Wrapping up Rent the Runway

You know that credit game? The one when you transfer an outstanding balance on a credit card to a new bank which promises zero percent interest for a limited amount of time, which gives you enough time to pay off your debt at a minimal expense? Well, back in the day, I was a champ at that game. My recent experience with Rent the Runway provided me with a similar sense of totally–getting–over–on–the–man accomplishment.

To recap, I purchased a one month unlimited subscription which provided me with 4 garments at a time with an unlimited number of swaps for new items. There was no charge for shipping, cleaning or insurance. All this came for a special offer price of $106, a great discount from the usual $159+ tax charge.

Here’s how I maximized my rentals:

● I purchased and activated the subscription exactly one month minus a day ahead of the big event I planned to attend in a rented gown. This meant the last day of my subscription, aka the day everything needed to be shipped back, was the day after my event.

● My first couple of shipments included gowns that I was considering for the gala. The dress I ultimately selected arrived in my very first shipment and hung on the back of my bedroom door for the entire month – great incentive for running that extra mile and declining a third cookie. Although this decision meant I really only had 3 slots in rotation, I was too worried that I’d somehow “lose” the dress if I sent it back and tried to have it reshipped closer to my date.

● My absolute favorite item was the gorgeous, purple motorcycle jacket which arrived brand new with tags on. I wore the hell out of it for a week and felt like a rockstar each time I put it on.

● I made a point of choosing garments that are beyond my budget. Why waste time with a dress that retails for $150* when you can wear one that would set you back $500 or $600?

I’ve placed my membership on “hold” rather than cancelling it, which gives me the option of simply restarting my subscription. This courtesy is available for 3 months at which point I’ll need to either restart or cancel. I’ll see what kind of deals I’m offered in the next 10 or 12 weeks and will consider reactivating if the price is right and my social life demands an infusion of new outfits.

Overall verdict – awesome. If you’re interested in giving it a whirl, leave a comment and I’ll try to share a code that will give you $30 off your rental.

*even $150 is more than I’ve ever spent on a garment other than a leather coat.