Gwynnie Bee is a clothing rental subscription service that caters to women between the sizes of 0-32. Gwynnie Bee allows you to select items you like and they are put in a virtual closet. The chosen items sent to you are at random, but you can select priority pieces to be sent to you first. You can send items back as often as you like.- shipping is free both ways.
I have never tried Gwynnie Bee before, but I had an upcoming wedding to attend, so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to try it out! This review is of my one-month-free trial experiment to find a dress suitable for a guest at a fall wedding.
(FYI - you can click this link to get your first month free.)
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
Good to know: Gwynnie Bee comes with pre-paid envelopes to return your items - you can exchange items as frequently as you like for the same monthly fee. Shipping is free both ways. (Make sure to log in to your account and mark your items as returned as soon as you ship them back. If your account is in good standing, they will automatically start processing your next order so that you can get as many items as possible!)
About Gwynnie Bee
The Subscription Box: Gwynnie Bee
The Cost: The cost depends on how many items you would like to have out at a time.
1 = $49/month
2 = $69/month
3 = $95/month
5 = $139/month
7 = $179/month
10 = $199/month
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your first month! No coupon needed - just use this link.
The Products: Women's clothing rental, sizes 0-32!
Ships to: US via USPS Priority Mail
My Review
In my first box, I received a little welcome card and a note that I'd receive 20% off my first purchase, but just FYI if a dress goes on sale, it is not an additional 20% off, however, you will still get whichever deal is better for you cost-wise!
I'm reviewing the 2 items-out-at-a-time $69/month plan.
For reference, I began my subscription about 3 weeks before the wedding that I was planning to attend. Here is a bit how the month went as far as the schedule:
I signed up on a Sunday and the first week my dresses arrived on a Wednesday, I sent my return in on Thursday and received a new set on Monday. Each time a box would arrive and the next day I would send back the unwanted items through USPS and then immediately mark them as returned on the app so that they could send me a new one. As time went on the deliveries came faster and I was able to get a total of 7 dresses to try on before the wedding, as well as four more items to try on after the wedding before my trial ended!
Sizing: I know that in Liz's review she mentioned that she found the sizing to be off and so when choosing dresses, I went by what size I typically wear as opposed to their recommended size for me and that worked out very well for me! So I would recommend going by the size dress you expect you would be in and paying close attention to the reviews that mention how each dress fits!
So, with a one-month free trial, I was able to get 9 different dresses and two cardigans to try. Here they are:
First shipment:
eShakti Navy Multi Twofer Fit and Flare Dress (Size 14) - Estimated Retail Cost $62.50 (based on 40% off price of $37.50)
I liked this dress a lot when I saw it on the app, but I loved it even more in person! The top is a nice soft cotton with a zipper on the back that you can barely see while the bottom has this beautiful full skirt that is made of a nice thick silky material. I love the bright colors in this skirt and how they stood out so vibrantly against the navy blue. This dress was really comfortable, although for some reason the waistband was a little bit tight, which the reviews on this had also noted. It was still was very comfortable and the flowy skirt coupled with the fact that it had pockets made this one a winner! At first, I decided to keep this one at home as a backup in case none of the other dresses in my Gwynnie Bee closet worked out, but a few days later it went on super sale for $37.50 dollars and I couldn't resist so I ended up purchasing this one!
Catherine Catherine Malandrino Short Sleeve Sweater Fit and Flare Dress (size L) - Retail Cost $138
This dress is one that I saw and had to have so I was happy when it was sent to me immediately. The fabric is so nice and thick and it has that fun textured detail that is so simple, yet interesting. I love this green color, the neckline and the length of the sleeves. This really had more of a holiday dress feel to me though, so I didn't think it was the best option for a wedding. It did make me wish that I lived somewhere more temperate so that I could wear this out to every holiday function this winter!
Second shipment (Since I first kept the eShakti dress as a backup I only received one dress in this shipment!):
Ellen Tracy Lace Faux Wrap Dress (Size 14) - Estimated Retail Cost $138
How beautiful are the lace details on this dress? I love that the sleeves had no lining underneath of them creating such a nice contrast to the body of the dress. Unfortunately, this dress just gaped horribly at the chest, although it fit me so well everywhere else. I even tried a different bra with it, but for some reason, it was just very large at the bust and I could not wear it out without flashing just a little too much cleavage. It was pretty disappointing considering how beautiful it was, the quality of the material and the perfect length.
Third Shipment:
Sangria Ruffle Polka Dot Faux Wrap Dress (size 14) - Retail Cost $98
I really tried to branch out and try some different dresses for this wedding and this was one that I wasn't sure how it would look in person. I really loved the front of this dress, the nice ruffle details, and the neckline felt very flattering to my figure, but from the back, that hi-lo skirt was just not working! It felt very frumpy with the almost full-length skirt in the back with ruffles at the hem. I am pretty tall at 5'7" so I'm not sure why it was so long on me in the back. I have to say, the quality was still great though!
