Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday, y'all! It's one of the biggest shopping days of the year — what are you hoping to purchase?
When I shop the world gets better; and then it's not anymore and I have to do it again. - Rebecca Bloomwood, Confessions of a Shopaholic
I really love Confessions of a Shopaholic and unfortunately can relate way too much to Isla Fisher's character, Rebecca Bloomwood. When I worked as a copywriter for Saks Fifth Avenue they paid us in glamour (as most of those fashion companies do), but once we accepted the job they gifted us with Saks credit cards and that was the only way we could access our corporate discount. When the double discounts would appear — basically every six weeks — I'd run across the street with my team and we'd shop, shop, shop. Sometimes corporate would even host a happy hour beforehand so we'd spend even more at the store. Genius, huh?
While giving a bunch of early 20s to mid 30s females access to Chanel, Burberry, and Diane von Furstenberg at a serious discount may seem like a good idea, the problem was none of us could afford to pay off our cards. As our bills went up, our credit scores went down, but we still found a way to get another credit line increase to buy yet another bag or pair of shoes. Eventually, many of us ended up eBaying our items to pay off our debt...which we got into trouble over because we weren't allowed to eBay anything we bought on our work discount.
And folks, this is today's lesson in screwing up your credit score in the blink of an eye and a swipe of the card.
Side note: I'll eventually tell you about my days as an intern at Cosmpolitan and how I lost a bag full of Hermes scarves. And then I found myself in a real-life Devil Wears Prada fashion publicist role that had me so stressed out, I went to the ER twice because I thought I was having a heart attack. Panic attacks are NO JOKE!
WHAT I’M WEARING THIS WEEK: Armoire
Welcome back to What I'm Wearing This Week: Armoire. 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 (recovered from COVID in March, now fully vaccinated), where I’m going (90% of the places are outside, and I wear a mask), 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 (as of today I've rented $18,106 worth of clothing), and more.
Armoire, which is a clothing rental company for women, is all about female empowerment. From the hand-selected and curated inventory of styles that are designed by the Boss Lady, for the Boss Lady, to their involvement with female-powered brands, and their partnership with Dress for Success Seattle, they’re a brand built for today’s woman.
This is a review of the Unlimited Plan for $249/month.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get $30 OFF 1 month of the 7-item plan OR 50% OFF 1 month of the unlimited plan.
CODE: 7MSA89 or MSAUNLIMITED50
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
WHAT I RECEIVED
Armoire shipment with Joie, Rachel Zoe, Equipment, and French Connection.
It's arrived — and some bunny is very excited (me). This time I got items from French Connection, Joie, Rachel Zoe, and Equipment.
Lots of bunny bombs this time...and just a forewarning that I fell into a pit of pink.
THE GOODS
Joie Knit Balloon Sleeve Wool & Cashmere Sweater, Retail Value $248
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The backstory: I wore this sweater on my flight to Nashville. Since I had to be at the airport by 5:00am, I didn't sleep at all that night, but this bright and cozy wool and cashmere knit made it all better. Check-in at Cambria Nashville Downtown was 3pm and I rolled through the lobby at 8am praying I could check in early and rest a little while. The staff was super, duper kind, and helpful, complimented my outfit, and then gave me an upgrade. Sweet! The pristine hotel is located just two blocks from Broadway in the heart of Nashville so you can basically walk everywhere. Great location, great staff, moderately priced. I also wore this to go cowboy boot shopping after I woke up from my nap, recovered from my flight, and had a delish Bloody Mary at the downstairs bar called NashHouse Southern Spoon & Salon.
How I styled it: I wore it with a pleated leather skirt, my fave hat, N. Kirkwood Ankle Boots, tights, and the vintage mink jacket. My mom yelled at me because my skirt's too short — but, but I wore tights!
Size and fit: The fit was perfect.
Condition: Great condition, no issues.
Honest review: I really like this sweater! I love the color, the knit design, and the puffed sleeves. My complaint? The knit is too wide so you can see right through the sweater, straight to your bra. No matter which color you choose, it's still obvious. SIGH.
French Connection Snake Print Faux Leather Dress, Retail Value $158; French Connection Lace Tie Neck Blouse, Retail Value $118
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The backstory: I was going to wear this outfit on my first night out in Nashville, but it was TOO SHORT and tight so I had to replace it with a Rotate Birger Christensen Dress from Saks Fifth Avenue. Instead of telling you what happened in this outfit, I'm going to tell you what happened in the replacement dress instead.
I met my friends over at the Urban Cowboy Hotel in East Nashville and immediately fell in love with its old-school charm and the Victorian Mansion. I arrived a few minutes early and asked for a glass of wine at the outside bar, but they only had California whites and I needed my New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc fix. The bartender instructed me to go to the lobby bar because that's where they kept all the good wine. I turned the dark corner, walked through the firepits and the outdoor seating area, then tripped up a small step and went flying into the edge of a firepit. I caught myself with my left hand, knee, and chin (yay, didn't light on fire), and people ran over to make sure I was ok. I was a bit dazed and confused, but pretended to be fine and continued walking towards the lobby. Two of the patrons told me it happens often and they need to warn people of the step before someone gets really hurt and/or the establishment gets sued.
I went into the lobby, bloodied and bruised, and then walked into the restroom where I saw a bloodied chin. The General Manager offered me ice, bandages, Neosporin, and WINE (still not New Zealand) to make up for it. I included a pic of my chin. See, I told you I was a klutz and now there's proof.
How I styled it: I followed Armoire's suggestion of pairing both French Connection items together and I liked it, but I just felt a little too self-conscious to wear in public.
Size and fit: I ordered the Medium for both pieces and while the dress was made for someone way shorter and thinner than me, the blouse fit great.
