NUULY VS. RENT THE RUNWAY UNLIMITED, ACCORDING TO A BLOGGER WHO HAS USED BOTH
This summer, a new rental subscription model called Nuuly hit the market. For $88 per month, users can borrow six items from an array of Anthropologie brands and vintage treasures. Of course, I had to be one of the first on board to try it out.
I love that subscription models let you try an array of trends and styles from brands that might otherwise be out of reach. It also feels good to shop in a more eco-conscious way than fast-fashion. In the past, I have subscribed to Rent the Runway Unlimited, so I wanted to share my thoughts on both models if you're ever interested in trying one out. Here we go!
What you get for $88 per month with Nuuly
Nuuly offers all of the brands under the Anthropologie umbrella. This includes Anthropologie, Levi's, Urban Outfitters, Free People, Citizens of Humanity, Paige and J.O.A, among others. Nuuly also has a ton of cool vintage options like college T-shirts, silk kimonos and leather jackets. With the subscription, you choose six items to wear each month. Wear them like you own them and then mail them back before ordering your next batch. Shipping, laundering and insurance is all included.
What you get for $159 per month with Rent the Runway Unlimited
Rent the Runway offers clothing and accessory rentals from a ton of leading designers. Think Opening Ceremony, Parker, Helmut Lang, Kate Spade, Derek Lam, DVF...the list goes on. You can always order a one-off rental, which will vary in price by the value of the item. Rentals start around $40 and go up from there. With the unlimited subscription, you can borrow four items at a time. Send one piece (or all four things) back and order more. There is no limit to the amount of rentals you can have in any given month.
When I had Rent the Runway Unlimited, I lived in the city and was able to drop items off and shop at the store directly, which eliminated any shipping wait time. I was very active and typically able to rent about 12 things in a month. As with Nuuly, shipping, insurance and dry cleaning is all included.
Nuuly vs. Rent the Runway
If you want to try a clothing rental subscription, deciding between these two depends on your lifestyle. Rent the Runway is more expensive, but you get more clothing per month and higher-end designers. For me, this made sense when I was working as an editor in Manhattan. I was constantly going to industry events and wanted to be dressed accordingly.
While I've never been one to care too much about designers, it did give me more confidence to be at fancy events in quality pieces. I was also at a time in my life where I had a ton of showers and wedding things to attend, so that helped me justify the price. ($159 would buy just one dress at J. Crew, for example.) I also had a lot of fun trying crazy trends. If I didn't love something, it was okay, since I'd just send it back.
With Nuuly, I'm much more thoughtful about the items I choose each month. I try to create a capsule wardrobe of pieces that can be mixed and matched together instead of shopping every trend. Nuuly carries brands I love but wouldn't be able to afford otherwise, as well as cool vintage offerings. It's also about half the cost of RTR Unlimited, so it's more attainable financially. And since I work from home, six items per month is more than enough. Both models offer a mix of casual and formal options, but I would say Rent the Runway skews more dressy overall.
Pros to RTR Unlimited
Unlimited! A virtual closet of all the clothes you could ever want
Carries accessories
High-end designers
Cons to RTR Unlimited
Expensive
No vintage
Constant pressure to get the most out of your subscription
Pros to Nuuly
Lots of vintage and contemporary offerings
Quality brands
Create a capsule wardrobe each month
Cons to Nuuly
No accessories
Limited rentals per month, so if something doesn't fit, you're SOL
Not many black tie options
Final thoughts
I would honestly recommend either of these options for women looking to mix up their wardrobe. For me, Rent the Runway became too expensive and unnecessary for my lifestyle. Still, it would be great for anyone who works in an office and needs formal clothing for work and personal events.
Right now, I'm really loving Nuuly. It allows me to try new pieces each month, and everything is high quality and fashion-forward. I also love that they have vintage items that I wouldn't be able to find elsewhere. I've always said I would buy all of my clothes at Anthropologie if I could afford it, and now I can!
I make this work in my budget by cutting out all other shopping. Think about how easy it is to drop $100 at Marshall's. Instead, I get access to better-quality items, and I don't have the guilt about donating trendy pieces after one season. It's a luxury, for sure, but has been worth it for my lifestyle. It's also fun to look at the month ahead and plan some unique, season-appropriate looks. I think I'll now remember my months in Nuuly clothes. September will be tough to beat! Let me know your thoughts in the comments—would you ever try a clothing subscription?
Photos by Amish0graphy