Latest Obsession: New-to-me Nuuly
Trying out a clothing rental service
This past May when I was looking ahead at my jam-packed summer I was immediately stressed out about what I was going to wear. After doing a much-needed closet purge before moving back from California, I realized that even what was left of my wardrobe didn’t really inspire me. Some of the clothes I owned no longer reflected my lifestyle or personal style. I knew I wanted new outfits that I felt both confident and beautiful in, and I also wanted something new for each event even though I know it’s unrealistic. When I go shopping I also realize I have expensive taste without the budget to support it (can anyone else relate?) Truthfully, I was also really out of practice when it came to clothes shopping. If I didn’t find what I was looking for on a TJ Maxx rack I had no idea where to start.
All that thought finally pushed me into trying my now favorite obsession, Nuuly. If you saw me IRL (or even spoke to me over the phone) this summer, I’ve probably already talked your ear off about it. But to those of you who haven't heard I’m so excited to share it with you.
So what is it: Nuuly is a monthly clothing rental service. Think like Rent the Runway however less NYC vibes and more Southern California styles. Nuuly’s clothing selection tends to be more bohemian, rock and roll, and free spirit. It’s a subscription-based service (that you can pause/resume at any time) that allows you to rent 6 articles of clothing every four weeks. In between your rental period, you can browse the 100's of new styles being added to the service and “add” them to your closet. You can mix and match and borrow anything from a formal dress, a trendy graphic tee, a pair of jeans, or even a seasonal jacket. They carry a lot of high-end brands that are very wearable (some of my favorites include Anthropologie, Paige Denim, Free People and Farm Rio.) Basically, any fashion/style I’ve ever aspired to own and wear, they carry. So basically it’s like shopping my dream closet every month.
The $$$ breakdown: Every month is $98 + tax. I know what you’re thinking, “A hundred dollars for something I don’t even get to keep? What a waste,” because that’s what I was thinking too at first but hear me out....
If you divide $100+ tax by 6 pieces, you’re basically paying about $17 per item of clothing.
Still, I know that math can seem like a lot, but here is an example of my financial awakening to justify it further... While on a bachelorette trip, we were doing a little local shopping and I immediately fell in love with an $80 crew neck sweatshirt. When you have a room full of women hyping you up, it’s crazy how quickly you can find a way to justify the purchase and walk away with the most expensive souvenir sweatshirt. This is only one example of the many times I’ve bought something for a special occasion or a themed party and only wore it once. Or the time when I bought something that was new just because it was new, affordable, and “good enough” even though I didn’t really love it. I can guarantee in all these situations, I spent more than $17 for that item/outfit only to wear it once and not even feel great in it.
Since May, I’ve rented a total of 3 boxes (18 items), and here are my thoughts.
Reasons why I love it:
Confidence Boost: I have never felt more confident in my body and sense of style than I have this summer. There’s no better feeling than having something new to wear whether in anticipation of wearing it for a special occasion or just for the fact that it’s new. It’s also helped me step outside of my comfort zone and try things I wouldn’t normally buy. On top of that, it’s truly empowering to be able to wear the clothes and brands you’ve admired for years even if it’s only temporary. The way these clothes have made me feel in the last 3 months while I was wearing them or when look back at pictures has made every dollar I spent worth it.
Ratings & Reviews: I was really worried that things wouldn’t fit and out of the 18 pieces I’ve borrowed, only 1 item was so off on the size chart that it was unwearable. The Nuuly community does a great job of showing up to help one another by offering detailed reviews and photos of each item. For 90% of the items, I was able to find someone with almost the exact same height, weight, and even bra size to compare to, and on every occasion, the item fit exactly as they said it did.
Sustainability Aspect: I am guilty of loving fast fashion. I love to feel trendy in the moment, however, I don’t want to pay for something of quality especially when I know won’t stay in style for long. Now that I work fully remote and live in athleisure wear, it really doesn’t make sense to invest in pieces that I won’t get longevity out of. Nuuly is a great solution to shop based on occasion without guilt or breaking the bank.
Affordable and Attainable: I could have never afforded to buy any of the items I’ve borrowed brand new. This dress above retails at almost $300! And a lot of things I borrowed I enjoyed wearing but would have never actually bought. Although it’s an additional monthly expense, It’s actually helped cut back on my spending significantly. I looked at Nuuly in the same way as a utility bill in the sense that I knew exactly what it was going to cost me each month, I could prepare and then I knew I wouldn’t go over it. While I was actively renting on Nuuly I wasn’t falling victim to marketing emails or finding myself distracted by other online shopping, instead, I would just spend all my time browsing the new items added to Nuuly and adding to my virtual closet.
For Keeps: Say you fall in love with an item and you really want to keep it. Each item you rent you can decide to purchase at a discounted rate. That rate varies depending on the item, brand, and how many times the item has been worn, etc. I’ve seen the discounts range from 10 - 65% off. For example, I did decide to keep a pair of jeans. I originally rented them in one size and they fit OK but then I rented a second time in a size up and they were perfect! The original retail price was more than $200 and I bought them for $90 and they look and feel brand new.
Still Skeptic?
Here are some of the questions I had...
Missing Sizes: When I first started browsing I was frustrated that all the things I wanted were “sold out” and rented at that time. While it’s true that the timing might not work out for what you need there are SO many options that you’ll always be able to find something similar.
Doesn’t Fit: Because people share so much information in their reviews, if you’re willing to do your homework before ordering, you’ll have great luck. Unfortunately, if something doesn’t fit, you don’t get any kind of credit or return, you’re just out of luck with that item. So if you’re planning on ordering something for a specific event and you’re worried about the sizing, you can always order 2 different sizes of the same item as long as they're both available.
Quality: I was worried the pieces would be really worn at first but actually on 3 or 4 occasions I was actually the first person to rent that item and received it new with tags! Some pieces have been clearly worn but never past the point that I would be uncomfortable wearing them.
Laundry/Clean: They do all of that for you! You can send it back dirty and they’ll wash/dry clean as needed, so easy! Now I will say that the package they ship in is reused and not the cleanest/air-tight so it can smell a little dingy from the shipping process but nothing a wash or fabric spray couldn’t spritz up.
Returns: It couldn’t be easier. It comes with a pre-printed return label that you just put on and then drop off at a UPS drop-off.
Ready to give it is a shot? If I’ve convinced you, please use my referral link for $20 off your first month.
If you’ve tried Nuuly before, please leave a 🙋♀️ in the comments and let me know about your experience!
Happy shopping,
