Best Clothing Rental Services of 2023

The 8 Best Clothing Rental Services of 2022 — Byrdie / Design by Amelia Manley

Owning a versatile and varied wardrobe is expensive, but the best clothing rental services provide customers with fresh looks no matter the occasion. Using one of these services can give you the confidence to know that you'll always have the right outfit, whether it's a big event coming up or a stylish, ever-changing wardrobe for work.

The best clothing rental services curate selections for customers based on chosen preferences. They also offer affordable memberships that allow customers to possess multiple outfits at any given time while easily rotating through outfits. It helps if they offer high-end designer items that customers might not have the funds to purchase. These are our top choices for clothing rental services.

Best Clothing Rental Services of 2023

Best Overall: Rent the Runway

Best Budget: Nuuly

Best Curation: Armoire

Best Athleisure: Le Tote

Best Luxury: Vince Unfold

Best Plus-Size Clothing: Gwynnie Bee

Best for Kids: Rainey’s Closet

Best Overall: Rent the Runway

Why We Chose It

Rent The Runway (RTR), the first big name in clothing rental services, continues to offer more choices than its newer counterparts. RTR Reserve offers one-time rentals on specific items in four- and eight-day increments, while memberships allow you to rent up to four, eight or 16 items per month.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Good selection of formal attire
Option to purchase favorite outfits
Multiple membership options

Cons

Must pay shipping to replace items that don't fit
Can be expensive

Overview

Rent the Runway shines brightest in its formal and cocktail attire offerings, with designs by Donna Karan New York, Marni, Badgley Mischka, and more. But other options abound, too, and Rent the Runway's blouses, outerwear, pants, and accessories offer plenty of room to enhance your everyday style.

RTR Reserve customers receive two sizes with every order, and if a dress doesn’t fit upon receipt, there’s also the option to replace the outfit for the cost of shipping. But thanks to RTR’s expansive database of user reviews—many of which include photos—finding the perfect fit is generally pretty easy.

RTR Reserve styles start at around $32, and monthly memberships range from approximately $94 to $235. Plus, with the option to purchase any favorites you receive for a steep discount, RTR can help you build a versatile forever closet, too. It’s a user-friendly program with customer service and value that’s hard to beat.

Best Budget: Nuuly

Why We Chose It

For about $88 a month, the company behind Urban Outfitters, Free People, and Anthropologie allows shoppers to select six styles and keep them for 30 days. The service—called Nuuly—features a wide variety of casual and everyday items, so a month will give you plenty of time to mix-and-match items for a steal.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Affordable
No commitment

Cons

Limited to six styles per month

Overview

With a Nuuly subscription, staples—such as high-waisted Levi’s jeans or an Avec Les Filles jacket—will fit seamlessly with the favorites you already have in your closet, while Nuuly’s pre-loved tees and denim will add a vintage touch to your looks. Statement pieces, like a psychedelic Free People jumpsuit, or a sequined Maeve midi skirt, can lend a touch of adventure to the daily grind.

Nuuly also has options for special occasions, with plenty of cocktail dresses and a few formal ensembles available for rent. Laundry and dry cleaning are included with every subscription, and there are no hidden charges for stains or damages. You don't have to worry about delivery or return fees: There's free, two-day shipping both ways.

There’s no limit on the value of the items you can rent, and you can save styles you love in your Nuuly closet, so those clothes will be ready when a new month rolls around. Nuuly is one of the best values in clothing rental, and there’s no commitment, either—you can easily pause your subscription at any time.

Best Curation: Armoire

Why We Chose It

Part clothing rental, part personal shopping service, each Armoire membership begins with a style quiz: a three-minute exercise that tailors curated monthly boxes to you.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Style quiz helps with recommendations
Recommendations can be edited before shipping

Cons

More than four items per month cost extra

Overview

At Armoire, a team of stylists selects merchandise catered to your tastes from brands like Boden, Diane von Furstenberg, and Adrianna Papell. The Armoire subscription includes a one-on-one stylist consultation, held over the phone, and sizes range from zero to 24W, with maternity styles offered as well. The monthly membership starts at around $79 (or $69 for a trial month) for four items, and you can add more pieces to a shipment for an additional fee (or save money by pre-paying for future boxes).

A stylist will recommend clothes to rent, but if you’re unhappy with what’s been selected, there’s time to swap out items before the box ships. And you can shop confidently knowing that your membership fee is driving positive change: Renting clothes from anywhere is more environmentally sustainable than buying.

Armoire ups the do-good factor by partnering with Dress for Success Seattle, an organization that gives back to women in the company’s hometown with job training, professional attire, and financial education.

Best Athleisure: Le Tote

Why We Chose It

Since 2012, Le Tote has offered users a customized, in-home purchasing experience that rivals the personal shoppers of big department stores. Subscription boxes are offered with or without accessories and start at about $59 a month for a Classic membership or $79 a month for Maternity.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Suggested items can be edited before shipping
Can cancel at any time

Cons

Maternity option costs extra

Overview

Stylists at Le Tote suggest new styles based on your browsing preferences, how you rated previous boxes, and even the weather forecast for your area.

Once a tote is curated, you have seven days to use the “Tote Swap” feature to customize the box to further meet your needs. Le Tote’s offerings span many departments, including formalwear, office looks, and more. But the service stands out most for its selection of athleisure, a category with increasing global demand that most other rental services overlook.

