Tonight I am writing from the sky, flying home from a Florida business trip. I always do my best thinking on planes and today I wanted to tackle a big post you all have been asking for….
Rent the Runway.
Why do I use it? Why do I promote it?
I have received so many questions through DMs on Instagram about Rent the Runway. I’m going to address as many as I can in this post, so settle in for a read!
Before we get started…
I want to be forthcoming on my relationship with Rent the Runway (RTR). I started using the Unlimited rental program in 2016 – which I have been paying for out of my own pocket ever since, I only became an ambassador for RTR in December of 2019.
I am promoting Rent the Runway because I truly believe in the brand, the product, and the service. I do have a promotional code (RTRSTACYM) that I share, which is a win for both of us. Using the code gets you get a hefty discount on your subscription and I get one complimentary extra piece included with my normal monthly subscription (which I still pay for).
In the modern-day world of Instagram Influencers, authenticity is everything to me. I am tired of brand-washing. I am tired of bloggers I followed for fashion suddenly sharing things that are #sponsored on things like Sunchips and Dove soap. This blog and my Instagram are not my full time gig – it is very important to me that what you see and hear from me is authentic. If I do not, or would not, spend my own dime on it I guarantee you it will not be featured on my social media platforms.
Now that I’ve climbed down from my transparency soap box, let’s get on to the deets for RTR!
I’ve outlined in bullet points below the pros of renting over buying. This is all from my own personal experience and I hope this post addresses most of the questions you have regarding the service. If I missed something leave me a message in the comment section below, I’ll do my best to respond!
Topic #1: Damn, That Seems Expensive
I ALWAYS think about cost first. It doesn’t matter how much money I have in the bank, I always approach a purchase from a place of assessing it’s value. When you look at RTR monthly fees it’s easy to get sticker shock and think how could that possibly be better for my wallet than shopping? I’m a gal who loves data, so let’s break down the numbers and look at ROI:
Renting for One Month –
- Any four pieces you want for as long as you want to keep them
TOTAL – $159
Shopping for One Month (hypothetical from my own market research) –
- Dress from Target – $34.99
- Blouse from Banana Republic – $69
- Trendy Piece from H&M – $24.99
- Earrings from JCrew – $29
TOTAL – $157.98 (excluding sales tax)
Now, let’s say you have to dry clean that blouse you just bought from Banana – and you go to ZIPS for dry cleaning because it’s the cheapest at only $2.99 a garment. If you wore that blouse (4) times a month for a year – and dry cleaned it after every other wear – you have spent $71.76 to maintain that $69 purchase. Even though you own this blouse, you are committed to dry cleaning it for the lifetime it stays in your closet. Think about it like owning a house, even if you eventually pay off the mortgage you will always have to pay taxes.
Now a year has gone by, and so have the NYFW spring and fall shows, and that blouse you bought is no longer on trend – so you donate the one you just spent $71.76 maintaining to buy a new $69 blouse – which starts the cycle all over again.
Is that the most sustainable way to shop? Is it the best use of your money? Let’s flip this to a renter’s scenario:
If I rent and wear (4) new pieces every week, that’s (16) pieces in a month. I typically wear each piece twice before returning so that gives me (32) fashion moments. If I take my monthly $159 subscription fee and divide that by (32) that means it costs me $4.67 each time I get dressed in the morning – and I spent $0 maintaining the garment through dry cleaning.
My closet is always on trend and I rarely have to go shopping. I’m also wearing luxury designer brands that I never could afford to buy on my own.
Topic #2: But what if it doesn’t fit?
Just like shopping in any store or online, you get to know what works for your body. I have a small bust and waist but larger hips, so I know I cannot rent dresses that have no give in the hips. I need something I can rent in a size 0 or 2 that will fit on the top but stretch on the bottom.
Reviews from users on the RTR site and app help IMMENSENLY. The reviews sync up with other users that are closest to your body type, so you can see those comments first. Read them, listen to the women who rented before you – trust me, their words will save you from a bad fit.
Lastly, just like traditional shopping methods, you’ll find the brands that work best for your body. For work wear and casual wear, I rent a ton of Jason Wu and Amanda Uprichard. For formal wear, I know I fit great in a size 2 from Marchesa. If you are fortunate to live near a Rent the Runway store (list at the bottom of the post), go into the store and try a bunch of brands on. Figure out what fits you best and take notes. It will make your online shopping so much more efficient.
Topic #3: How Much Time is this Going to Take?
I get this question a lot – wouldn’t it be faster for me to go to a store? In the beginning, yes , but like all good things in life if you’re going to get the most out of renting you’ve got to put some effort into it. Step one is learn your sizes and your brands, as we covered in the last section.
Step two is pre-curating your favorite garments into lists (by hearting what you like) to make for quick and easy ordering. The RTR app is well designed and super user friendly. You can sort by size, season, length, formality, etc. When I have down time, I curate my favorites lists by category.
- Work Everyday
- Work Special Occasion
- Cocktail
- Formal
- Weekends
- Going Out
- Vacation
- Accessories
Depending on what I need for my next week, I go to that list and already have items saved that I like. I add them to my cart in literally 5 minutes and click submit. It’s that easy!
Step three is learning the RTR distribution system. When I lived in DC, I was fortunate enough to pop in-and-out of the Georgetown store like it was my closet. I would literally wear something in the store and wear something else out. It was glorious. But now that I’m in Austin, I don’t have that luxury, so I had to figure out the best day of the week to ship my returns to maximize my rentals.
RTR has distribution centers in New Jersey and Arlington, TX, so obviously the Arlington location is closest to me. If I drop my returns off at UPS on Monday morning, they (almost always) arrive and are scanned in as returned on Tuesday before lunch. If I select my new rentals by 2pm CST I’ll have them the next day (Wednesday) by 5pm. It’s basically AmazonPrime.
Thought #4: What if I damage it?
Your membership fee includes insurance for minor mishaps and general wear and tear. I have sent back small spills and ripped seams with zero problems. This is the most that has ever happened to me in all the rentals I’ve worn over the past three years. Significant damage, lost pieces and theft are not covered so in those cases, you are charged the current members’ price to purchase the item plus applicable tax.
Thought #5: What if I want to keep it?
You can! If you find something you really love, you can purchase it and never return it. Also keep in mind you can keep these items literally as long as you want. A great example of this is winter coats, I typically rent a coat from them in December and keep it through February. Yes, you can absolutely keep one piece for months at a time if you want. It. Is. Awesome.
In Summary, How do I get started?
- Go to renttherunway.com and sign up!
- Use my code “RTRSTACYM” to get a major discount off your first month of unlimited.
- Start making favorite lists! Curate your garments to make shopping easy.
- Read the reviews closest to your body type to ensure a good fit
- Submit your first order and tell me how you like it!
Where are Rent the Runway Stores located?
- San Francisco
- Chicago
- New York
- DC
- Santa Monica
The Stacy Strategy 