I Haven’t Spent More Than $150 on Clothing in Six Months—Here’s How I Did It

Let’s play a little numbers game; how much more clothing do you think the average person owns now compared to 15 years ago? Five percent? Twenty-five? Sixty percent? Hate to break it to you, but it’s the latter. We’re not only buying more clothing than previous generations, but we’re wearing it less too. It’s a terrifying thought, especially considering fast fashion’s negative impacts on the world. From contributing the highest carbon emissions globally to causing micro-plastic pollution in the ocean, the effects are endless.

I think about it often, especially as someone in the industry’s trenches who has to grapple with the knowledge of this impact while also deeply loving fashion. I can’t say I possess some moral high ground, but I will say I’ve made subtle shifts to be more sustainably minded in my own life. Part of that shift has come from prioritizing investing in staples and shopping from eco-friendly brands, but the other half has come from using the designer clothing rental service, Rent The Runway. 

Since the start of the year, I’ve been using the clothing rental service to curb my spending and lessen my environmental impact. And while it’s not necessarily a solution to the larger issues that plague the industry—I’m one person, after all! Nevertheless, Rent the Runway has changed how we view fashion by destigmatizing second-hand clothing and creating a subculture that rewards re-wearing garments. It’s changing both the industry and individual closets, and to prove that point, I did an in-depth review of the clothing rental service.

In the first half of this story, you’ll hear from Sarah Tam, Rent the Runway’s chief merchant, about how the service works, her tips for renting clothing, and how the team has expanded its merchandising to include some of the coolest labels. In the latter half of the story, I’ve included a run-down of 10 looks I tried on from the service, the pros and cons of the platform, and my full review of the service overall. Without further ado…