Fiscally Chic Fashion: Rent the Runway

As I wrote in a previous Friday’s Fancies post and briefly shared, I rented my first dress and necklace from Rent the Runway. Let me tell you something, ladies. It’s A.MAZING! RTR is something I wish I thought of first. John has rented all sorts of tuxes for weddings, so it’s about time we have the same option!

As I suspected, the convenience was one of the biggest perks. I didn’t have to worry about packing a dress, let alone two sizes of the same dress. I scheduled the dresses and necklace to arrive on a Friday and they arrived at the hotel on that Wednesday. And let’s not forget the ease of dropping everything in a mailbox when I was done wearing them.

Another perk of RTR is the option of two dress sizes. I tend to shy away from online shopping because I like to try things on in person. I have a short torso and longer legs, so that makes things nice and interesting. Fortunately, past renters leave reviews of the dress’s fit on RTR to help you pick out the proper size.

Of course you should know that the dress itself came in perfect condition. And I loved wearing it! I received several complements and got a kick out of sharing my secret that I rented it :)

If the dress needed a little help staying in place, RTR included a little “fit kit” with some Hollywood Tape. And if neither size worked, RTR has a great risk-free policy where I could return both dresses within 24 hours for a full merchandise credit (less shipping).

For those curious about how much renting a dress and necklace costs, 4-day dress rentals currently run from $40 up to $400. Some of the $400 dresses can totally pass as wedding dresses if you don’t want to buy your wedding dress. For the cost breakdown of my order:

• Dress (in 2 sizes, retails for $325) – $50
• Insurance on dress – $5
• Necklace (retails for $125) – $25
• Insurance on necklace – $3
• Shipping and handling (includes return shipping) – $9.95
• Sales tax – $2.70
• Grand total – $95.65

Yes, RTR includes a small insurance policy with each rental. No need to worry about spilling wine on your dress. And yes, dry cleaning is also included.

Would I do it again? Most definitely! Rent the Runway is perfect for a change in fashion pace.

PS – This isn’t a sponsored post, I just really like RTR. And if you sign up through my Rent the Runway referral link, we’ll both get $20 off our next orders. Sound cool?