Heidi Klum has been telling us for years that in fashion, one day you’re in and the next day, you’re out. Be that as it may, most of us are too busy to keep track of fashion’s mercurial whims and don’t have closets that are constantly evolving to keep up with the latest trends. Luckily, there is another closet that can do that for you. Rent the Runway, which has been providing women with clothes for special occasions since 2009, is now launching a new monthly membership tier for $89 that will allow customers to rent not only formalwear, but everyday clothes like jeans, sweaters, and more.
Called RTR Update, this new and relatively affordable subscription offer gives customers the ability to select four pieces every month from more than 200 of Rent the Runway’s top brands, including Tory Burch, DVF, Opening Ceremony, and others. This serves as an alternative to the RTR Unlimited plan the company launched last year, which costs $159 a month and now allows fashionistas to rent up to four items at a time with no monthly cap on how many items they can check out.
Both membership options promise free shipping and dry cleaning, as well as 25 percent off RTR Reserve rentals (which, as the name suggests, allows you to reserve an outfit for a future event), and the ability to pause or cancel membership anytime. Thanks to Rent the Runway’s five retail locations, subscribers don’t have to rely exclusively on photos and online sizing guides. Rather, women can walk into one of these stores and try on one of the thousands of designer styles. Of course, they will also be able to return their rental pieces and walk out with anything they like (granted it fits within their subscription model).
“There is so much waste when it comes to the closet — most women don’t use 80 or 85 percent of what they have,” Rent the Runway CEO and founder Jennifer Hyman told The Washington Post. “What we offer is newness and variety.”
So if you’re looking to refresh your closet without adding any bulk this season, you might just consider a Rent the Runway subscription instead.