No Strings Attached: Rent the Runway & Nuuly

Commitment issues manifesting in your closet? I’ve got you covered.

Romantic boho, rocker chic, timeless minimalist… These are just a *few* of the personalities that take shape as I stand in front of my closet each morning. My style changes faster than my wallet can keep up with, so when I discovered subscription clothing rentals, it was like unlocking an entirely new world. 

The more popular rental subscription service, Rent the Runway, is where my journey began. The concept is simple: renters pay a monthly subscription fee and get to rent name brand clothing. Renters also have the option to purchase items they fall in love with for a discounted price. My dad’s girlfriend is a huge RTR fanatic— 9/10 times if you ask her where she got what she’s wearing, it’s a RTR borrow. She eagerly sent me her referral code (new renters get 40% off the first two months with a referral) and I was on my way. 

RTR offers multiple plans: 4 items for $94/month, 8 items for $144/month, or 16 items for $235/month. Shoppers have the option to add extra items for an additional fee. I personally found the 8-item plan worked best for my lifestyle and budget. I also liked how I could swap 4 items halfway through the month so I didn’t have to commit for anything for longer than a week or so.

My relationship with Rent the Runway started off strong. I adore the accessibility to designers like Gucci and Chloé, as well as the ability to rent pieces I’d normally never spend my money on (yes, I’m wearing rented Retrofete to everyone’s wedding this year, don’t judge me). I was renting for a few months with no complaints: the shipping was quick, the items were packaged well, and they handled all the dry cleaning. 

But I’m not going to lie… After a while, I started to get bored with the selection on RTR. Even with weekly new arrivals, I felt like I was seeing the same few items all the time. It also seemed like the pieces I coveted months prior were never available when it was time for my shipment. I did appreciate the discounted retail price but never felt inclined to purchase anything I rented. As fewer items were catching my eye, I found myself pausing my membership multiple months in a row. 

Enter Nuuly. I heard about Nuuly from my hairstylist and I couldn’t have found it at a better time.

Nuuly is a subscription clothing rental service with the same concept as Rent the Runway…but there are a few key differences. To start, the price point of Nuuly is much more appealing. Renters get 6 items for $88/month with the option to charge two additional rentals. Nuuly also caters to a different (younger?) demographic, offering brands from Free People and Urban Outfitters in addition to higher quality names. This makes a lot of sense when you realize Nuuly is owned by Urban Outfitters and Free People’s parent company. The shipping and return situation is very similar to RTR and takes minimal brain power to execute.

However, unlike RTR, Nuuly renters cannot swap out pieces throughout the month. Renters keep the same eight items for the entire subscription month, which is the biggest downside for me. With RTR, I’ve held onto the same Badgley Mishka jacket for several months while swapping everything else out. This gave me the flexibility to hold on to an item for the entire season without committing to buying it.

Regardless, I’m a big Nuuly fan. I’ve actually purchased three items from my subscription boxes that I just had to have, and they all still had the tags on them. I was able to buy brand new pieces of relevant, in-style clothing for a discounted price. I almost always send my Nuuly box back lighter than it was delivered to me—it’s just that good.

Overall, I can honestly say I’m a big fan of both of these services. I love that I can change my look up every month and wear designer labels I could not afford normally. On top of that, I can wear expensive designer clothes and not think twice about laundering them. Red wine stain? Grass stain? Mysterious blood stain? Doesn’t matter. Just send it back and it’s dealt with. I truly could not ask for anything better.

To see what all the hype is about, use my referral codes to get started! *This post contains affiliate links.

Save 40% off your first month with Rent the Runway

Save $10 off your first month with Nuuly











London Rauch