By Bella Rainey
Photos by Bella Rainey, Art by Kelcie McKenney

Fast fashion: the buzzword of the century. We’re all doing our best to avoid it—but with trends moving faster than they ever have before, it’s easier said than done. 

Whether you’re a fashion-forward girly or simply looking for event-specific pieces, renting a piece instead of buying one full price (and never wearing it again) could be the move for you. Renting clothes can put money back in your pocket (girl math?), while promoting a more sustainable way to dress your best.

As clothing rental services grow in popularity, it’s getting harder to find your right fit. Let’s break down the pros, cons, and my overall ratings of three fashion rental services. 

Nuuly 

Nuuly is the service that piqued my interest in clothing rentals. I was a freshman in college (so, broke) and loved shopping at brands like Urban Outfitters, Free People, and Anthropologie—so much so that I got a seasonal job at Anthro for the discount. 

Later that year, Nuuly was introduced as part of the URBN family, offering pieces from various sister stores and URBN brands.

Nuuly operates on a month-to-month membership and offers: 

• 6 pieces
• $98 per month 
• Option to add bonus items for $20 each
• Discounts on rented items 

Rating: 9/10

The selection on Nuuly spans multiple occasions. I have tried everything from basic knit tops to extravagant ball gowns over the last four years of on-and-off membership. My overall rating of Nuuly is 9/10 and here’s why: 

Highlights: 

• Huge inventory to choose from 
• Options range from super dressy to super casual 
• Fast shipping 
• No late fees or hidden fees
• Great customer service 
• Ability to create lists (mobile and desktop!)

Lowlights: 

• Price increases with popularity 
• Limited size availability on highly-loved items 
• No accessories for rent (Bags, jewelry, etc) 
• Very female-focused—would love to see UO menswear 
• Sometimes arrives wrinkled

Bonus: Nuuly also offers Nuuly Thrift which functions similarly to Depop or Poshmark. 

Overall, if you enjoy shopping at URBN brands and don’t like to commit to the high price tags, this might be a good option to try before you buy or switch things up in your closet. Also, in all the pics in this article, I’m wearing Nuuly rentals!

Rent The Runway

Rent The Runway (RTR) is one of the original pioneers of fashion rentals. When I started using RTR, it was on a more random basis for bigger events like college galas and formals, and eventually rehearsal dinners and weddings. 

RTR offers a more selective, designer inventory of clothing and accessories alike—yes, this includes handbags and jewelry. While its primarily known for elegant gowns, cocktail dresses, and travel pieces, RTR also offers a small inventory of everyday and athleisure items. 

Let’s break things down for the monthly subscription: 

• Keep the items as long as you want 
• Swap items out throughout the month
• Plans range from $94-$169 per month with 5, 10, 15, and 20 piece plan tiers

Bonus: Shoppers can use a one-time rental plan to reserve a piece up to 60 days in advance with one free backup size in every order. 

Rating: 8.5/10

RTR’s designer options are a huge perk, but the different plans can be hard to compare in worth. After using both the monthly subscription, I am rating RTR an 8.5/10. 

Highlights: 

• The ability to rent handbags 
• Piggybacking – the option to rent jewelry and sunglasses 
• No strict timelines on returns 
• Comes in full garment bags and hangers you can keep 
• The ability to swap mid-month

Lowlights: 

• Higher cost for less items than places like Nuuly 
• I have experienced slower shipping times 
• Semi-confusing plan options 
• Not practical for shoppers that want more day-to-day items 

RTR is a great service that I recommend for folks who have a busy calendar and plans with a dress code detailing: fabulous, bejeweled, and lively. 

FashionPass

FashionPass is the mixed bag of the group—offering rental options fit for date night, a walk in the park, or a black-tie cocktail party. Why not all three? 

Similarly to RTR, FashionPass allows you to swap items all month long for the flat membership fee of choice. The subscription details: 

• 12-24 items per month 
• $89-$149 per month
• Clothing, accessories, and basics to choose from

Rating: 5.5/10

I tried FashionPass for the first time this year when I needed outfit options for two different weddings in one week. Here are my takeaways from my FP experience that earned it a 5.5/10:

Highlights: 

• Very fast shipping 
• A lot of availability for the items I wanted 
• Ability to get accessories and basics 

Lowlights: 

• Lacking size diversity (including no petite sizes) 
• Strict on ratio of accessories to clothing items per month 
• Low inventory across the board 

Compared to Nuuly and RTR, I think FashionPass is too pricey for the options you can choose from. I felt like a lot of the inventory was the same, and the quality of many items I received was not the best. One had deodorant stains on it. 

Making the most of your rentals

Whichever option you choose, therein lies the question: what do I do with these random pieces? 

I have a method to my rental madness and it goes one of three ways: 

1. I focus my month on 1-2 events and choose items I want for those events. (Weddings, work happenings, photo shoots, concerts, travel) 
2. MOOD BOARD! I have an ongoing mood board on Pinterest that I refer to when I’m looking for trendy pieces or pieces I haven’t pulled the trigger on yet. That way I can recreate looks that combine rental items and items already in my closet. 
3. Forming a mini capsule wardrobe. If neither of those works for me, I put together pieces that can all easily mix and match with each other. That way, I am able to highly maximize the rentals while still having practical items of high quality.

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