Good morning and happy Friday! I found some fun items at Armoire and took two dresses to the beach.
Let's quickly discuss some of the other benefits of clothing rentals. I chose my six items, packed two of them, and when I got home, I didn't have to worry about cleaning the dresses because I just packed them up and sent them right back! No dry-cleaning bill, no packing or unpacking drama, and I could've had them sent to the hotel had I chosen that option too.
Plus, it's almost a little like Cher in Clueless when she's picking her outfits. Everything is laid out online so you can look at pics, read the reviews, pick a size and wait impatiently for your order. But one of my favorite things about rentals is not only having a revolving door of clothing, but every time my shipment comes, I have something to look forward to. I love receiving packages so it's like getting a shiny, new-to-me item that I don't have to worry about selling once I get bored of it.
I'm still trying to train Mr. HGL not to pee on the couch so he's not really involved this week. Sorry, but I'll make sure he's back next week.
WHAT I’M WEARING THIS WEEK: Armoire
Welcome back to What I'm Wearing This Week: Armoire. For the newbies, every Friday on WIWTW I'll recap the clothing rentals I wore for the week. I’ll take you on a trip through my life, where I’m going, what’s missing in my closet, my current obsessions, what I’m excited to try, and maybe even buy. We’ll explore designers and trends, and a variety of styles and brands. And each week I’ll fill you in on why I chose each item, the total value of the rental compared to the retail price (as of today I've rented $33,614 worth of clothing), and more.
Armoire, which is a clothing rental company for women, is all about female empowerment. From the hand-selected and curated inventory of styles that are designed by the Boss Lady, for the Boss Lady, to their involvement with female-powered brands, and their partnership with Dress for Success Seattle, they’re a brand built for today’s woman.
This is a review of the Unlimited Plan for $249/month.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get $30 OFF 1 month of the 7-item plan OR 50% OFF 1 month of the unlimited plan.
CODE: 7MSA89 or MSAUNLIMITED50
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
1 of 12
All of the items by ASTR the Label, BB Dakota, One33 Social, Black Halo, Staud, and Lilly Pulitzer arrived on time and in great condition. Each item was fresh from the dry cleaner, neatly folded, and some were brand new too.
THE GOODS
ASTR the Label Primrose Floral Strappy Maxi Dress, Retail Value $178, Armoire $142
1 of 8
How I styled it: I love this dress. I wore it on the last day at the beach and to tour Annapolis, Maryland which is one of my favorite cities and full of history. I stopped by for an orange crush at Pusser's as I waited for an accident to clear out on the highway. I wore this dress with my Fendi crossbody, Ferragamo sandals, and Cocoacentric Resin earrings.
Size and fit: One of the great things about this dress is that the sizing is adjustable using the ties on the back. I got the medium and this lightweight, floral print dress features flutter sleeves, crisscross v-neckline with pleated bodice, cutout sides, open back, ruffled hi-low hem and it's fully lined.
Condition: Fantastic!
Honest review: This was the last of my cutout orders and while I love this dress, I'm happy to retire this trend for good. It's so pretty and summery, but I decided against a purchase because I already have too many dresses and not many places to wear them.
BB Dakota Did it My Way Lace Dress, Retail Value $119, Armoire $89
1 of 6
How I styled it: Even though I didn't wear this dress outside of my place, I would've worn it with the Ferragamo sandals and the Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Cherry Blossoms bag. I also wore these beautiful earrings by Kendra Scott.
Size and fit: I got the 6 and the top is huge, shoulders are a little stretched out and it's really difficult to keep the elasticized sleeves in place. They kept shifting and twisting. I didn't end up wearing it because the fit is too weird.
Condition: Quite worn and stretched out.
Honest review: Another pastel pink, floral lace dress? Have I lost my mind? Yes, yes... I fear I have. Has anyone found it?
One33 Social Pleated Sleeve Mini Dress, Retail Value $365, Armoire $219
1 of 12
How I styled it: This dress doesn't need much styling help at all. I wore it with a pair of beat-up block-heeled sandals and the Chanel 19 at the beach because the bars are so gross! I saved the Kirkwoods from the post-college drunk fest. So, where did we go? Started at SirVida for a spicy jalapeno margarita (apparently Ryan Phillippe was there the next night since he's a local). Then we hit up this super divey bar called The Starboard and I was definitely one of the oldest people there. It's a really fun place with a great vibe and great music where you can let your hair down and act like a fool. We met lots of new people and ran into some people we knew too. After Starboard we checked out Jimmy's Grille in Dewey Beach where we had super strong beers and listened to a pretty good cover band.
