Rent the Runway Review

Hi guys! Last week my boss invited me to one of the biggest events at our University, the President's Gala.  It is a black tie event so I knew a gown was what I needed! I almost panicked cause I literally had a week's notice (thanks boss, 😒).  So me and my bestie brainstormed and decided to try out Rent the Runway, have you ever heard of it?  So the concept is easy, you rent a designer dress for a fraction of what it would cost to own it and in this age of social media how often do you wear a gown twice??   We first looked around on the website to see what the options and price points were and then decided to book an appointment to meet with a stylist and try on some looks, you know, the fun part!  So you can schedule a visit in advance, I believe walk ins are an option but there is a wait.  For $30, you get thirty minutes with a stylist to discuss the event and what looks you are interested in, the fun part I think is having them select a few looks you might not have considered for yourself.

First impressions, the bestie and I headed to RTR flagship location at 30 W. 15th Street in the Flatiron district, the store is GAWGEOUS! I mean you know you are about to have a "pretty woman" moment, lol.  You sign in with the front desk and can walk around while you wait for your stylist to call your name.  My stylist was awesome,  she asked me to describe the event and the industry I work in and our ideas of looks.  She asked my size and whether or not we wanted a glass of Presecco, we said YES, of course, then she headed to her dress vault while we lingered around the accessories case.  She had several style options for me, most were very good options but the last one really took the cake!  I took these "dressing room selfies" with my phone, the quality is awful and I had to crop the hell out of the pics to remove the disarray the dressing room was in, I know I am a terrible blogger. Love me anyway? 😘

Option 1.  I absolutely loved this red strapless dress, but I thought strapless (and red) might be a bit much for a higher education work event.  I would definitely pick this dress to wear to a special event I would attend with my hubby, but nah not for this one..

Option 2.  So my friend thought this silhouette would work on me and insisted I try it on, so I did.  I didn't hate it, and I definitely think the A-line, princess gown made my waist look teeny, tiny, which I liked.  Also, and probably most importantly, it had POCKETS!!! I know, dream come true.  I passed on this dress because the cleavage was a bit too plunged for this event.

Option 3 (and the winner) I mean, look at my bestie's face?? Need I say more.  The color popped against my skin and dark hair, the dress hugged my curves but was loose and forgiving, a plus for a girl who loves her appetizers.  I just loved it!  We styled it with a navy resin foldover clutch by Sondra Roberts and Cobalt Bacall Earrings by Elizabeth Cole pictured below.

You obviously don't go home with the dress you are trying on at the store, they check availability and have it delivered to the store for pick up or they will deliver to any location in Manhattan.  I opted for pick up at the store, the evening before the event.  I received an email and text (optional) alerting me the dress was ready for pick up.  My friend and I piled into the car to pick it up.  When I arrived at the store, I gave my name and was given an easy to carry garment bag which included two dresses (for length options), my accessories, a return label and a garment bag seal tie.  EASY!   

Look at me looking all put together. :)

Returning was a breeze, you could drop it off at the store or replace the label with the return label included in the garment bag and drop it off to any UPS location within two days of pick up.  I believe they have longer rental options at an additional cost. I opted to pack it up the next day and scheduled a UPS pick up from my office. Again, EASY!

 I have included the total cost breakdown below.

Initial Consultation: $30
Dress Rental: $79
Earrings: $40
Clutch: $35
Return Shipment: Included
Dry Cleaning: Included
First time used discount: -$25
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Total: $159.00


Would I do it again? SURE! I would probably have had the dress delivered to my office in Manhattan rather than picking it up at the store, a rookie's mistake, but other than that I enjoyed my experience and when the next formal event hits, RTR has my business!  They seem to be expanding their business plan to include all types of rentals, day to day work looks or more casual styles up for rent.  Not really my thing, I am not into wearing designer duds on a daily basis, especially not at that cost, but hey to each their own!

 I hope this was helpful especially with wedding season upon us.  ❤️💋

Thanks for reading!

by LifestyledbyErica