“I have nothing to wear!”
I’d yell as I stared into my jam-packed closet. This dramatic wardrobe scenario was becoming all too familiar. Whether it was for a special night out or something super casual, I finally realized that what I really meant was, “I have nothing new to wear.”
Thankfully I’ve found a solution that has prevented my husband from leaving me because of my overspending on clothes AND still allows me to wear the most current designer brands as much (or little) as I want. Enter my wardrobe secret weapon: Rent The Runway. Y’all, I’ve been using Rent the Runway since the company launched in 2009! Back then, I read about it in my monthly issue of InStyle magazine, and had to directly email the company to get on a waiting list to join. The clothing options were a lot more limited back then, so they wanted to ensure that they had the inventory to support the amount of members.
Initially, I started using Rent the Runway very sporadically, just for big events. I’d rent a dress maybe three or four times a year, and I loved having high quality options that garnered non-stop compliments. Renting from RTR ensured something unique, beautifully photographable, and much nicer than I could’ve afforded to purchase (especially for a single wear). 
Over time, I found myself renting more and more. Not just for fancy events, but for day-to-day stuff, too. RTR’s selection has grown exponentially over the years…that initial waitlist to join is now laughable! From outerwear or jewelry to handbags; the wedding concierge service to casual tops or pants, RTR literally has it all. Recently they’ve added a huge maternity selection, conveniently broken up by trimester (can I get an amen???). They now also sell essentials on the site such as shapewear, tights, cosmetics, and lingerie.
Their website and app are organized into ever-changing shoppable categories like, “Summer Office Upgrades”, “Vacation Ready”, and “Day-to-Night Hits”. You can search by designer, occasion, formality, body type, weather, age-range, etc. You can organize pieces that you like by “hearting” them and even create shortlists for specific events, so keeping your choices handy and easily accessible is a breeze.
As an esthetician, I wear scrubs on a daily basis. It doesn’t make sense for me to spend tons of money on clothes. So when RTR launched their Unlimited membership subscription in March of 2016, I was all over it. Unlimited allows me to choose four items at a time, and I can keep them as long as I want and change them out as often as I want. Yes, I pay monthly for clothes that I don’t keep…but truly, I spend less on my Unlimited subscription than I might on ONE shopping trip to my favorite store. It really limits my overall spending and keeps me on budget; initially, my husband was wary, but now he’s on board after seeing my monthly spending decrease significantly.
RTR allows me to “shop” online as much as I want without the huge credit card bill at the end of the month. Plus, I never have to set foot in a store. I can be planning ahead and “hearting” pieces while I’m attentively watching attending yet another mixed martial arts class with my daughter. The organization and pre-planning of it all saves me from overspending in a panic at the last minute and eliminates that “I have nothing to wear” daily drama. 
Rent the Runway can be used in a number of ways:
RTR Reserve- Four- or 8-day single rentals: Rent items for as little as 10% the retail price. Each dress rental includes a back-up size at no additional cost to ensure fit. Customers can also rent an additional “back-up” style for an additional $32.50 (no matter the actual cost of the dress). The idea is to give you peace of mind and reduce fit issues. However, this is my fave rental type for a rehearsal dinner/wedding weekend: you get two styles for a one very low price. There is a $5 insurance fee to protect against accidents. Dry cleaning of garments is included.
RTR Unlimited- A flat monthly fee that allows members to select four pieces and keep each item as long as they want, or swap any or all of them out for new selections. This is currently what I use and I love it. It’s like having a never-ending, revolving supply of designer goods at my disposal at all times. Oh, and by the way, if you fall in love with a piece you’ve rented, Unlimited members have the option to BUY the piece for a significantly discounted rate: I’ve purchased lots of amazing outerwear and jewelry this way. Insurance, shipping, and dry-cleaning fees are all included.
NEW RTR Update- Very similar to Unlimited, except no swapping out: you get four pieces per month for a lower-priced flat fee. Insurance, shipping and dry-cleaning are all included.
Inevitably, whenever I tell a friend about my little secret weapon, they have a million comments…usually something like, “Well, I’m not a size 2/I have a wide rib cage/I have an extra long torso/my butt is huge,” etc. Something I find hugely helpful on the website is that each piece has reviews from renters of all shapes, sizes, and ages, along with photos organized in order based on renters shaped most like you. So if every single review says that a piece runs large, you know to size down. Surprisingly, I’ve had very few fit issues when I check the reviews. And the few times I have had a true fit problem, RTR has an EXCELLENT customer service team that has refunded my money, overnighted me a new piece for no charge, or both. Check the website’s FAQ page for answers to literally every single question you could ever imagine!
Happy renting with Rent the Runway, and here’s to your best dressed summer ever!
