What I’m Wearing This Week: Armoire

Happy Friday, y'all! I'm spring cleaning and redecorating and recently dropped off a lot of clothes and shoes at my local resale shop. They're one of the only spots I've found in DC that'll do buyouts, meaning you'll walk out the door with a check in your hand.

When I lived in VA, I went to Uptown Cheapskate, but they'll only buy your items if you dress like you're 18 or have a teenage daughter. I presented them with numerous designer pieces, and they turned their noses up at everything!

I'm like my mom—I hate clutter, and I throw away everything to make space for the new. I recently scored a pristine Valentino Rockstud Reversible Tote for $400 off Poshmark and it holds everything! But, now I want to sell my Givenchy Nightingale to make up for it. The bag is super spacious and sturdy, but the design isn't very convenient and it's clunky.

I used to be hardcore obsessed with all things Chanel, Prada and Dior, but the prices have skyrocketed, and the quality is just not there. I'd rather invest that money! I'll also need a new car by next year. I'm band-aiding the hell out of mine and it's turning into a money pit.

D&G are still scared of me and totally destructive. I guess I need to train them, but I have no idea what to do! I found a bunny trainer on Instagram, but I must watch all her videos and pay to download her eBook. Sigh.

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.

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 

All four items by French Connection and BCBG arrived fresh from the dry cleaner, neatly folded, and sealed in a shipping bag.

French Connection Crolenda Faux Leather Shirt Dress, Retail Value $128, Armoire $99

About the designer: French Connection was founded in 1972 and we set out to create design-led, fashionable clothing. Today, we design contemporary clothing, accessories and homeware – everything you need in one destination. Signature dresses, responsible denim and relaxed staples are what we do best, so expect compliments. We offer eco-conscious pieces and accessible, quality products that stand the test of time, giving you confidence to look and feel your best every day.

In more recent years we have also expanded our portfolio into new exciting areas including men’s and women’s toiletries, sunglasses and opticals, watches, footwear and a growing range of furniture and home accessories.

Why I rented: Armoire got a huge shipment of brand-new French Connection items!

How I styled it: I wore this dress with a vintage studded leather belt, Les Belles back-seam tights (don't cut them with scissors like the ads suggest... they will tear), chain-link earrings and necklace from Etsy, Aquazzura strappy pumps, and a vintage Chanel bag.

Size and fit: I got a size 6, which fits true to size. Crafted in slightly itchy polyurethane, this casual chic dress features a shirt collar neckline, long sleeves with buttoned cuffs, front button closure, a seamed bodice, self-belt waist, and a gathered skirt.

Condition: Brand new with tags.

Honest review: Although it was a little short on me and the self-tie belt didn't stay tied, I enjoyed wearing this dress. Especially after I switched out the belt for one of my own.

French Connection Echo Collared Mini Dress, Retail Value $158, Armoire $140

Why I rented it: I thought it was cute!

How I styled it: I paired this cutesy little dress with black tights, Coach over-the-knee boots from like 2008 (they definitely contributed to my horrible bunion), earrings from The Lucky Knot, and a Balenciaga Motorcycle Clutch.

Size and fit: The Echo mini dress features a collared neckline, long sleeves with contrasting cuffs, a back-zip closure, and a mini-length hem. I got a 6, and it fit well! The dress has a little stretch, so it moves with you.

Condition: Brand new with tags.

Honest review: Ok, so everyone called me Wednesday Addams, but it's just so stylish and versatile, I still haven't sent it back!

French Connection Babysoft Squareneck Midi Dress, Retail Value $98, Armoire $64

Why I rented it: It's been negative 50 degrees for the past two months, and I needed a warm sweater dress.

How I styled it: I wore this dress with the Kendra Scott Maya Necklace, a vintage gold-tone belt, Aquazurra Pom-Pom Suede Pumps, a vintage fox fur jacket, and the Louis Vuitton Graffiti Speedy.

Size and fit: I got a medium, and this scratchy pullover dress (designed in acrylic) features a square neckline, long sleeves, and a side slit.