Condition: Both items were in good, but not great condition. The blouse is slightly worn, but not enough to be an issue.
Honest review: I know it's pleather/faux leather, but it felt like I was wearing an oversized baby's bib! I really like the lace blouse though. I don't have enough white in my wardrobe, and especially with long sleeves. The lace is soft and it's comfy too. I might keep it after I comb through my closet again to see what I can pair with it.
Rachel Zoe One-Shoulder Mock Neck Mini Dress, Retail Value $345
Rachel Zoe One-Shoulder Mock Neck Mini Dress
How I styled it: Oh, geez. Super cute on the model and not cute on me.
Size and fit: Forget about the size...the fit is scary. Feels like I'm choking. I think Rachel's crew designed this as a nighttime, fun-time dress...if you get my drift.
Condition: Excellent condition.
Honest review: Since I featured this dress in the holiday party roundup, I figured it would be fun and festive. Oh no...the cut is all wrong and not flattering at all unless you have zero body fat. Cuts you off across the chest and gives you underarm blubber. Yikes. I will not be dressing like a candy cane this year!
Equipment Colorblock Wrap Jumpsuit, Retail Value $550
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The backstory: Days two and three in Nashville were a lot of fun! Since my hotel was in the epicenter, I did the whole tourist thing and walked all around the city each day logging in about five miles. Broadway was very cool, and of course, I had to tour some of the shops because shopping is my favorite pastime. I spent the first six hours of my second day holed up in the hotel room putting some finishing touches on a whitepaper about designer resale. Once I broke free I became "basic" and went shopping for cowboy boots and a cowboy hat. When in Rome...or Nashville. I finally decided on a pair of Tecovas after the salesperson twisted my arm with a beer and tequila. They say tequila makes her clothes come off, but it made my shoes slip off instead.
Afterward, I went up the escalator to the Assembly Food Hall and got THAI FOOD. I know I shouldn't have, but I'm addicted — I did eat Nashville hot chicken twice and went searching for Tums at the hotel shop. I was planning to wear the jumpsuit that night, but it just wasn't working so I went with a fringe leather skirt (none of these items are part of the rental story, but I did wear Rocksbox).
Met my friends at this cool little speakeasy called Old Glory and then ate chicken and waffle bites (omg the best) at Hopsmith. On my way back I dropped by The Stage and listened to a local country band and met some girl who was on The Voice.
How I styled it: I'm ALWAYS looking for a reason to carry my vintage Louis Vuitton Takashi Murakami Cherry Blossom Bag and this jumpsuit was the perfect excuse, but I'm not wild about the red and pink combo...nor do I love the pleating. It's just not flattering.
Size and fit: Equipment jumpsuits are made for people who are much shorter than me. The cropped leg look doesn't work well for someone who has legs as long as mine...not complaining, but designers become experts in certain sizes and body shapes and Equipment isn't for me. Lesson learned!
Condition: Very good condition. A little wrinkled, but to be expected.
Honest review: I need to stop trying to make jumpsuits happen. They're just not working on me.
Joie Gathered V-Neck Sweatshirt, Retail Value $148
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The backstory: Overall complaint about sweatshirts these days...I feel like they really don't keep you warm. Back when I was young, they were lined with fleece or something just like it and they were comfy, cozy, and toasty. Now, they charge you over $100 a pop for some lightweight knit with long sleeves. Not worth it! If I'm on the market for a sweatshirt, I want it to keep me warm!
Anyway, after I got back from Nashville I wore the Joie Gathered V-Neck Sweatshirt to Jinya Ramen Bar to get some spicy chicken ramen. Of course, I spilled the ramen all over the sweatshirt so I had to clean it before I sent it back.
How I styled it: I wore it with a pair of Alo Yoga Leggings, New Balance Sneakers (see, I know how to dress down!), a baseball cap I got in Monte Carlo, and a parka from Alibaba.
Size and fit: I rented the Medium and it was on the larger side, but since you probably should wear something underneath, it's the perfect size.
Condition: Great.
Honest review: I like it. I like the color, the gathered detail on the front, and the slouchy fit, but I wouldn't buy it for more than $50. It's just not worth it. Plus, it's too thin! When the pandemic hit, Joie was practically giving away their items for free and they still should be selling their items at those affordable price points.
DID THEY DELIVER?
- What items were most helpful and versatile to own this week to ensure I got the most out of my rental and completed the look I craved? I wore the Joie Sweater and the Joie Sweatshirt the most.
- Did they meet or exceed expectations? Armoire met expectations this time.
- What’s the return process like? Place the items in the bag, seal it up and that's it!
FINAL THOUGHTS
I'm tired. Between the crazy wedding weekend, then hopping on a flight to Nashville and now Thanksgiving week, I'm ready for a long winter's nap. In other news, I signed up for Tulerie (the peer-to-peer rental company) because I'm trying to figure out if it makes more cent$ to rent out my wardrobe or start selling some of it. I have a FaceTime interview with them in a little over a week so they can meet me and view my closet. I'll keep you posted on progress.
Mr. HGL stomped and growled as soon as I put him down
That's it for now. Hope your holiday week is fluffy and bright!
CAN YOU STILL GET THIS BOX IF YOU SIGN UP TODAY? Yes, all these items are still available to rent.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get $30 OFF 1 month of the 7-item plan OR 50% OFF 1 month of the unlimited plan.
CODE: 7MSA89 or MSAUNLIMITED50
VALUE BREAKDOWN: The Unlimited membership costs $249/month and so far I've received styles with a retail value of $$18,106!
What are your thoughts about Armoire and rentals in general? Let me know what you think down below!
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