Gwynnie Bee is a clothing rental subscription service that caters to women between the sizes of 0-32. Gwynnie Bee allows you to select items you like and they are put in a virtual closet. The chosen items sent to you are at random, but you can select priority pieces to be sent to you first. You can send items back as often as you like.- shipping is free both ways.
One of the things I always look for in subscription boxes is the value, and for Gwynnie Bee, I wanted to know how many dresses I could get in one month, so that's exactly what I did. This review is of my one-month-free trial experiment to see how many dresses I could get.
UPDATE: Gwynnie Bee may now be offering 50% off your first month, instead of first month free. Check this link to see the latest offer.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
Good to know: Gwynnie Bee comes with pre-paid envelopes to return your items - you can exchange items as frequently as you like for the same monthly fee. Shipping is free both ways. (Make sure to log in to your account and mark your items as returned as soon as you ship them back. If your account is in good standing, they will automatically start processing your next order so that you can get as many items as possible!)
About Gwynnie Bee
The Subscription Box: Gwynnie Bee
The Cost: The cost depends on how many items you would like to have out at a time.
1 = $49/month
2 = $69/month
3 = $95/month
5 = $139/month
7 = $179/month
10 = $199/month
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your first month! No coupon needed - just use this link.
The Products: Women's clothing rental, sizes 0-32!
Ships to: US via USPS Priority Mail
Gwynnie Bee Review
I'm reviewing the 2 items-out-at-a-time $69/month plan.
In general here was the schedule for the month:
Boxes arrived Saturday, I wore the dresses Monday and Tuesday and mailed them back Wednesday. (I indicated them as mailed back to my account on Wednesday as well.) I did this for the purpose of seeing how many new pieces I could get a month for work outfits, but if you were wearing the pieces on the weekends, I think you could get even more items a month. (Also, this calendar is based on the day of the week I signed up for Gwynnie Bee, so you could have a different schedule and possibly more shipments if you sign up on a different day.)
So, with a one-month-free trial, I was able to get 8 different dresses. Here they are:
First week:
ESHAKTI Abstract Stripes Fit And Flare Dress - Estimated Retail Cost $79.95
(Size 6)
The top of this dress is made from a soft, jersey stretch fabric and features a front snap button. And I love the movement of this printed crepe skirt:
The back features a hidden zipper:
Fab dress! Perfect fit, and such a unique and attention-grabbing design!
UNIQUE VINTAGE Kelsie Dress In Black And Light Pink Roses Print (Retail Cost $78)
(Size Large)
Lesson learned - if you're getting wrap dresses from Gwynnie Bee - you might need to wear a camisole underneath to keep them work-appropriate. This dress is gorgeous but pretty revealing!
This jersey wrap dress is partially lined, with the additional wrap piece slightly sheer.
This is such a romantic dress and the wrap dress style is so flattering. (If you love wrap dresses and fit and flare styles, you will love Gwynnie Bee's inventory.)
Week 2:
Leota Bridget Maxi Dress In Feuille - Retail Cost $178
(Size Medium)
I love a good maxi dress, so I had high hopes for this one, but I think it's a little too voluminous. (I watch a lot of ANTM, and I thought of the classic Tyra feedback that the dress is wearing me, I'm not wearing the dress.)
Lesson learned about Leota - size down! (I got 2 size small dresses from this brand in week 4 and the fit was perfect.)
Jones New York Mixed Stripe Fit & Flare Sweater Dress - Retail Cost $119.50
(Size Medium)
This is another dress that I might have been able to go down a size in. I really love it, though! The sweater dress material wasn't heavy, but thick enough to hide any bumps or lumps! 🙂
Week 3:
Jessica Howard Bell Sleeve Green Floral Fit And Flare Dress - Retail Cost $99
(Size 6)
I've been wanting to try out the bell sleeve trend, so this was a perfect way for me to give it a go without any commitment. My thoughts? Eh... maybe not for me.
This dress is pretty bold in color, too, so I might have overdone it in pushing myself out of my fashion comfort zone!
I also wonder if the bell sleeve look would have been a bit more balanced if the rest of the sleeve was fitted.
eShakti Asymmetric Green Dress - Estimated Retail Cost $69.95
(Size 6)
One thing I learned from this free month trial? I love eShakti dresses! The quality is great, the fits are flattering, and (!) pockets:
Hands down, one of my favorite dresses for the entire month!
Week 4:
LEOTA Sweetheart Dress In Martini Dot Red - Retail Cost $148
Size Small
Since the LEOTA maxi from week 2 was too big for me, I picked a size small for both of my LEOTA dresses this week, and they fit like a glove!
The jersey fabric is stretchy but not too thin.
LEOTA Grey Painted Leopard Print Wrap Dress - Retail Cost $148
Size Small
I liked the fit of this so much I think I might buy the solid black version as a wardrobe staple.
Verdict: I was able to rent 8 dresses in my 1-month free Gwynnie Bee trial. (I probably could have rented 10 dresses if I wore them on the weekends, too.)
I think this is a great subscription for anyone looking for work-appropriate clothing. With their shipping times on the $69 a month plan, I'm able to get 2 new dresses each week, so that's a significant contribution to my weekly outfits. (They also offer tops, jackets, pants, etc., but I think dresses are a complete outfit and get you the most bang for your buck!)
One value I didn't realize until I shipped back my items: Most of the dresses are dry-clean only, and I'm saving at least $10 a dress because Gwynnie Bee covers the dry cleaning. At 2 dresses a week, that's $80 in dry cleaning costs for free, and the clothes to wear, too! Given that the plan is $69 a month, I think the value is definitely there.
(And I was impressed with the quality and cleanliness of the clothing, and everything arrived in pristine, clean condition.)
I also appreciate that Gwynnie Bee adds new items to their inventory almost every day. I'm an online shopping addict, so browsing and adding items to my Gwynnie Bee closet daily is fun!
One caveat: the sizing recommendations seemed way off. When you first sign up for Gwynnie Bee, you answer a few quick questions about your clothing sizes to help them recommend what size you should order in any item. Love the idea behind this feature, but I found the sizing recommendations to be WAY off. Gwynnie Bee originally only featured plus size clothing, but recently started carrying sizes 0-32, so I'm wondering if this is a situation where their algorithm now needs some tweaking.
Here's an example:
The recommended a size 12 for me, but I ordered a size 6 instead, and it fit perfectly. Also, even after I rated that size 6 dress with 5 stars, the suggested sizing for this dress or the eShakti brand didn't update. (For reference, I'm a size large in dresses at Forever 21, and that's the store info I gave Gwynnie Bee that prompted this recommendation of a size 12.)
Not a huge deal, but just something to watch out for. If you're not sure what size to order, I recommend checking out the customer reviews and going to that clothing brand's site for their sizing info. (Also, it's great to have the free month to try out different brands and see what sizes you are before you start paying for a subscription. Getting a dress that was too big wasn't a big deal since it was free!)
One last thing I appreciate from Gwynnie Bee - it's easy to cancel your membership online at any time if it isn't a good fit for you. No need to call customer care!
To Wrap Up:
If you are able to wear items soon after you receive them and ship them back within days, you can really get a good value out of this subscription. It worked out to less than $9 a dress for me if I had been paying the $69 a month cost. With dry cleaning at about $10+ a dress, it's like getting free clothes and a discount on your dry cleaning!
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, the pieces I received are available to rent or purchase at Gwynnie Bee!
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your first month! No coupon needed - just use this link.
What do you think of Gwynnie Bee?
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