Rent the Runway is a designer clothing and accessories rental service. Think something like Le Tote, but with higher-end brands like Diane Von Furstenberg, Missoni, Tory Burch, Hervé Léger, and more. Once you're done with your pieces, you simply return them in good condition using the clever garment-bag-slash-mailing-envelope in which they arrived.
Soooo much has changed since my last Rent the Runway review! There are now three ways to enjoy Rent the Runway:
- RTR Reserve (starts at $30.00 per order) lets you rent pieces for 4-8 days. You can schedule your orders immediately or even weeks in advance!
- NEW! RTR Update ($89.00 per month) lets you rent 4 new pieces on a monthly basis.
- RTR Unlimited (price just increased to $159 per month) lets you rent up to 4 pieces for an unlimited amount of time. (It used to only be 3 items!) You'll be charged each month, but you can keep, return, and swap out items on your schedule.
This is a review of the Unlimited subscription, which is $159 per month. Because I was already a member, I was grandfathered in from the old three-item-per-month Unlimited program for $139 per month. But if you're just signing up now, you'll be charged the new $159 price.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Rent the Runway Unlimited
The Cost: The Unlimited subscription changed quite a bit recently! It now costs $159.00 per month, but you get to rent up to 4 items rather than up to 3 items (which is what it was previously). If that's not your style, keep in mind that Rent the Runway also created a new subscription called RTR Update, which lets you rent 4 pieces per month for just $89.00!
LIMITED TIME DEAL: Use coupon code FIRSTRTR to save 20% off your first Rent the Runway Unlimited Subscription order! Or, if you’re an Unlimited subscriber, use code UNLRESERVE25 to save 25% off your Rent the Runway 4-day rentals!
The Products: Up to 4 pieces of high-end designer clothing and accessories.
Ships to: US for free!
Good to know: Returns are free and can be dropped off or scheduled through UPS.
Check out all our Rent The Runway Unlimited reviews and more clothing & accessory boxes in the Women's Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
I decided to do things a little differently this month! In past orders, I've mostly shopped the Rent the Runway clothing catalog. But I keep learning about more and more jewelry and accessory subscriptions and rental programs, and I was curious to see how RTR's offerings stack up!
I've mentioned in previous reviews that browsing the oodles of offerings on RTR can be a bit overwhelming (I gave some tips on how to make the shopping process a little easier, too). Shopping the jewelry and accessories sections is a little easier since there are quite as many options. But there are still over 15 pages of goodies to sift through! So, tips:
- First, make sure you're looking at the RTR Unlimited offerings. (When you look at the category, there's a bar at the top of the page that indicates whether you're looking at RTR Reserve or RTR Unlimited items.)
- Use the filters on the side of the page to curate the list down.
- Like something? Hit the heart in the top right corner of the image. It'll save that item to a "Hearts" page—basically a page of all of your faves—that you can visit later. It's way easier than finding those items all over again.
- When in doubt, chat them! The RTR stylists can help point you to the right look.
After browsing around for some looks to try, I ended up with four products I wanted to order. Unfortunately, after I'd already placed my order, I got a message from Rent the Runway that two of the items that were supposed to head my way weren't available. While it was a bummer (those earrings, in particular, looked amaaaaazing), I was happy that Rent the Runway was proactive about amending the situation. The rest of the email that you see above had all kinds of helpful, clear instructions on how I could replace them with other items I loved. I didn't have a chance to pick new items before my existing order shipped out (which I think was within about a day of the email being sent), so I only have two picks to show off in this review. But remember that the perk of the Unlimited subscription is that you can get additional items shipped whenever! RTR keeps track of how many items you have at home, but as long as that number doesn't go over four, you're all good to order new finds or swap out what you have!
Kate Spade Garden Garland Necklace - Retail Value $198.00
I love me some Kate Spade! I usually reach for more modern, minimalist jewelry and accessories, but this necklace caught my eye as a fresh take on a more traditional look. The gold has a rosy hue to it—love that! The flowers are designed so that this doesn't look like charms on a necklace so much as rosettes on a vine. It's super pretty and romantic. I also was happy to see that this necklace isn't as choker-ish as I thought it might be. In the photo above, it's clasped on the smallest loop of chain, just to give you an idea. Maybe it feels a little sophisticated to wear on top of a simple gray sweater, but it also doesn't feel terribly obtrusive—I feel like I could wear it with casual or work looks as well as fancy, polished outfits.
Also, did you see the nice navy box it came in? The tabs holding the necklace down are magnet secured, which makes them easy to undo and reattach whenever I'm ready to send this piece back. I always like it when subscriptions go the extra mile with their presentation!
Rebecca Minkoff Silver Sofia Crossbody Bag - Retail Value $195.00
Speaking of presentation, look at the plush drawstring bag this handbag arrived in! Okay gang, this bag is like me reincarnated as a purse. It's metallic (like, mirror-shiny metallic), there are colorful pom-poms, it's small enough to be practical and carefree... I'm wild about this bag! I could see wearing this legit leather bag with a navy peacoat and black boots to give a winter look (or heck, an entire winter day) a pop of personality.
The Verdict: I'm in love with the Rent the Runway Unlimited accessories options! I feel like whether your vibe is traditional or more modern, there are plenty of looks to suit your style. That huge breadth of aesthetics is something that's unique in the jewelry rental services I've reviewed so far (including Switch and Rocksbox). And with this subscription, you can rent amazing handbags... and scarves... and hats... and even sunglasses! The products arrived in great condition, and I really appreciated the sophisticated packaging. It stinks that there were issues with the two other items in my order, but I'm also happy with RTR's response to the issue, and the fact that there are plenty of other items I'd be happy to replace them with!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? These items are back in rotation on Rent the Runway! But other renters might scoop them up, so sign up for a membership to see when they'll be available to rent next!
LIMITED TIME DEAL: Use code FIRST to save 20% off your first order or first month of Unlimited!
Value Breakdown: Use coupon code FIRSTRTR to save 20% off your first Rent the Runway Unlimited Subscription order! Or, if you’re an Unlimited subscriber, use code UNLRESERVE25 to save 25% off your Rent the Runway 4-day rentals!
What do you think about Rent the Runway?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.