I remember the first time I heard about clothing rental apps, well, actually the concept of renting clothes at all. It was at the height of wedding season when I was in my late twenties and going to a wedding every other weekend. Not only was I out of new clothes to wear to a black tie occasion, but I had also recycled my looks enough times that I was basically developing a uniform. It was then that a friend told me about Rent the Runway and, although I would have appreciated a heads up several hundreds of dollars earlier, my sartorial options opened up unimaginably. Since first launching a rent based clothing store, Rent The Runway has updated its platform to stay a leader in an emerging market that caters to anyone who needs couture for a night, a personal stylist to create looks for their customers and what I like to call try-it-and-buy-it boxes for those who can’t quite make it to the fitting room but want to refresh their look. Below is a list of just a few of these fashion hubs and what to expect when you sign up.
Rent the Runway
They may not have created the concept of loaner clothing, but they take up a lot of real estate in the marketplace. While they started by renting designer gowns to customers for one time only occasions they have expanded to subscription packages for those who want a monthly wardrobe refresh.
Subscription Options:
- Unlimited – Rent four options at a time, with unlimited swaps. Items can be worn and returned or purchased at a discount.
- Cost: $159/mo.
- Update – Rent four options each month from the entire inventory.
- Cost: $89/mo.
- Maternity: Similar to the plans above but starting at $119/mo for unlimited exchanges.
Le Tote
Another great subscription service that doesn’t require the purchase of any items. Customers can choose between receiving one box a month or two. The process is similar to Rent the Runway, but with deeper discounts on purchased items (50% off the original price!) but fewer options in terms of high-end designers. This service is great if you want to add a few items to your everyday look, from activewear to professional and date night.
Subscription Options:
- 1 Box per month
- 5 clothing, 3 accessories for $79/mo
- 7 clothing, 3 accessories for $99/mo
- 10 clothing, 5 accessories for $119/mo
- 8 clothing items, 0 accessories $89/mo
- 10 clothing items, 0 accessories $109/mo
- 2 Boxes per month
- 3 clothing, 2 accessories $79/mo
- 4 clothing, 0 accessories $89/mo
- Maternity Plans are slightly more expensive, with an additional ten dollars added on to the plans noted above.
Stitch Fix
Less like rental service and more a personal styling box, Stitch Fix focuses on your personal style, with help from an online assistant. Each box comes with five pieces of clothing including shoes and accessories based on your Style Profile. There is a stylist charge but no monthly subscription fee so you are not locked into a plan. This is a great service for anyone who wants to update their wardrobe seasonally but doesn’t have time to put together the latest on-trend look.
The Details:
- Product cost has a wide range from $20-$400
- In your style profile, you can set a budget so that nothing is selected outside of your preferred price range
- Each box comes with a $20 styling fee, which is applied to anything you buy from the box
- Payment is made after the box has arrived and you have decided what to keep,
- Everything else you simply send back free of charge
- Maternity clothing is available and the site notes that they train their stylists on maternity wear specifically.
ThredUP
Listing itself as “The World’s Largest Consignment & Thrift Store”, ThredUp wants to change the way we look at secondhand clothing. A straightforward app and website, they have thousands of products for women and children (fellas, you are welcome to take a look too!). They also offer customers a “Clean Out” opportunity to send in clothing you may no longer want for credit! The site offers a lot of great deals and discounts for one time purchases, as well as goody boxes, without the subscription.
The Details:
- ThredUP’s is more flexible than other clothing delivery services, which is great for busy parents. Each “goody box”, which includes ten items, is designed by you, but with suggestions from the site based on your style survey and previous purchases. Items are very reasonably priced, and can be returned if you find upon arrival they aren’t quite what you were looking for. The fee is $20 per box, that is later applied to any purchases.
- Clean Out:
- Trying to get into your Maria Kondo vibe for the new year? Request a Clean Out bag from ThredUP and send in clothing to be resold! Like any consignment shop, they do have pretty high standards. Clothes should be:
- Freshly Washed
- From a Name Brand
- On Trend and less than five years old
- Free of stains or tears
- Trying to get into your Maria Kondo vibe for the new year? Request a Clean Out bag from ThredUP and send in clothing to be resold! Like any consignment shop, they do have pretty high standards. Clothes should be:
- Rescues
- Have a little time and know how to mend a shirt or fix a scuff mark on a boot? ThredUP also has a section of clothing that may have a few imperfections or have been listed on the site for a while, available for even deeper discounts. Boxes are designed by category (Jewelry, outerwear, shoes, etc) with customers selecting their size and receiving boxes of up to ten items for under $40. There’s a lot of gems to be found and as a bonus $5 from every Rescues sale goes to charity.