My Rent the Runway journey started almost 2 years ago when I was tired of endless dressing room trips at stores and settling for fast fashion or low quality clothing because of price tags. Not to mention the countless times something I loved or fit well got ruined by an accidental wash or dry in the wrong laundry pile.
So when I signed up for their Unlimited subscription, the main purposes I had in mind were:
- Revolving business wear for my work trips to meet with clients
- Leisure wear for vacations and weekend trips
- Party wear for birthdays, holidays, and anything in between
A lot of people gawk at the idea of paying $160 for a few pieces of clothing a month. But it made sense for me as I was getting a rotational designer closet for a fraction of the price all while saving time in trips to the store or a last minute panic of something not fitting because of fluctuating post-baby weight.
The best part was in my downtime, I was able to use their app (which I love by the way) to create a list of liked items which they call “hearts” for future rentals. I broke them out by category: sweaters, tops, dresses, pants, jackets, skirts, handbags, jewelry, and even a category for my daughter with their little girls clothing. So that when I knew exactly what I needed, it would be easy to find and choose for my next shipment.
You may ask “well how do you know you’re getting the right size?” I rely on reviews for this! I look for reviews from women with similar height and body type as me and what size they rented in the past for particular items. RTR also has a “Fit Insight Tool” which allows you to use your preferences to make real-time size recommendations. Plus, all new memberships include one “Free Fit Do-Over” you can use in your first two months.
And for any germaphobes or folks that are freaked out about cleanliness during Covid-19, RTR actually has the largest dry cleaning facility in the US. Most of their pieces pass through a steam tunnel between 248-302 degrees Fahrenheit and then sealed in plastic to protect and extend their life span. Plus, they have new arrivals almost every week that are introduced to their selections.
The real beauty of RTR’s business model is when I do fall in love with an item, instead of paying full retail price to own it I pay a fraction of the cost (anywhere from a 10%-70% discount) depending on the item. And there have been a number of pieces I have purchased and still wear today.
In fact, I have RTR to thank for propelling me into sharing things publicly and sort of start It’s Amber U on Instagram. It was about this time last year when I was invited to join their Ambassador program in which I get to invite friends (like you) to try RTR for a fraction of the price. You can still get 50% off 2 months of their 8 and 16 items plans using my code: RTRFAM1175EDB.
Unfortunately, RTR will no longer be offering Unlimited plans starting next year but you can still rent 16 items per month for $199 across 4 shipments. You’ll just have to make sure you choose your pieces wisely! 😉