This semester I had the opportunity to be a Rent the Runway Campus Ambassador. It was such an awesome experience that unfortunately was cut short due to all the craziness going on right now and the fact that many ambassadors are no longer physically on their campuses.
Nevertheless, Rent the Runway is such an amazing company created by women (!!!) that allows renters to access the endless and ever-changing closet of their dreams. So yes, this was perfect for me in so many ways and satisfied my shopping addiction. It also was very hard for me to part with some of my favorite items, but hey — I sent back my favorite rentals and (surprisingly) I'm still alive to tell the story, even if it's about the one that got away.
Before I jump into talking about my rentals and sharing some of my favorite pieces with you, I want to share some of the benefits that I was able to reap from being an ambassador for RTR this semester.
I think the best perk of Rent the Runway is having access to items like expensive bags and coats that you might not want to buy without giving them a test-run beforehand. RTR allows you to test these items that you might have been lusting after forever, and once trying out the bag or other piece for a month, you'll have the option to purchase the piece (at a discounted price!). If you loved it and think it is worth the splurge, you can buy the item and keep it forever in your closet. If you didn't like it as much as you hoped you would, it was a very helpful experience that led you to not waste a large sum of money on a piece that wasn't right for you!
Another obvious perk of using Rent the Runway is having more options in your closet and being able to try out looks that you might not have otherwise worn. RTR's selection is extensive and has options for every style, making it really easy (and hard, honestly — everything is so great!) to find the perfect piece to rent. Renting was really beneficial for my wallet because I often stupidly spend too much money on seasonal, on-trend clothing that I only wear for a few months. Rent the Runway provided a great solution for me to limit my spending, especially in January, February and March since I made it a goal to spend less this year. We'll see how that goal ends up working out once I no longer have a Rent the Runway subscription...
Now, onto some of my favorite rented looks.
I rented this Madewell sweater specifically for Valentine's Day and it was so comfy and cute. The cut was perfect with a mock-neck and the sleeves were slightly bell-sleeved. The pattern, the color and the material were all on point, and saying "goodbye" to this sweater was NOT easy.
For Valentine's Day, I had a casual night in with Evan and my family. We had breakfast for dinner, so I wasn't dressing up too fancy or anything. I paired the Madewell sweater with cute pink sneakers, jeans and one of my other favorite rentals, the black Marc Jacobs "Tag Tote 27" bag.
The small Madewell Transport Tote has been my go-to for years and I'm in the market for a new black bag for everyday use. When I ordered the Marc Jacobs Tag Tote I initially thought it was going to be larger than it is, but the size didn't impact my love for this bag. It was the perfect size for going to and from meetings and it fit my laptop, Day Designer, water bottle and more.
Like I mentioned in the introduction, this bag was one I had been considering purchasing to keep, and I'm glad RTR allowed me to try it for free through the ambassador program because I didn't end up loving it as much as I thought I would!
Pretty sure I'm a luxury bag addict now, with a particular obsession with Marc Jacobs. This mini bag has been the best and was my go-to in California during spring break. It's the perfect size and fits all of my daily essentials (keys, a small makeup bag, lotion and sunglasses) with room.
Honestly, I'm seriously considering buying this bag after I'm done renting it since RTR offers discounted prices to purchase an item that you've rented. It's so cute and unique, and even has a small inside pocket.
Another rental I loved was this tie dye sweater from Tory Sport. I wore this to and from Orangetheory so many times — it was perfectly oversized and sooo soft. This was definitely one that brought a tear to my eye as I was sending it back to RTR...it was just that good. It also arrived with the tag still on, which meant I was the first person to ever wear it!
It probably doesn't come as a surprise that I rented two faux fur coats from RTR! The coat on the left is a BlankNYC coat with sherpa — so comfy and I basically used it as a blanket while traveling to and from California. I liked it, but I didn't love it as much as I loved the fur coat I rented from Capulet. Returning this jacket brought another tear to my eye while packing it up to ship it back. The perfect length and material paired with pockets and a hood made this jacket a 10/10 rental for me. I can never pass up a good faux fur look.
Clearly, I have a thing for sherpa. Between the rainbow cuffs and overall coziness, this Sundry sherpa sweatshirt was another great travel piece. This was kind of a random pick, but I chose it because of all the good reviews, and it lived up to expectations!
Last but not least, I rented this adorable top from Saylor. This is a piece I was legitimately considering buying until I just checked the price on it...YIKES! That's all I'll say. But circling back to what I said before, I never would have been able to wear this shirt if I hadn't gone through Rent the Runway! It's definitely out of my price range but I was able to add it into my fashion rotation and get to know the brand better. Anyway, this shirt is so sweet and I absolutely loved the cut, fabric and pattern. It arrived new with tags, so that was a plus as well.
You can check out a few of my rentals I didn't mention in this blog in my January unboxing post, as well as on my RTR highlight on my Instagram!
Huge shoutout to Rent the Runway and the coordinators of the campus ambassador program for making this all possible — I had such a great experience and will absolutely be renting again in the future!