Why I like RTR (& Nuuly)
Some Friday musings
Over the years I’ve dabbled in rental clothing subscriptions. I’m probably contributing to RTR’s extremely low stock price because I nab the intro offer, cancel as soon as it’s full price, then rinse and repeat as “come back” promotions lower the price again.
I haven’t rented clothing in over a year, but as Spring approaches I find myself thinking about it again. I appreciate the newness in my closet and ability to “shop” without committing to purchase anything. Aside from the obvious benefits like renting brands or wedding dresses you would never pay full price for, I’ve compiled a list of other benefits of becoming a member of a rental clothing program.
Knowing your designer size. I do not own anything from Anine Bing or La DoubleJ, but if I found a sale online I would purchase with confidence. I look at my order history of RTR often to remind myself if Staud runs small in tops, or which jean size I am in Agolde. It’s a helpful log of your size in every item you rented and that never goes away.
Trying new brands/styles of jeans. Jean shopping is hard. Every brand fits a bit differently with varying degrees of comfort and stretch. Until you actually “try” a pair for several weeks, it’s hard to know if it fits well in your closet, is comfortable enough to sit in front of a computer for 8 hours, or keeps its shape all day. Renting gives you the option to make sure they past the “real” test and increase your confidence in your purchase.
Photo reviews. Seeing a picture of someone in their rented item along with their height and typical size is maybe the best thing about RTR/Nuuly. If every department store and brand website could replicate the depth and variety of their customer reviews I would probably buy a lot more online.
I was tempted by this dress on Net A Porter but after looking it up on RTR on and seeing it on real people with a similar body type I am less inclined to buy.
For these reasons, even though I haven’t rented anything in over a year, I do visit my RTR account to check my size in a designer, see what new jeans they have, or look up an item of clothing I’m considering buying to see it on a real person.