It took nearly TWO YEARS, but it has FINALLY happened. I’ve been invited to be a Rent The Runway Ambassador after nearly two years of loyal, dedicated membership. Naturally, I said yes.
Back in October 2018, I decided I was spending unnecessary money on clothes. I had put on weight, and wasn’t at the size I wanted to be, and refused to spend on clothing that I didn’t really want. But of course, I needed stuff to wear. Rent the Runway had launched its longer-term rental program, and I decided to give it a shot. Nearly two years later, I’m still a subscriber, and I didn’t even pause my subscription during this pandemic, even when we were in complete shut down and I had NO place to go.
Pandemic looks by Rent the Runway! #rtrambassador #thanksitsrtr
Celebrating a milestone during a pandemic? Make it special with a super cute outfit! #rtrambassador #thanksitsrtr
So why am I a loyal Rent the Runway subscriber? Let me count the ways…
Style & Quality: I love the brands represented by Rent the Runway, including very cool, fun brands like Color My Courtney, and Farm Rio and classics like Vince, Veronica Beard and Trina Turk - it’s a great way to explore new brands without a long term commitment
Trend following: I love trends as much as any fashion lover, but I don’t want to invest big sums of money into pieces that may only last a season or two. I also go through phases when I want to wear lots of color, and times when I want to just wear neutrals. Rent the Runway allows me to follow trends without significant financial investment.
Affordability: Ever since I signed up as a subscriber, I’ve been spending significantly less money on clothing. I only buy essentials, or classic pieces like very high quality basics or pieces that I’m going to be washing and wearing a lot. Other than that, Rent the Runway is my entire clothing budget.
Sustainability: One of the downsides of trend following is that once the trend has passed, it’s time to get rid of the item. And while I donate stuff I’m not wearing any more, some pieces are just not built for long term wear, and they end up in a landfill. The beauty of Rent the Runway is knowing that anything I wear and return will get worn and returned by several other people down the road. Their packaging is reused, and the plastic dry cleaning bags can be sent back to be recycled and turning into deck materials! How cool is that?!
Sizing for weight fluctuations: I mentioned this previously, but like a lot of women, I fluctuate in size depending on the season, what/how I’ve been eating, and my workout routine. And there’s nothing more disheartening than staring at a closet of clothes that don’t fit well. My monthly rental allows me to account for sizing, so I never have to look at my closet and think “ugh, I have nothing to wear”.
Deep discounts if you want to purchase: Every now and then, I hopelessly fall in love with a piece, and want to keep it forever. When this happens, Rent the Runway offers deep discounts (sometimes more than 70%) on any items you want to keep. I bought a super cute Clare V. bag for $35 (retail price $300+)
Outstanding customer service: Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes I’ve received damaged pieces, or pieces that just don’t fit, and in either situation, Rent The Runway’s customer service has been outstanding. They take care of issues quickly and in a way that feel fair to the client. Also, you can take care of customer service issues without having to talk with someone on the phone if you prefer.
Pre-pandemic, I used Rent The Runway mainly for work, including non-traditional blazers, which are fun to wear but not something I want to invest in. I also usually look at my social calendar and plan my items around them.
And then March came around, and I stopped going into the office, and of course, my in-person social calendar came to a complete halt.
I’m still working from home, but I haven’t paused my subscription because I’m still using it! In the Spring I was using it for cute sweaters to wear on video calls, and since then, I’ve been using it to pick fun summer dresses for those days when we’re either seeing friends (at appropriate social distance of course) or going out to dinner. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had been feeling blah, and since I instituted my “get dressed up” rule, I’ve been feeling a lot better.
Getting dressed up to get on zoom while working from home! Comfortable and so chic! #rtrambassador #thanksitsrtr
Here’s how it works: Rent the Runway’s monthly programs
There are 3 different monthly programs available via Rent The Runway. You can use my Ambassador code, RTRFAM511C780 to get $100 off 2 months of Rent The Runway’s 2- Swap program - that’s $50 off each month for 2 months, which brings your monthly cost to $85 (plus tax). These offers change periodically, so this is current as of this writing. Please note that the Unlimited Swaps plan do not offer any discounts, nor are expected to do so any time in the future. Click HERE to subscribe.
Use my Ambassador code RTRFAM511C780 to get $100 off 2 months of Rent The Runway’s 2- Swap program - that’s $50 off each month for 2 months, which brings your monthly cost to $85 (plus tax).
I want to be very transparent here: I do not receive any monetary compensation if you sign up. If you sign up, I will open up some additional spots on my own subscription, but that’s it. However, if you decide to try out this service, I hope that you benefit from the discount to see if it’s something that works for you longer term.
For more on Rent The Runway’s subscription programs and how they work, check out my blog post on clothing subscriptions.
If you’re planning family photos for later this summer and into fall, I highly recommend Rent the Runway to pick a fun outfit, and don’t forget to also pick some outwear in your box so you can create a few different looks for your family photos!
For fun spots for a photo shoot, check out my blog post on 10 spots to have a photoshoot in Cleveland!
If you like this post, would you mind leaving me a quick testimonial (you can also do it anonymously)? It helps me learn about the types of things you want to hear more about.