Today's the moment of truth. What worked with Nuuly and what didn't? Just a little unrelated background info regarding my past as a reviewer...I wrote for Zagat Guide in NYC for almost 7 years where I covered restaurants, bars, hotels, shops, and lounges, and their purpose was to give establishments an honest review without putting them out of business.
I'm not here to put anyone out of business and my experiences are unique to me, so just because I say my experience wasn't the best, doesn't mean yours will be the same!
WHAT I’M WEARING THIS WEEK: Nuuly
Welcome back to What I'm Wearing This Week: Nuuly. For the newbies, every Friday on WIWTW I'll recap the clothing rentals I wore for the week. I’ll take you on a trip through my life, where I’m going, what’s missing in my closet, my current obsessions, what I’m excited to try, and maybe even buy. We’ll explore designers and trends, and a variety of styles and brands. And each week I’ll fill you in on why I chose each item, the total value of the rental compared to the retail price and more.
Nuuly is a monthly rental subscription service for women's apparel, where customers can choose any six items from hundreds of brands for just $98 per month. Nuuly is about discovering something new, loving something you never expected and surprising yourself in the best possible way. It's about getting creative with what you wear every single day's not just on special occasions.
This is a review of the 6-item plan for $98/month.
WHAT I RECEIVED
All three items by Farm Rio and (two by) Anthropologie arrived fresh from the dry cleaner, neatly folded, and zippered up in a padded Nuuly shipping bag.
Farm Rio Iridescent Leopards Sweater Dress Retail Value $200, Nuuly $108
About this designer: With over 20 years of history, FARM is Brazil’s most beloved clothing and lifestyle brand. The story began in 1997 in Rio at a local independent fashion market called Babilonia Feira Hype where founders Katia Barros and Marcello Bastos took their chances on launching a clothing line that embodies the feminine spirit and vibrant colors of Rio.
Brazilians quickly fell in love with the brand, the booth became a store, that grew into more stores, and now FARM is Brazil’s most recognized brand.
Why I rented: Thanks to rentals, I have a newfound obsession with the brand!
How I styled it: I wore this dress with thick Sheertext tights, Kat Maconie ankle boots and Tecova Cowboy boots. Plus, the Gucci studded leather jacket and the Yves Salomon Shearling jacket. It's quite versatile and easy to dress up or down!
Size and fit: I got a medium and the dress was very form-fitting and borderline snug. This cozy, colorful mini dress features a mock neck, long sleeves, pullover styling and vivid leopard print. The fabric is heavy, and it's really well made! I'm a huge fan of Farm Rio!
Condition: Very good!
Honest review: I got the most wear out of all my Nuuly pieces, and despite being too toasty for some days, it was still my go-to item whether I was WFH or went out to see a band at the beach.
Anthropologie Victoria Cashmere Ruffle Sweater Retail Value $188, Nuuly $103
About this designer: The thoughtfully designed pieces from Anthropologie surprise, delight and tell stories—of a collaborative, inventive community of women savoring every adventure and seeking beauty wherever they go.
Why I rented it: I love cashmere and wanted a cozy, cute top that'll go with just about everything.
How I styled it: Since I only wore it twice, I paired it with my new jeans and a pair of Sam Edelman cowboy boots. I also wore a Just Cavalli leather jacket, goldtone hoops, and the Chanel 19.
Size and fit: I got a medium and this pullover cashmere sweater was a little snug throughout. This cozy knit features a high neckline with ruffle details, long sleeves and a cropped hem. It's really versatile and cute! Wish I could've worn it more.
Condition: Good but a little worn and stretched out with a small tear in the sleeve.
Honest review: I love this sweater, but the weather warmed up pretty quickly, so I didn't have that many opportunities to wear it. I debated buying it and fixing the hole myself, but the resale price was way too high so I sent it back..
Anthropologie Twofer Collared Mini Dress Retail $160, Nuuly $88
Why I rented it: Needed something cute and stylish for the office.
How I styled it: I wore this dress to the office and paired it with Sheertex front and back seam tights, J. Crew d'Orsay flats, the Just Cavalli jacket, Dolce & Gabbana sunnies, and the Saint Laurent Sac de Jour.
