Rent a dress, send it back: how to be frugal without having to keep the tags on
Dropping a couple of mortgage payments on a dress that may be worn only once was not always such a gauche sign of indulgence (insert buzz word: recession). Now, like a DVD at a failing Blockbuster Video, we can rent a dress for a fraction of the price at the newly launched online dress-rental service Rent Frock Repeat, and then, well, send it back when we’re bored of it .
The premise: Penny-pinching shoppers browse online to take their pick of in-season pieces by Doo.Ri, Milly, Jay Godfrey, Preen, Robert Rodriguez, Badgley Mischka, Catherine Malandrino, Pink Tartan, Shoshanna and Christian Siriano (best remembered as the loud, pint-sized pixie with catchphrases from Project Runway), among others. Vanity sizers, yo-yo dieters and women who are between sizes can benefit from having two sizes delivered to ensure the perfect fit (they also have a stylist to gently suggest—via e-mail, phone or chat—that the pashmina we might be after is so five years ago).
The cost: The rental is around 15 to 20 per cent of the retail price (post-party dry-cleaning is included), and every dress can be kept for four or eight days. An emerald-green silk sack dress from Ports 1961, for example, usually retailing for $895, can be rented for $150, while $60 gets us a sleeveless red David Dixon shift dress (which usually retails for $350).
The sales pitch: “Renting a dress gives you the freedom to wear something a bit bolder or brighter than maybe something you would invest in—there is a feeling of freedom that comes along with having our virtual closet at your disposal, and none of the buyer’s remorse,” says co-owner Kristy Wieber. The freedom to wear bold colours and the option to never leave the couch? Welcome to the rebirth of Peggy Bundy.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/shopping/rent-a-dress-send-it-back-how-to-be-frugal-without-having-to-keep-the-tags-on/&title=Rent a dress, send it back: how to be frugal without having to keep the tags on&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/RFR-408x624.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_70020" align="alignleft" width="348" caption="These women used to eat peanut butter sandwiches for dinner. (Image: Rent Frock Repeat)"][/caption]
Dropping a couple of mortgage payments on a dress that may be worn only once was not always such a gauche sign of indulgence (insert buzz word: recession). Now, like a DVD at a failing Blockbuster Video, we can rent a dress for a fraction of the price at the newly launched online dress-rental service Rent Frock Repeat, and then, well, send it back when we’re bored of it .
The premise: Penny-pinching shoppers browse online to take their pick of in-season pieces by Doo.Ri, Milly, Jay Godfrey, Preen, Robert Rodriguez, Badgley Mischka, Catherine Malandrino, Pink Tartan, Shoshanna and Christian Siriano (best remembered as the loud, pint-sized pixie with catchphrases from Project Runway), among others. Vanity sizers, yo-yo dieters and women who are between sizes can benefit from having two sizes delivered to ensure the perfect fit (they also have a stylist to gently suggest—via e-mail, phone or chat—that the pashmina we might be after is so five years ago).
The cost: The rental is around 15 to 20 per cent of the retail price (post-party dry-cleaning is included), and every dress can be kept for four or eight days. An emerald-green silk sack dress from Ports 1961, for example, usually retailing for $895, can be rented for $150, while $60 gets us a sleeveless red David Dixon shift dress (which usually retails for $350).
The sales pitch: “Renting a dress gives you the freedom to wear something a bit bolder or brighter than maybe something you would invest in—there is a feeling of freedom that comes along with having our virtual closet at your disposal, and none of the buyer’s remorse,” says co-owner Kristy Wieber. The freedom to wear bold colours and the option to never leave the couch? Welcome to the rebirth of Peggy Bundy.){kind=link}
Didn’t the Style Box by Gail McInnes just tried something like this?
From what I have read and seen, Rent frock Repeat is the first in Canada to do it in a large scale. It’s available to all Canadians (and ship across Canada) and not limited to Toronto. Plus, just went on their website and they carry tons more. Doo.Ri, Yigal, Badgley Mischka, David Dixon, Ports 1961, Christian Siriano, Catharine Malandrino etc. Not to mention more labels from around the world that are in demand right now!
Hi R,
The Style Box was an all-Canadian designer rental showroom exclusively for celebs and notable personalities to wear for special appearances. We had a physical showroom which wasn’t open to the general public. The purpose was to promote and provide additional exposure for Canadian designers by putting them in the spotlight. Toronto Life wrote about it when it first opened: http://www.torontolife.com/daily/style/shop-talk/2009/08/06/just-opened-the-style-box-designer-showroom/
Rent Front Repeat is very different and I think it’s a great concept that will do very well.
Rent *Frock Repeat – oops. :)
It’s really interesting that another Canadian company starting in the sharing economy and this really help people to save money by renting instead of buying.
I would like to add to this, the leading Canadian Peer-To-Peer Rental Marketplace where people can rent out stuff to make money and others to rent in to save money.
RentThings aims at encouraging Individuals and Businesses to make ethical and ecological choices.
RentThings make you save some serious money
Renting is a cost effective solution.
Why buy something that you will use only once a year or twice when you can rent it for a fraction of the price?
Why buy a DVD you’ll watch only once?
Why buy a video game you’ll only play few times?
Why buy skis if you only ski once a year?
People are starting to figure out that they don’t have to shoulder the maintenance and other costs of ownership. Renting lets your money go farther, paying only for what you use and pocketing the savings.
Thanks for reading.
http://www.rentthings.ca
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