Eva Rose Short Sleeve Black Floral Fit and Flare Dress (Size L) - Retail Cost $74
This dress was much too tight on me, but I fell in love with it! The colors and pattern are so different than anything that I own or am usually drawn to, but there was something about this dress that I loved! The style of the neckline with those sleeves felt so flattering to me and then that nice full fit and flare skirt with pockets just turned it into my ideal dress! While it's too tight on me at the moment, this one ended up going on super sale too for $35 and I decided to keep it as my goal dress for when I finally lose all that extra weight my three babies have helped me gain! When it finally fits perfectly, I can't wait to have my husband take me out somewhere fun to wear it!
Fourth shipment:
Veronica M Tie Detail Navy Dress (Size L) - Retail Cost Unavailable
Ugh. I really don't even like the fact that these pictures will be up for everyone to see because this dress seemed to accentuate every extra roll on my body while somehow also turning me into a human potato sack. I love the color, love the pattern, even like the idea of the shape with the three-quarter length sleeves and v-neck, but the skirt was essentially shapeless and the jersey-knit material clung to me in all the wrong places. Just ew.
Gabby Skye Floral Red Scuba Fit and Flare Dress (Size 12) - Retail Cost $98 (found here for $39.97)
I do not like red much, but I took a chance on adding this one to my closet and it did not disappoint! I thought it was very flattering with the shape of the top, neckline, and cut of the sleeves. The burgundy skirt really helped to tone down the brighter reds and I love the gold zipper down the back. The flared skirt with all of the pleats felt so feminine and fun. I almost ended up wearing this dress to the wedding, but in the end, wearing a dress with pockets won out!
My Wedding Choice:
In the end, I chose the eShakti dress which was the first one that I tried on! I just love the skirt of this and even though this is a dress I now own, it was the perfect occasion to wear it. It was comfortable to dance in and I could keep what I needed in my pockets for the evening. I chose to accent it with gold jewelry and just some basic black flats (I don't do heels!) and I was happy with my choice!
Fifth & Sixth shipments (just for fun!):
I really wasn't sure how my Gwynnie Bee trial would work, so I allowed myself a little extra time after the wedding to return the dress I would be wearing, but I ended up getting four extra items to try in that week after the wedding since the shipments came faster and faster as my month progressed!
Adrianna Papell Cap Sleeve Green Lace Fit and Flare Dress (Size 14) - Retail Cost $129
This dress! It was so beautiful and unique with the green lace over the nude bodice! The silhouette was so simple, but the lace added such a great level of detail to it and the color was perfect. If this dress had gone on super sale too, I probably would have bought this one too. Although like the other green dress, this one felt very holiday appropriate...for anywhere other than Maryland where we are already expecting snow this week!
Ellen Tracy Scuba Dress with Twist Neckline (Size 14) - Retail Cost $128
This navy satin dress was very simple and elegant with a fun flared skirt. I love the little knot detail at the neck and spoiler alert: I ended up keeping this one as well! Over the course of my month, I earned reward points everytime I closeted an item, returned something or purchased something so by the time my trial ended I had $5 in rewards to spend. This dress went on sale for $16, so I ended up paying $11 for it which was a no-brainer to me! It's not my favorite dress of the bunch, but it was still comfortable and pretty enough to wear for future occasions!
Andrea Jovine Basketweave Latte Open Cardigan (Size L) - Retail Cost $118
At some point, I began adding cardigans to my closet when I ran out of dresses in my size that I liked. I figured I might find one that I could wear over my dress for the wedding. I didn't end up getting sent any until after the wedding though and the ones I did get sent were not quite dressy enough. It's much harder to tell the style of a cardigan than it is a dress through the app! This one was beautiful and cozy, although not that warm with the thick holes in this knit. Still very nice quality though!
Jones New York Side Split Duster in Heather Grey - Retail Cost $89.50
This gray cardigan was much thinner and not quite as nice in quality as the other one I received. I think it is something about the ribbing that I didn't like since it gave it more of a casual look. I did like the length and the way the sides had slits in them, although I wish it had pockets!
Verdict: I was able to try 9 dresses and 2 cardigans through my 1-month free Gwynnie Bee trial and I found several options that were appropriate to wear to a wedding.
This was such a great option for me to try out with the goal of finding a dress for a wedding, especially considering the fact that this was a free trial and had I not purchased my dress, it essentially would have been free! The dresses were all in fantastic condition and felt clean and new and it actually ended up working out way better than I planned since I was able to take advantage of their sales and purchase three of the dresses! Other perks include the fact that I wouldn't have to pay for dry cleaning after wearing the dresses, and that their inventory is constantly changing meaning it was easy to find several dresses that would have worked for this occasion. If I hadn't done a free trial, I still think this would have been a great option and I probably would have taken the time to wear a few items before sending them back. Their selection of dresses has me swooning and it was so easy to find a dress (or several) that worked for me! I can't wait to try it out again in the spring or summer and actually wear some of their beautiful dresses out. I definitely recommend giving Gwynnie Bee a try, especially with a free month, it's worth it!
To Wrap Up:
If I had been paying for the $69 per month subscription, that would have come to about $6.27 to rent each of the eleven items, however, I was only trying them on instead of wearing them for a full day! If you are able to wear items soon after you receive them and ship them back within days, you can really get a good value out of this subscription.
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, some of the pieces I received are available to rent or purchase at Gwynnie Bee!
Coupon – If you haven't signed up yet, get your first month free! No coupon needed - just use this link!
What do you think of Gwynnie Bee?
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