Size and fit: I got a medium and this pullover design runs slightly big, aside from the neckline where I struggled a little to pull it on. This dress is crafted in a stretch cotton blend with a shirt neckline overlay with button closure, long sleeves with buttoned cuffs, an attached and ribbed strapless fitted dress and flounced hem.
Condition: Showed up with black marks on the hem so I got it dry cleaned.
Honest review: Once I cleaned off the dirt marks and slipped it on, I was a big fan. It's unique and sweet! But clearly Mr. HGL is not impressed.
DID THEY DELIVER?
- What items were most helpful and versatile to own this week to ensure I got the most out of my rental and completed the look I craved? I got lots of wear out of the sweater and the Farm Rio dress. I wore the Twofer dress to the office and out for dinner with the fam.
- Did they meet or exceed expectations? Eh, Nuuly isn't my fave. They barely met expectations.
- What’s the return process like? Place the items in their shipping bag, zip it up, and that's it!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Oh, Nuuly. What can I say? Lots! Before I dive into the pros and cons, keep in mind that I've purchased maybe five items total from Anthropologie, Free People and Urban Outfitters my entire life. I'm just not boho or preppy!
If you didn't know, they're all part of the same company so surely, they source and supply their own rentals to people like me. But with that in mind, I was surprised to discover that my pickings were always slim. Like ModLux.Rent slim so, I'm not quite sure what all the buzz is about.
I first heard about Nuuly many years ago, but as someone who is more into high fashion, when I discovered it was basically an Anthro clothing subscription service, I didn't even bother looking into it. Then friends and coworkers began to sing their praises and I became curious.
Like other subscription companies, you fill out a profile (not as in-depth as others) and include your stats, sizes, pick a plan (there's only one), and enter your credit card information. I tried to bypass the credit card info so I could check out the goods, and after many tries, I finally figured it out. I needed to know if it was worth and if I could find pieces I liked before I splurged!
Well, there's good news and bad news.
Pros:
- The 6-item plan is good and bad. If you live somewhere with predictable weather, you can justify committing to 6 pieces a month, but I started Nuuly in January thinking it'd be freezing cold, and it wasn't. We had 15-degree lows and 72-degree highs, which can make renting tricky.
- The resale prices are pretty good compared to others which is probably because most pieces are their own.
- The clothing bag they ship the items in is really compact and convenient, but it does take up space.
- Customer service is great!
- The product descriptions and photos are better than others.
- It's a great option if you'd like to rent clothes and save a little money.
- If you dream of a closet full of Anthro, you'll be in heaven.
- They have vintage and resale shops for Nuuly.
- You can rent clothing for just about anything, like a yoga class, ski trip, a gala or your day in the office.
Cons:
- Sigh...rental companies need more stock! Whenever I'd add pieces to my closet, they were almost never available. And since most of the items are their own designs, you'd think you'd have endless possibilities.
- Most of my pieces arrived in not-so-great condition. Two dresses were dirty, and the cashmere sweater had a hole in the sleeve. When I told the customer service rep, she offered me an extra spot on my next shipment. I told her I probably won't subscribe again, and I had the items cleaned so I could wear them. She told me I shouldn't have done that because I could ruin the items. Whoops!
- There are no substitutions, and by this, I mean that you're stuck with what you order for a month.
- The shipping is slow. The items shipped nearly four days after I placed my order.
- It's a very specific style, and if it's not your cup of tea, you may be disappointed with the options (like me).
- Not many designers or style options.
Rentals are tricky, but one of the best ways to figure out which service works for you depends on your own personal style. I was also curious about FashionPass, but after perusing their selections, I realized I'm way too old, so I took that off my list.
If you're a boho or romantic style type and you love all the flowy fabrics and flowers, Nuuly is perfect for you. I'll stick with my RTR and Armoire for now. I can't justify spending my own money on Nuuly again.
FYI I'm skipping next week because I'm in Key West and I don't have anything to review right now!
VALUE BREAKDOWN: The 6-item membership costs $98/month and so far, I've received styles with a retail value of $1,635!
Have you tried Nuuly? Let me know about your experience!
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