Condition: Brand new with tags.

Honest review: Unlike the Staud dresses I recently rented, this sweater dress was thin, flimsy, and felt like felt dots you'd find on the bottom of your grandmother's ceramic Christmas tree. Come on, Gen X, you know what I'm talking about!

BCBG Avery Satin Mock Neck Dress, Retail Value $348, Armoire $223

About the Designer: Max Azria launched BCBGMAXAZRIA and opened its first headquarters in Downtown Los Angeles in 1989. The Tunisia-born, Paris-raised designer played an instrumental role in creating the contemporary category.

Azria moved to the U.S. in 1981, after designing a women’s wear collection in Paris for 11 years. He first launched a new concept retail chain called Jess, then launched BCBGMAXAZRIA merging European sophistication with an American spirit. BCBG stands for “Bon Chic Bon Genre” as in the French way to describe the stylish youth of Paris, and the brand set the template for a younger, trend-driven fashion tier that differentiated itself in feel and cut from the bridge category in department stores. With his wife, Lubov, they expanded the brand and added the Hervé Léger by Max Azria to the fold.

Why I rented it: For work, but I also couldn't find anything else I liked.

How I styled it: I paired it with Les Belles tights, Kenneth Cole kitten heel boots, the Balenciaga Graffiti City Bag, and a Mackage coat from like 12 years ago.

Size and fit: I got a 6, and it was a little snug and high-waisted on me. This pretty pink dress is crafted in shiny satin with a gathered mock neck, long puff sleeves with elasticized cuffs, a back keyhole button closure, a waisted with front twist detail and back smocking, and a gathered skirt. It is lined with some non-matching fabric.

Condition: Good.

Honest review: I had high hopes, but they fell flat. The dress and lining were totally different fabrics, so the lining clung to me and did its own thing. Also, the satin fabric stained easily (from water) and absorbed all the smells. I couldn't tell if it was me or the wearer before me!

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 got the most wear out of the black French Connection dresses. I'm holding on to the collared dress and I may buy it.
• Did they meet or exceed expectations? Met expectations.
• What’s the return process like? Place the items in the bag, seal it up and that's it!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Is anyone suddenly dealing with unexplainable health issues? I've spent much time recently bouncing around different doctor's offices: GP, derm, GI, and now a cardiologist. In early 2022, my elbows broke out into weird, itchy bumps. I thought nothing of it and figured it was from my studded leather jacket. After a few months, they disappeared and resurfaced about 6 months later.

This continued until November 2024, when I discovered the bumps on my scalp. Now, I wash my hair every day and couldn't imagine what was going on (the gym? my baseball cap?), so I switched shampoos and even bought T-Fal (maybe it's dandruff?), but nothing helped. I visited my derm on Jan. 2nd because it was driving me nuts, and she put me on 3 different prescriptions for skin and scalp. The prescriptions did nothing to calm my skin.

About 3 weeks later, the itchy bumps spread all over my body. Now I'm dealing with some crazy outbreak that feels like I slept outside next to a Florida marsh and was attacked by thousands of mosquitos! It's baffled everyone. I'm being tested for a few autoimmune diseases (Celiac is suspected). Still, the craziest part is that my sister has the same thing, so it's probably genetic.

In the meantime, my heart is suddenly skipping beats, and my blood pressure was dangerously high at the derm (not super unusual for me), so I've started a low-dose BP medication. My entire family has high BP, so it's not surprising, but now I need to go for an EKG and other tests to figure out what's up with my heart skipping beats.

One of my friends was very suddenly diagnosed with Lupus, another with MS, and a 3rd with stage 4 stomach cancer (no symptoms). I am a little freaked out here.

Oh, and I have news. I heard you, and I'm starting a blog. Stay tuned for details! First, I must figure out how to get it under the radar to ensure certain people (like my exes) don't discover it. 😉

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 $118,624!

What are your thoughts about Armoire and rentals in general? Let me know what you think down below!