The next morning, we were hurting and went to the Crabcake Factory for one of their famous crab bloody marys and I wore the pink crochet dress from RTR. My friends will be mad if they know I added them to this review... shh!
Size and fit: I got the 6 and while it could be slightly more fitted in the waist, it was still a hit. It's comfy, colorful, and frilly and this fabulous butterfly-like dress features pleated wings, an open back with top snap and button closure, back-zip closure and it's fully lined. You would either need to wear it without a bra or buy one of the strapless, backless adhesive bras. I like this one from Target.
Condition: New with tags.
Honest review: Love, love, love. Almost purchased it. It's a little heavyweight, but otherwise great. I love the pleated shoulders too!
Black Halo Jackie Animal Print Sheath Dress, Retail Value $415, Armoire $290
1 of 7
How I styled it: I got this dress for work, but since I'm still waiting on my start date (got my laptop, but wasn't scheduled to arrive until the 16th), I haven't had a chance to wear it. I was feeling kind of Jackie O (that's also what the dress is called), so I tried it on with my Ferragamo block heels, the Clic Clac, rental earrings from Rocksbox, a fun hat, the Saint Laurent Sac de Jour bag, and the best sunnies ever by Dior!
Size and fit: Black Halo's dresses are notoriously form-fitting, and this dress was no different. I got the 6 and while it is fitted, it's also stretchy so at least there's some room to breathe. This sheath dress features an asymmetrical, draped neckline, tab short sleeves, and a concealed back zip closure, it's fully lined and has a back vent at the hem.
Condition: Great.
Honest review: Going back to the office? This dress is perfect! It's sexy, chic, and unique. What's not to love aside from the resale price?
Staud Sidney Maxi Dress, Retail Value $295, Armoire $221
1 of 6
How I styled it: It's unwearable. I feel like this dress was a designer sample that they sold to Armoire so they could make some money off this mistake.
Size and fit: I got the medium and it's huge, but tight in the elasticized waist. It's really long and neither of the ties stays tied. I'm not even going to dive into this one because I think you should skip it.
Condition: Very good, but a little worn.
Honest review: What the fluff? It's like a 90s handkerchief top meets an orange, oversized trash bag. The fabric is very slippery, so it doesn't stay tied and it's not flattering at all! Guess it's perfect if you want to dress up as a pumpkin for Halloween.
Lilly Pulitzer Kylo Strapless Jumpsuit, Retail Value $218, Armoire $174
1 of 6
How I styled it: I didn't end up wearing this because the fit was off, but for the photos, I replaced their tonal belt with my Etsy belt, rental earrings from Rocksbox, the Chanel 19, and a pair of Nicholas Kirkwood sandals.
Size and fit: I got the 6 and it runs a little on the bigger side. The sweetheart neckline bodice features boning that jabs a little bit, the waist is a little larger and the pants are quite long, even on me. It's fully lined and has a concealed back zip closure.
Condition: New with tags.
Honest review: It's cute, but the legs are very long and wide and the top is itchy. It needs some serious tailoring.
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 One33 Social dress and the ASTR maxi about half a dozen times.
- Did they meet or exceed expectations? Exceed, for sure. Keep using those investments on extra clothing, Armoire. You're getting much better.
- What’s the return process like? Place the items in the bag, seal it up and that's it!
FINAL THOUGHTS
On our short little trip, both friends and randoms kept asking about my dresses and every time I said it's a rental, they'd talk about how they can't find anything to wear on any of the sites. One of the tips I gave my friends was to go through the sites and add lots of items to your wish list. I have about 115 on Armoire and over 800 on RTR. Sure, it takes time to comb through the site and find things you like, but then you've got a set wish list you can reference next time you're ready to rent, and then just keep updating as newer and cooler items pop up!
Also, filter via the weather, and as I said before... to get more bang for your buck, go by price point from high to low.
I'm hearing lots about FashionPass and it seems like they're the Revolve Clothing of rentals. Perhaps we can add this to the rotation! Have you heard of them?
CAN YOU STILL GET THIS BOX IF YOU SIGN UP TODAY? Yes, all these items are still available to rent.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get $30 OFF 1 month of the 7-item plan OR 50% OFF 1 month of the unlimited plan.
CODE: 7MSA89 or MSAUNLIMITED50
VALUE BREAKDOWN: The Unlimited membership costs $249/month and so far, I've received styles with a retail value of $33,614!
What are your thoughts about Armoire and rentals in general? Let me know what you think down below!
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.