That means Le Tote is great for anyone testing out a new fitness regimen or simply looking to switch up their gym and loungewear. From Saturday squats to Sunday errands, a crisp Nike jacket, stylish AXS tank, and smooth Beyond Yoga leggings just might put a little extra pep in your step. The affordable price tag and flexibility to change plans, or cancel at any time, makes Le Tote a great value, too.

Best Luxury: Vince Unfold

Why We Chose It

From cashmere sweaters to silk skirts, the everyday luxury of California brand Vince offers a refined style that seamlessly moves from office to nightlife. With rental program Vince Unfold, which launched in fall 2018, shoppers can rent four items at a time, choosing from new Vince designs as well as beloved classics.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Option to buy items at a discount
Referral credits

Cons

Expensive
Must save 10 styles to receive first box

Overview

The uncomplicated pricing structure and limitless opportunity—four items at a time with unlimited exchanges for around $160 a month—makes Vince Unfold ideal for the fashion-forward subscriber who hates to wear the same look twice. Still, any item you love too much to return can be purchased at a discount rate.

A penchant for online shopping is mandatory: The service requires that you have at least 10 styles saved to the “Virtual Edit Management” feature in order to receive your first box, and recommends keeping a selection of looks saved at all times in order to guarantee quick shipping.

Just like IRL, shopping is a little better with friends—Vince Unfold offers a referral credit for every buddy who signs up using your link.

Best Plus-Size Clothing: Gwynnie Bee

Why We Chose It

Gwynnie Bee was founded in 2011 as a service exclusively for sizes 10 to 32. Christine Hunsicker, a Princeton grad, launched the company when she realized women who fall into that size range weren’t being served by traditional retailers, despite the fact that they make up the majority of the American market.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Sizes offered ranges from 0 to 32
Free 30-day trial

Cons

Gets expensive if renting more than one item at a time

Overview

Gwynnie Bee has expanded to include sizes zero through 10, but the priority on outfitting everyone remains one of its biggest differentiators, even as its competitors continue to add plus-size options. Rent one item at a time for approximately $50 a month and up to 10 items at a time for $200 a month.

You can exchange the items as often as you wish. So even if you're on the lowest-tier plan, you can enjoy multiple new styles during each cycle. To maximize efficiency, Gwynnie Bee requires you to keep a minimum number of items in a “Virtual Closet,” so the next shipment is always ready to go when the previous one is returned.

Give it a whirl with no risk: Gwynnie Bee is one of the only companies to offer a free 30-day trial so you can see if the service is for you.

Best for Kids: Rainey’s Closet

Why We Chose It

Offering five- and 10-day rentals, Rainey's Closet holds plenty of too-cute outfit options for flower girls and ring bearers, with accessories like bows, crowns, ties, and suspenders to top off the looks.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Offers five- and 10-day rentals
Can shop by size, brand, or occasion

Cons

No membership option

Overview

Dressing kids for special events can be a frustrating process—and not just because of the tears or temper tantrums. When kids grow so fast, it’s hard to justify the cost of an outfit that may only be worn once.

Enter Rainey’s Closet, which found its mission when one forward-thinking mom grew tired of the drama around dressing her daughter for the family's annual photoshoots.

Whether you’re shopping by size, brand, or occasion, there are enough tutus, bright colors, and sequins to make any little fashionista feel special. And, with hassle-free shipping and returns—each order comes with a return label, and laundry is included in the cost—you'll come away from the process pretty pleased, too. Prices vary per item, and there's no commitment (or subscription) required.

Final Verdict

There are many options depending on your needs, but Rent the Runway does the best job of providing its members with a broad selection of items for multiple occasions, as well as multiple membership tiers. For those on a stricter budget, Nuuly is a good alternative, while Gwynnie Bee offers the best size-inclusive options, and Rainey's Closet is a great choice for outfitting children on special occasions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Clothing Rental Services?

Clothing rental services provide you with access to popular fashion labels without a large financial commitment or the hassle of shopping in-store. When you use a clothing rental service, you’ll be able to browse through a vast selection of clothes that match your personal style and add them to your at-home wardrobe for as long as you need.

How Much Do Clothing Rental Services Cost?

The cost of clothing rental services varies. You can expect to dish out anywhere from $50 to $235 for a monthly clothing rental membership.

How Often Will I Receive Clothes Via a Clothing Rental Service?

Each clothing rental service has a different policy regarding how many items you can receive per month and how long you can use them. Typically, you’ll be able to select a certain number of styles per month and keep them for 30 days. With some companies like Rent The Runway, you’re able to receive new items delivered to your door as often as you’d like.

Can I Buy Any of the Pieces I Receive Through a Clothing Rental Service?

You can begin to build your dream wardrobe with the help of clothing rental services. Some clothing rental companies like Rent The Runway and Vince Unfold allow you to purchase any of the items you receive for a major discount.

How Do I Return the Items After I Wear Them?

When it’s time to send your items back, the process is simple. Most clothing rental services will take care of the heavy lifting by providing you with a garment bag to pack your items in and a prepaid shipping label. Then, you simply drop your items off at a post office or with a designated shipping carrier.

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