Hey, y'all. Heading out to Charlottesville today and super excited to check out the Boar's Head Resort and some of the awesome vineyards out in the country, but first, it's time for WIWTW. WOOT. This review will be a little shorter than usual because I'm still in the midst of playing musical clothing, but I will show you the two items I'm bringing with me to C-Ville. I ended up buying a Self-Portrait dress off eBay for the ceremony.
When the pandemic hit, I had to pack up and move to the burbs (after 20 years in NYC and DC). And while I was used to popping out my front door and meeting friends across the street for a glass of wine, that's no longer the case. So, when I'm having a bad day or a challenging week, I lock myself away and wallow in my own self-pity. Since I stand out like a sore thumb (my mom's expression), if I go up the street by myself with my laptop, I feel really self-conscious and like people are judging. It's kind of ironic that I hide so much, yet I air my outfits on a public forum. Maybe if I dressed down, people wouldn't remember me.
People often tell me I should dress down more often. Throw on leggings and a sweatshirt. Wear jeans. Wear a baseball cap. This is going to sound nuts, but it's actually harder for me to put together a dressed-down outfit than something that's dressy. It takes me like triple the time to combine separates so that's why I tend to just throw on a dress and go. Plus, jeans can be so constricting and they cut you in half across the belly!
SIDE NOTE: Guess what? WHERE'S BUNDO is back and he's been bunny bombing all over the place.
WHAT I'M WEARING THIS WEEK: RENT THE RUNWAY
Well, it's my fifth round of What I'm Wearing This Week — Rent the Runway and I was only allowed to take out three items because I kept the Monse skirt to attend the University of Maryland's homecoming festivities. And hey, it was a blast to see the campus and hang out at RJ Bentley's (I worked there while I was also running track), but we basically could've been everyone's mom. In fact, a group of 22-year-old boys came up to us and said, "We heard there were a bunch of MILFs in the corner we had to check out!" And then they wouldn't leave — here's the photo evidence. Oh yeah, EVERYONE loved the Monse skirt.
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For the newbies to WIWTW, every Friday I’ll take you on a trip through my life (recovered from COVID in March, now fully vaccinated), where I’m going (90% of the places are outside, and I wear a mask), what’s missing in my closet, my current obsessions, what I’m excited to try — and maybe even buy. Well, that's if the price is right!
Rent the Runway is a clothing rental company, but it was the first clothing subscription platform that provided the everyday woman with access to authentic, luxury fashion. Since its launch in 2009, RTR has gone through many iterations, some of which were the result of the pandemic, and now it's also a sustainable resale platform where shoppers can rent, buy, or subscribe to secondhand clothing.
This is a review of the Most Loved Up to 8 Items Per Month plan.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
WHAT I RECEIVED
My RTR shipment and my bunny
Everything arrived on time and in excellent condition. Each item was fresh from the dry cleaner, on the hangers, and sealed in a plastic bag.
THE GOODS
Thurley Faithful Corset Dress, Retail Value $695
1 of 5 | Thurley Faithful Corset Dress
How I styled it: This dress was a strong contender for the wedding, but it felt a little too cocktail party at the end of the day. I wore it out anyway and paired it with a vintage mink jacket, black tights, platform pumps, subtle jewelry, and a vintage Judith Leiber Clutch.
I had a mentally draining week (you down with PMDD, yeah you know me) and had to drag myself out the door. I picked up my friend and we went over the Mosaic District which is a newish area in Fairfax County, Virginia — it's basically an outdoor mall with chain-y bars and restaurants. We parked ourselves at the bar at MacMillian Whiskey Room and then quickly hopped on board the Caboose Commons on our way out. I was way overdressed which I found odd because MacMillian is a pretty nice place and if I were still in NYC, everyone would've been decked out head-to-toe in designer gear, but I'm like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz down here. And I'm even surrounded by flying monkeys, thanks to my ex.
Size and fit: I got the UK 12, which is an 8 in the US and it fit perfectly. Just an FYI that you typically need to size up a tiny bit for UK designers since they tend to run on the smaller size.
Condition: Perfect condition
Honest review: This floral, paisley print dress with its slightly gathered shoulders, dropped corset waist, cropped flare skirt, and metallic threads is the perfect holiday party dress, but I don't think Mr. HGL agrees. This dress is very well-made and it comes with a slip (hallelujah) so I can understand the retail value being a bit higher, but the last Thurley dress I bought was off The Real Real and I think I spent $125, not nearly $700. Need I say more?
Petersyn Zuma Maxi Dress, Retail Value $438
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How I styled it: This shiny zebra-print dress has been on my list for weeks and I finally got to try it! I wore it to the Capitale Grill and the bartender had me do a little twirl so she could check it out. I told her I got it off Rent the Runway and she said she doesn't have anywhere to wear clothes like that, but then I opened up the app and showed her there are way more chill options.
I wore it with my Charlotte Olympia suede pumps, Just Cavalli Leather Jacket, gold hoop earrings, and a vintage Ferragamo satchel.
Size and fit: I got the 6 and it fit fine, but the waist was a bit too high and the bodice design isn't working so well for me. I noticed some women were belting it, but since the knot on the dress was above my belly button, it's didn't work very well.
Condition: Great, but slightly wrinkled.
Honest review: It's a showstopper, but it's too big and bulky in the bodice for me. #tallpeopleproblems Won't rent again and definitely won't buy.
Goen.J Wool & Cashmere Dress, Retail Value $850
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How I styled it: I was super excited to receive this dress and had all the outfits pulled together in my head, but then it arrived in NAVY BLUE. Ugh, I never paid attention to the color and thought it was black so that threw my plans out of whack. Then, I frantically combed through my closet to find something that would match. I tried it on with turtlenecks, white button-downs, floral embroidered crewnecks, and nothing worked! And I couldn't wear it alone because it doesn't fit me the best in the bust area either.
This morning I tried it on with a Self-Portrait Pussy Bow Blouse I got years ago that is also hard to pair with just about everything— and it was the perfect pairing! Then I pulled on Calzedonia Lace Thigh Highs and slipped into a pair of Twin Set Platform Pumps. Yay! I might wear this out in Charlottesville too.
Size and fit: I got the US size 6 and it was also a little big in the bust. I am not going under the knife so this will just have to continue being a thing...
Condition: Great!
Honest review: Tricky to style, the slit's a bit high, and the tie is complicated, but I still love it. Do you think I should wear this combo to Charlottesville?
DID THEY DELIVER?
- What items were most helpful and versatile to own this week to ensure I got the most out of my rental and completed the look I craved? I wore the Thurley dress the most, and the adorable Goen.J dress the least because I couldn't get it to work well with anything in my closet! 🙁 BUT I might've found the answer!
- Did they meet or exceed expectations? Exceed, but I'm finding fewer available options. I guess someone let the cat out of the bag (moi?).
- What’s the return process like? Simple! Just place your items in the pre-paid garment bag, slip in the return label, and send it back via UPS!
FINAL THOUGHTS
I am heading to Nashville in less than a week and I need to find some new outfits, pronto! I've never been there...do you have any suggestions for what to do and where to go?
My fashion show put him to sleep.
CAN YOU STILL GET THIS BOX IF YOU SIGN UP TODAY? Yes, all these items are still available to rent.
VALUE BREAKDOWN: The Up to 8 Items membership costs $99/month (and goes up to $135/month after the first two months) and so far I've received styles with a retail value of $16,257!
Do you subscribe to Rent the Runway? Let us know what you think down below!
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