothes than I ever have, and I am infinitely better dressed. When I have a special occasion, I always have on the perfect outfit. When I’m taking a trip I always bring a bag you’ve never seen before. My #OOTD is always on fleek. I rarely repeat outfits. This is because I am subscribed to Rent the Runway Unlimited, and have been since April 2016, and it’s truly a life changing service. I’ve written an article on the monetary benefits for The Financial Diet. However, I’ve been compelled to write a followup post on my tips for making the most out of the service. At $139 a month, it isn’t cheap. It isn’t worth it for everyone, but if you’re the kind of person who spends a lot on clothes– it’s probably for you.
Chillin’ in Red Valentino, because why not?
If you haven’t heard of the Unlimited service, it’s essentially an ever-changing department store of clothing that is yours to wear. For $139 a month, you get 3 items at a time, that you are able to exchange an unlimited number of times. The selection of available brands is constantly expanding. If you love a piece and are unable to give it back, you can buy it at a discounted rate. Free express shipping, free dry cleaning, and insured clothing. There is so much to love. Let’s discuss your RTR experience in the comment section below.
This article is for those who have already signed up for the site. You can learn about the program anywhere, but to truly master the process takes time. Fortunately you have stumbled across the blog of an expert.
Always shop new arrivals
Wearing a (rented) ALEXIS top, (rented) Zac Posen Bag, Gap Jeans & Sam Edelman shoes (comment for link!)
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the Rent the Runway selection. They literally have thousands of options. The way I narrow down my search is by sorting the product by newest. This increases the chance that the clothes will come new with tags. I do this because you don’t have to guess what condition anything will come in. All the new arrivals are from this season, and that’s a bonus for bloggers who aim to inspire others to replicate their style.
Plan your outfits ahead of time
Wearing an H&M top, (rented) Yumi Kim skirt, and a Cult Gaia bag
I’ve become a better planner as a result of Rent the Runway. I schedule my weekly plans in advance to make sure I always have the right thing to wear. As a fashion blogger there is a lot of pressure to have new things on all the time. If you’re not inspiring, what’s the point of following you? My co-worker/friend Danica and I take photos of each other for the office, so we need to make sure our selections make sense for work. We have a lot of fun looking extra/fabulous in a casual work environment.
take advantage of the shortlist options
Dress is (rented) Alexis
One of the greatest features on the RTR website and app is the option to make shortlists of “hearts”(favorites.) I highly recommend taking advantage of this option. Whenever I have an event coming up I make a shortlist for it, so that when I need to make a decision my choices are already narrowed down for me. I already have one going for a wedding I have this fall in Sonoma. If I choose to, I can casually wear a Proenza dress. I also have ongoing shortlists for the current and upcoming season.
find your rythem
Wearing a Peter Pilotto shirt that I LOVED. This retails for $800+..but I rented it.
When you first get RTR it’s tempting to try to get your absolute moneys worth, like you’re at bottomless brunch for the first time. However, once you’ve been doing it for a little while, you realize that you’d like to keep some things longer than expected. I tend to keep bags for a couple weeks, and rotate the clothing. I like to choose things I can wear multiple times. Once during the week, and once on the weekend.
search by brand
Fendi Sunglasses, J Brand tank, (rented) Parker skirt, & (rented) Clare V bag!
The second you choose to search by brand, you must also filter the clothing by newest. This way, you don’t accidentally rent a 2 year old dress that is on the verge of being discontinued from the site. It’s very preventable, but it does happen if you don’t learn from your mistakes. There is a 100% chance you will fall in love with at least one Rent the Runway brand. My personal favorites are DVF, Derek Lam and Alexis. Though I actually love several others as well.
visit the flagship
(Rented) Derek Lam dress, (rented) Loeffler Randall bag
If you’re lucky enough to live in the cities with Rent the Runway stores, you’ve pretty much struck gold. Currently the only have shops in LA, DC, San Fran, New York and Chicago. But, if you live in these cities, you have the option of bringing your rentals directly to the store to trade. You’ll leave feeling you just went shopping, but you didn’t actually spend extra money. The selection is better online, but the store experience is really convenient for immediate needs.
Some of you might scoff at the idea of paying to borrow clothes. I understand that. However, if you’re new to the work force or a shopaholic already, you’d probably spend a lot more on clothes without it. I love having new things to wear every week, and I consider RTR my best monthly purchase.
