FollowLola’s got your answer right here!
as i wrote about last week in my STYLE Special Edition, Lola has a distinct travel style. i like to think i’m a bit of a fashionista when not wearing costumes! 😉 BUT being a fashionable traveler isn’t always easy. especially when i don’t have limitless funds or even time to really shop. that can’t be an acceptable excuse, however, not to look great when i’m out on the town checking out FAB restaurants and bar scenes. that just won’t cut it when i’m staying in HIP & LUXE hotels. NOPE.
so what’s a girl to do?! well…i think i may have found my solution! it’s called Rent The Runway. yeah, you’ve probably heard of it. maybe even considered renting from them yourself for some big event or something. that’s certainly the way the company positions itself.
BUT wouldn’t you say for most, a trip IS a BIG event? i know it is for me. i pack things i might not wear all that often because i’m doing different things when away. i go out more…restaurants, bars, clubs. and a lot of the places i travel are pretty much on the posh pulse. SO i want to be in good style. this is not to say i’m a hermit when i’m at home but it’s not quite the same. the other thing i like about the Rent The Runway solution is that you can actually pack less. you just need your undergarments, shoes, jewels & a handbag & VOILA you are ready to rock it.
on my last visit to NYC a couple of weeks ago i decided to give Rent The Runway a shot. the hotel i was staying with was doing a little promotion with them and i thought what the hell. PLUS it meant that i could pack less as i just described which was a bonus because i was going from Florida directly to NYC. here’s how the process works…
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you preorder your frocks. there are fit guides & customer reviews on the site as well as stylists to assist you in any questions.
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the rental terms are for 4 days but you can pay extra & extend to 8 days.
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you pay shipping but the return is free and the rental comes with the packing/postage included and all the instructions.
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you wear your items and return them. RTR handles the cleaning of the garments.
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FYI you can also rent handbags & jewelry accessories to accompany your dresses.
i needed 2 dresses for Friday and Saturday night. when i rented, it was rent one at the full rental fee, get the second one for $25. not too shabby. also, one free second size included in your rental in case you’re not sure about your correct size. i took them up on this!
not only were my garments there at the hotel upon check-in, there were little gifties inside from Rent The Runway. FUN!
i loved both of the dresses i rented. one fit better than the other but both were super fun & perfect for my dinners and drinks out in the big apple.
the only glitch i ran into was with the return. because the hotel was partnering with Rent The Runway, i asked them to facilitate the return of the dresses. everything was included – so no big thing. well, for some reason, it didn’t go completely smoothly and boy was Rent The Runway on me to get their dresses back. really, the fault is with the hotel, not RTR, but i was annoyed since i had to be involved when these two businesses were partners.
BUT not annoyed enough to not repeat this same process for my upcoming Miami trip. i go to Miami so often and see some of the same people. AGAIN, not cool to always be wearing the same dresses over & over. Rent The Runway made this an easy decision, offering me $20 off my next rental if i reviewed the dresses i rented in NYC. ok, sure. no problem. so, i’ve preordered and will turn up in Miami to my hotel with my 2 fun dress rentals waiting for me. hopefully i love them as much as the ones from NYC.
BONUS i got an email from Rent The Runway yesterday saying for an additional $15 would i consider allowing the RTR stylists to throw in ‘mystery bling’ for one of my outfits? i’ll be bringing my own jewels & handbags, you can be sure, but i thought that this sounds fun – so why not?! we’ll see what they come up and if it’s ‘Lola Approved’.
what do you think of my choices? would you rent fun dresses for your fashionista travelista moments on the road? tell me why or why not.
XO – Lola
PS – sadly, Rent The Runway doesn’t ship internationally 🙁
I dedicated half my blog to that question Lola 😉 http://www.bruisedpassports.com/
LOVE it!!
What a great idea!
i thought so too!
Love the dresses you picked! I’ve rented jewelry before, but never dresses, was always nervous about the fit.
you gotta try the rental of dresses too, Andi. they let you take a second size for free. but, i agree, it is kinda nerve wracking 😉
I love Rent the Runway, but alas the one time I did try a loooonnnggg time ago, the dresses did not fit. Not their fault; it’s just difficult to find things off the rack that fit me without alterations. Eyeing the site again and I may have to give it another go…. Love the Kate Spade dress on you!
thanks Miss April. after my second go round of rentals the Kate Spade is still number one!
I’m hardly stylish by any means, but renting for cheap seems to be win-win. Nice solution! Nice solution!
i think so too. it’s not always going to work but it’s a super alternative for some situations 😉
I love anything that mixes travel & fashion 🙂
me too!!
What a great resource! I love it!
OMG LOVE those dresses you picked. It never occurred to me to rent fashion. 😛
thanks so much Kieu. my faves were the Kate Spade from the NYC rental and then the Zac Posen from Miami.
That would be cool if they added fanny packs to their repertoire.
oh Ted! you never know…they may have them. but for the ladies. they rent bags & accessories too.
Ok so Fanny packs are so wrong, especially in Australia where fanny does not mean what you think it means :p
I always love your style, Lola! I also love that you can use RTR while you travel! I never thought of that, but you can be sure I’ll be using it in the future. xx
it’s something that occurred to me before when traveling but when Mondrian had a little deal with them, i was like…duh, gotta try it. excited to see how Miami goes!
hahahaha too true in every form but darling Ted likes to tease with his FP 😉
Cannot wait to see you modeling those dresses! I spent like 45 minutes on the site last night, lol.
travel is a lifestyle just like fashion. it just makes sense to partner them 🙂
right?!
i think so too. 🙂
you never know Ted, they could be doing men’s things down the road!
might have to do it for TBEX too!! 🙂
I am the least fashionable person alive but I LOVE travel fashion posts. I can not work it out, hehe!
This is an amazingly brilliant idea!!!!!! I will DEFINITELY be doing this when we go to the US as I don’t want to carry around a huge amount of stuff but I like the occasional posh night out with the hubby.
I love love love this idea.. and would love to try it on an upcoming trip to the USA!
@mrsoaroundworld recently posted…Finding paradise in the Maldives
let’s do it Mrs. O
This is so awesome Lola! You have no idea how much I could have used this service a few years ago – from my former corporate life, my company used to have an awards banquet/gala every January. I have a closet full of beautiful ball gowns that have only been worn once -such a terrible waste! Love dressing in gorgeous designs and fabrics, but like you said, you can’t always wear the same dress over and over again! Sounds like a great solution. Will have to remember this for the next trip to the US – I see a night of fancy dresses and cocktails in the future!
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i better be with you when you do this evening of fancy dresses & cocktails!
Totally loving that Zac Posen. What in the world will you show up in Toronto with?!?!
Keryn @ walking on travels recently posted…Mini Break (Parents): Planning a Fabulous Girls Weekend in Portland
as it turns out, i’m not renting for TO. 😉