Good morning, and happy Friday! My mom had to remind me that it's Good Friday and I'm not supposed to eat meat today, so since I'm a very bad Catholic, I had a hard-boiled egg and turkey bacon for breakfast and sent her a picture of it. Look mom, he's eating greens for me!
It's been a crazy week of meetings, video chats, reading, and Mr. HGL giving me nasty looks because I don't have much time to rub his head anymore (get your mind out of the gutter).
This week we're back to Armoire, and maybe the trick is to only rent once a month from them. I was able to find a few cute items this round and two of which I might purchase.
Well, let's find out which items have stolen my heart.
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, 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 (as of today I've rented $28,501 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.
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
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All of the items by Reiss, Thakoon Addition, Hunter Bell, Rebecca Taylor, Hutch, and Derek Lam 10 Crosby arrived on time and in good condition. Each item was fresh from the dry cleaner and neatly folded.
THE GOODS
Reiss Split-Neck Daisy Checkered Mini Dress, Retail Value $375
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How I styled it: It's no secret that I love Kate Middleton and London is my favorite big city in the world, so it should come as no surprise that Reiss is sometimes on my radar, especially if Kate's spotted wearing something of theirs. Well, I didn't go too crazy styling anything this round just because I cleaned out my closets to transition to summer and stuff is everywhere!
Size and fit: I ordered the 6 and it's a little big in the waist and bust, and the belt just kind of hangs. It's got a back-zip closure, button cuffs, and a sweet, flounced hem. It's actually pretty lightweight too and feels a little like gauze cotton, despite being a mix of wool and polyester too.
Condition: Brand new, tags still on.
Honest review: While it might be a tad short on me, it's the perfect fall work dress, especially if you pair it with black tights and a pair of platform Mary Janes. I'd rent it again when it gets cold, but let's not wish the cold weather upon us just yet... give me 100 degrees and sweltering heat. I love summer, but my dermatologist might protest.
Thakoon Addition Floral Lace Skirt, Retail Value $450
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How I styled it: I wore it with my new fave shoes, the Nicholas Kirwood sandals, and a totally see-through Splendid by Ella Moss off-the-shoulder top. Quick, funny story. I was running out to dinner the other night and ran into this young girl, Kaitlin, in my building who sometimes watches Mr. HGL. I stopped quickly to say hi and pet her dog she said, "Ewwwww, Mary! What's wrong with your foot? You've got this horrible bump. You need to get it removed." I started laughing and explained what it is and why it's there (sprinting, years of impossibly high heels, and those stupid point-toed shoes that ruin your feet) and she said she'll never wear heels if they make her feet look like mine. LOLOL!
My podiatrist said unless it starts to hurt a lot, I should avoid bunion surgery because it'll cause more harm than good. Have any of you had it done? My feet really do belong in a haunted house.
"Ms. Stoeger, my plastic surgeon doesn't want me to do any activity where balls fly at my nose (FEET)." - Clueless
Size and fit: I got the 6 and it's a great fit. It features a slightly elasticized waistband with a zipper and hook-and-eye closure. The delicate lace cutouts are blue and white and luckily it has a lining so you're not flashing the world.
Condition: Great condition.
Honest review: I don't own a pair of shorts, and this skirt is basically a pair of shorts without the inner stitching. Too short for me. Hi, mom!
Hunter Bell Windsor Swiss Dot Ruffled Silk & Cotton Dress, Retail Value $495
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How I styled it: This dress is just so cute! I've heard so much about Hunter Bell and this is my first time giving any of her pieces a twirl and I love it. Her motto is, "Don't dress THE part, dress YOUR part." Style-wise, I didn't do much because it's so busy, I'd look like a Halloween costume if I added anything else.
Size and fit: Well, it's quite large and I ordered the medium. I know it's supposed to be oversized, but I definitely could've gotten away with a small. That's the thing about American sizing, this could easily be a large. Meanwhile, in the UK, it would probably be labeled as an extra-large, and even though I clearly messed up the buttons in the photo, once I fixed it the dress was still too tent-tastic.
Condition: Great.
Honest review: It is adorbs, but it's huge and quite sheer in the daylight. Before I looked at it in pics, I was seriously considering a purchase, but now it looks like a tent. Of course, when I wore it to get my nails done, every woman there was oohing over it!
Hutch Ruffled Shoulder Blouse, Retail Value $172
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How I styled it: I wore it with my other Alice + Olivia bell bottoms and a pair of very tall Robert Clergerie slides that have almost caused me to break my ankles about a half dozen times. I wore this outfit to watch the NCAA College Basketball Final Four at Jimmy's Old Town Tavern. As a Maryland Terrapin, I was thrilled that Duke lost. 🙂
Size and fit: I got the medium and might've been able to get away with a small. It's a stretchy design with an elasticized back and concealed side zipper. My only complaint is it made my already small bust look even flatter in person!
Condition: Great, except I might've pulled a string or three.
Honest review: I love this top. One of my only hesitations is that it's such a Spring/Summer 2022 trend, it'll be out of style before I even get to wear it again.
Rebecca Taylor Lua Floral Ruffled Blouse, Retail Value $295
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How I styled it: Ok, this mistake is all on Armoire. This is a sweatshirt, not a blouse! Wore it with my other Alice + Olivia bell-bottoms and Ulla Johnson sandals which Fluff ate after I took them off! I call him Fluff pretty often because he becomes a huge fluffball, and also whenever he does something bad, I can say "WHAT THE FLUFF?!" And then he hops away.
Size and fit: I got the medium and it was almost a little small, simply because it's been washed so many times.
Condition: Worn.
Honest review: Dude, it smelled like sweat. This could be cute for athleisure, but it's not a blouse at all.
Derek Lam 10 Crosby Floral Maxi Dress, Retail Value $625
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How I styled it: I didn't end up wearing it. It's really pretty, but something is off about the design.
Size and fit: I got the 6 and it fit very well. It's a pull-on design with an elasticized neckline.
Condition: Great.
Honest review: While it's a very pretty dress, there's something off about it. Is it the belt and the way it cuts off the dress at a weird length? It's attached to the dress so I couldn't remove it to test it out, but with the shoulder straps, top ruffle, and the grosgrain trim, maybe the waist should be left alone. Too many vertical and horizontal lines going on here.
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 Hutch top and the Hunter Bell dress about half a dozen times. The other items weren't worn much at all, especially the stinky sweatshirt.
- Did they meet or exceed expectations? Armoire exceeded expectations this time around.
- What’s the return process like? Place the items in the bag, seal it up and that's it!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Let's talk about reviews and how you can get sucked into something that has over 10,000 positive reviews and still end up with a piece of crap. I'm referring to my teal blue couch. I found it on Wayfair and noticed it had been reviewed on many reputable sites and in some cases, it was ranked the best couch of 2021, so I bought it because I believed the reviews. Well, joke was on me because it feels like many layers of cardboard with cotton balls on top and it's impossible to clean. I'll be replacing it soon.
It makes me so angry when I feel like I can't trust reviews. I've purchased so many items off Amazon with fake 4-star reviews and then once I receive it, I see a slip of paper included in the packaging that promises a discount or a free something if you give them a 4-star review. How is this legal? It's bribery and they're lying.
Anyway, rant over. If you celebrate Easter, Hoppy Easter from my bunny to yours!
CAN YOU STILL GET THIS BOX IF YOU SIGN UP TODAY? Yes, all these items are still available to rent.
VALUE BREAKDOWN: The Unlimited membership costs $249/month and so far, I've received styles with a retail value of $28,501!
What are your thoughts about Armoire and rentals in general? Let me know what you think down below!
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