By Clarkie Ackerly

As society changes, so do fashion trends; certain items go out of style, and new trends arise. With the consistent changes in the fashion world, girls often spend large sums of money on clothes. However, with the creation of websites like Rent The Runway and Nuuly, as well as Instagram closet accounts, styling cute and affordable outfits has never been easier. 

RTR co-founders Hyman and Fleiss. Photo credit: forbes.com.

Renting clothes is a new phenomenon that has become popular with many women, especially those in college. The concept started in 2009 with Harvard Business students Jenn Hyman and Jenny Fleiss. The idea was sparked when Hyman’s sister wore a $2,000 designer dress to a wedding. According to Rent The Runway’s website, “Jenn wondered, wouldn’t it be so much smarter if we could rent designer items rather than purchase them?” She shared the idea with her friend Fleiss, and the idea flourished. The two set up a pop-up shop on Harvard’s campus where their peers could rent dresses. After immense success, the duo created their online website “Rent The Runway,” which launched nationwide in late 2009. 

Since 2009, Rent The Runway (RTR) has expanded significantly. Designer clothing items, jewelry, and handbags are all available to rent; RTR owns all of its inventory. From 2009 to 2016, rented items had to be purchased individually. But, in 2016, RTR launched monthly subscriptions, which allowed for multiple items of varying retail prices to be rented at the same time for a set price. Today, the website has over 10,000 rotating styles from over 750 designers for customers to choose from. In 2023, RTR had 185,720 total subscribers. 

RTR subscription plans. Image credit: renttherunway.com.

RTR has various monthly subscription plans; each plan differs in price, the amount of items, and the retail value of items to choose from. For $94 a month, you can pick out five items at a time, although you have limited access to the closet; you can pick from 9,000 items with a maximum retail value of $350. For $144 a month, you can pick out ten items and receive two shipments of five items per month. With the 10-item plan, you have full closet access to styles retailing for up to $3,000. The 10-item plan is the most popular of the three; however, there is a third plan for $235 a month where you get 20 items, receive four shipments of five items per month, with full closet access. For new members, the first monthly rate is significantly lower. 

Skirt available for rent on Nuuly. Photo credit: nuuly.com.

Following RTR, Nuuly, a similar online renting website, launched in 2019. Nuuly offers brands and styles different from those on RTR. Unlike RTR, Nuuly has only one plan, for $98 a month, for which you receive six items. On both websites, items are available to rent individually for set prices. Individual items can be rented for four or eight-day periods. 

Similar rental websites include Armoire, Gwynnie Bee, Vivrelle, Vince Unfold, and Fashion Pass. For all of these websites, including RTR and Nuuly, items are available for special member-only prices if a customer decides to keep their rented item(s) rather than shipping them back. All rented items are insured, meaning the customer will not have to pay fees if an item is damaged. Dry cleaning services and fast, free shipping (typically 1-3 business days) are other advantages of these franchises. 

However, fancy online websites are not the only way to rent clothes. Instagram closet accounts have been popular for years: girls make Instagram accounts and post photos of clothes they do not want anymore to make money. Some notable accounts include @maeswardrobe2, @shopclairesclosettttttt, @averydew_closet, and @ugaclosett. These accounts have thousands of followers from all over the United States. Many individuals, myself included, have smaller closet accounts too. 

Dress rental on @clarkiesclosett. Photo credit: @clarkiesclosett via Instagram. 

With clothes renting becoming more popular, many Instagram closet accounts have added a rental option to their pages. Dresses someone has worn once and will not wear again, but which they don’t want to get rid of quite yet, make for perfect rental pieces. For example, a dress that someone purchased for $350 may be rented out for $50 on their Instagram closet account. This is a great deal for both the seller and the renter; the seller gets to pocket $50, and the renter gets to wear a stylish dress without buying it for full price. As an Instagram closet owner myself, I have made hundreds of dollars from renting out my clothes. Girls have messaged me asking to rent my dresses for occasions like prom, Homecoming, or even spring break. 

Formal dress available for rent on RTR. Photo credit: renttherunway.com.

Renting clothes is a great option for those attending formal occasions like proms, weddings, and galas. Everyday clothes, such as jeans, jackets, skirts, and tops, are also available. Stella Williams (‘24) says, “I recently purchased a RTR subscription, and I love it! I got tons of cute dresses to wear for upcoming graduation parties and events; it saved me so much money.” 

Aside from being affordable, renting can help the environment. Jamie Ducharme of Time magazine wrote in a June 2023 article that, “Depending on which estimate you read, the fashion industry is responsible for anywhere from 4% to 10% of global greenhouse-gas emissions.” Naomy Gmyrek of Econyl magazine wrote, “renting one piece of clothing can save up to 24% water, 6% energy, and 3% CO2 emissions, when compared to buying a new item.” Renting clothes allows for less waste, a lower carbon footprint, and a reduction in fast fashion. 

As RTR says in their motto, “Fashion shouldn’t come at the expense of your wallet, the planet and the designers who create the clothes.”