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More often than not, my suitcase is packed with t-shirts and other casual clothes. I’m the person who wears her convertible Northface pants at home just as much as while traveling. Let’s just say that fashion isn’t one of my interests.
While I can’t afford — whether in time or money — to stay on top of travel trends every single day, I do try to make an effort on some occasions. When I’m traveling, I often have a reason to make an impression and Rent the Runway helps me do that without breaking the bank.
Rent the Runway is an online dress rental service. You simply browse through their collection, pick a dress you want to borrow, and they ship it to any address in the continental United States. The dress comes clean, pressed, and perfectly ready to wear in two sizes to guarantee it fits. After your event, you return it via UPS and they’ll take care of all the postage and dry cleaning for you. You can also rent jewelry or handbags and buy shoes, intimates, or other accessories.
So why is Rent the Runway perfect for travel?
One Less Thing to Pack
Checking a garment bag on your flight days can cost you $25+ each way, but Rent the Runway will ship your order to the hotel you’re staying at. It’s actually pretty fun to check into a hotel and have a garment bag waiting for you at the front desk. UPS drop boxes are everywhere, making it easy to return before catching your flight home.
No Need to Spend Time Shopping
Finding the perfect dress (at an affordable price) is definitely doable if you want to peruse the racks at your favorite store, but when I have maps to print out, hotel bookings to confirm, and a hundred other things to do, I’d rather pick my dress with the click of a button. People who actually enjoy shopping may feel differently!
The Customer Service is Amazing
I’ve never been able to afford stores that offer personal shoppers, but with Rent the Runway you can chat online with “go-to” girl and get suggestions and sizing help instantly, which is perfect for the fashion clueless like me. As another example of stellar service, they go the extra step to make sure your dress fits. Rent the Runway sends your dress in two sizes just in case, but if it still doesn’t fit, they will rush you a different dress overnight so you’re not stuck with nothing to wear. (As a heads up, that’s why they suggest an initial delivery date of two days before your event).
It’s Perfect for One Time Needs
If you’re planning on partying in Las Vegas but don’t want to buy the dress to keep forever, renting can be a great alternative. Similarly, if you need a few more summery dresses for your vacation in Miami when you live in Minnesota, here’s an easy way to do it. And if you’re attending a wedding and expect to only wear the dress once? Use Rent the Runway. They even have Halloween costume ideas this time of year!

Considering that I’m not a shopper, there’s a huge draw to the convenience of Rent the Runway, but even fashionistas will love this option because you’ll be able to wear big-name designers without the $1000 price tag.

Dresses start at $30 for a four day rental and if you register using my referral link, you’ll get $30 off your first purchase. Additionally, they have sales fairly regularly and if you rent a second dress for the same delivery date, you’ll receive an additional discount.
All said and done, I made out like a bandit for my “marathon wedding weekend” when I attended two weddings in two days with a different dress for each. With my second dress at a reduced price and a sale going on, it was a no-brainer to Rent the Runway rather than spend hours at TJ Maxx looking for dresses and then having to pay for dry cleaning if I ever wanted to wear them again. Rent the Runway is a permanent addition to my favorite travel resources and you can bet I’ll be using them again.
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Making a purchase using my referral link provides a small credit to my account. I love Rent the Runway and appreciate it if you use my link if you were going to make a purchase anyway.
I’ve been reading about some of these clothing rentals. It seems pretty cool. And I like the fact that sometimes you can purchase the clothes that end up in your rental (it’s kind of a surprise what they send you). Does Rent the Runway have that, too?
@Wondernuts, They have a few sales annually to sell previously-rented clothing. The last one also came with a gift certificate off your next rental (e.g. buy the dress for $75 and get $25 off a future rental). I didn’t take advantage but seemed like there were a few deals.
This sounds like a pretty interesting idea. I always wonder what to do with the dresses I have taken pictures in (and posted). I will definitely think about trying this service 😀
I totally own that Milly dress!! It’s amazing!!
@schmerj, I loved it too!
Sounds like the perfect solution and the fact that they send it your hotel and you can save the hassle of packing it, perfect!
That’s a really great idea! I think the worst part about packing nice clothes is that they get all wrinkled and you have to spent time ironing/etc. to make it look normal.
What a great idea, I had not even heard of rent the runway yet. I love how it makes traveling and packing so much easier, after all packing is probably the most difficult part!
I don’t have any fancy dresses that currently fit me so this would be a great service! I could see using it for a wedding or another special event.
Full disclosure… I’ve heard of Rent the Runway but thought it was a reality TV show. (hanging head in shame) but now I can say, Rent the Runway is brilliant! It makes so much sense. Why spend a whole lot of money on a dress you might only wear once? Brilliant I tell you!
@Cathi, Don’t worry about mixing up what it was! No big deal 🙂
If I ship to a hotel, how do I fill out the shipping info? I know this is a stupid question, but if I get it sent to the wrong place……
@Bpatters, Best to contact the hotel to see if they have a specific format they prefer (and to give them a heads up it’s coming). But usually it looks something like this:
Hotel Name
ATTN: Guest YOUR NAME HERE on October 11
Hotel Address
City, State Zip