Full article by Sophie Cannon published on Oct. 2, 2021 available at NY Post.
If you have a full closet yet somehow have nothing to wear, join the club.
Or more specifically, a clothing rental club, as that seemed to be the solution to my shopping addiction without breaking the bank or making my closet even more full than it already is.
When browsing clothing rental services it’s hard to see what they offer without first signing up. Since most women don’t have the time, energy and finances to commit to the plethora of subscription services out there, I decided to devote my day job to doing just that.
In the month of September, I signed up for, shopped, wore and retuned items from different rental services, including Rent the Runway, Armoire, Nordstrom Trunk Club and Gwynnie Bee. Not only was I the most fashionable one in my home office (apologies to my kitten-turned coworker) and my post office’s most frequent customer, but in this pursuit I discovered what sets each service apart.
Read on for more information on size-inclusivity, the best for designer finds, ease of use and more, walking you through the entire process from account creation all the way through rentals and returns.
Best clothing rental service for speed and efficiency:
Sometimes you have the right clothes, but no clue how to style them into a killer outfit.
No longer with Armoire, the clothing rental and personal styling service for the working woman. Now, they don’t market themselves that way, but after browsing their offerings during my month-long Unlimited membership, the abundance of stunning blazers, slacks and midi-dresses from mid-tier designer brands like Scotch & Soda, French Connection, Theory, Diane Von Furstenberg and Nicole Miller, made me give them that moniker.
Signing up and getting started is streamlined and easy, with a three-pronged quiz to start. After choosing what sort of style you are looking for, what occasions you need outfits for such as work or vacation and plugging in your measurements, a closet is created just for you. You will also need to pick a subscription model, with options for four items per month, seven items per month or the unlimited plan in which you can rent six items at a time but return and re-rent as many times as you want, which is the one I opted for.
I decided to use their personal styling service, via the chat function on the site, as opposed to choosing from the 75 options in my personalized closet from the quiz results that had more of a fall feeling. After telling them that I was looking for more summery items with a youthful flair, they created another 70-item closet in just under 30 minutes — very impressive.
A huge factor of Armoire that I loved was their speed, as in addition to how quick their stylists work, their shipping and delivery was also super fast, shipping out one day later and arriving at my home after two more business days.
As for the actual clothes, I ordered five dresses and one pair of shorts and from those, half of the items fit. This wasn’t too surprising, as with any rental service it does take a few tries to really get to know how the brands fit, but all in all I was thrilled with my first try and walked away with a dress for the US Open, a summery dress from Sanctuary and a pair of shorts for a rooftop party.
Some Quick Points
- For those on the go, signing up and shopping your curated closet is a breeze.
- The stylists are on-call and ready to help you not only pick items but style them and create personalized closets.
- Size inclusive, with offerings for extended sizing for many items.
- Perfect for the working woman, more conservative options, mid-tier designer items.
- Returning is easy with prepaid labels and a reusable shipping envelope.
Full article by Sophie Cannon published on Oct. 2, 2021 available at NY Post.
