Clothing rental services have gained popularity in recent years. These services allow consumers to pay a fixed amount for clothing to keep for a limited time. With fashion trends constantly ebbing and flowing, it can be difficult to keep up. What is Vogue-worthy one day might next be in the graveyard of shunned clothing items—think jeggings, infinity scarves, and cut-out shoulder tops. It feels as if nowadays the contemporary fashion scene switches up every other week, and nobody has the time for that.
As this New York Times article described it, “the objects of teenage yearning feel more plentiful and less durable than ever before.” Even though fleeting trends have always been present, new items are always added to the ever-revolving glossary of what is “in.” At this point, there are so many different competing aesthetics that I find it difficult to wrap my head around. During my middle school years, the iconic VSCO girl was the predominant vibe, characterized by vibrant scrunchies, puka shell necklaces, and water bottles cluttered with stickers. It was simpler back then, what with almost every single girl falling into that aesthetic. But now, there are simply “too many trends!”
Nuuly solves the public’s need to update their closets to keep up with new trends. TikTok videos showcasing Nuuly hauls and praising the benefits of the service had started to populate my For You page–and also my mind. Before I saw it on social media, I was under the assumption that clothing rental services were exclusively reserved for grand events such as weddings.
The TikTok algorithm worked in (not so) mysterious ways and showed me more and more posts about Nuuly. One day, I finally decided to actually look into it, curious what the hype was about. The FAQ page delivered all the answers to my questions.
It costs “$98 a month, [and] you can rent any six items” from an extensive list of popular brands such as Free People, Urban Outfitters, and Anthropologie. Although the standard Nuuly plan allows six items, users can add on “bonus” pieces for an additional $20 if desired. There is even a student discount that knocks $10 off the total cost. The clothing pieces come in a shipping bag with a prepaid label enclosed for an easy return. Once the time is up, Nuuly users zip their items back into the bag, attach the new shipping label, and pick out their next month’s pieces.
Furthermore, the six items need not be washed upon return–Nuuly takes care of any laundry or dry-cleaning needs. And if you are wondering about damages: “No damage or repair fees, we’ll take care of it all at our cleaning center. All you need to do is send back your damaged item with the rest of your Nuuly return,” making the whole process hassle-free for the buyer.
With the “my closet” feature, users can save items that catch their eye and stake out potential Nuulies ahead of time. Even though I originally had no intention of purchasing a Nuuly subscription, I nevertheless found myself utilizing this feature upon my first perusal of the site. Before I knew it, I had over ten items saved and a desire to try Nuuly out for a month.
Here is how my experience went.
To start, Nuuly’s shipping was impressive in and of itself. According to the website, Nuuly takes up to two days for processing and up to three days to ship, to a maximum of five days’ waiting. Much to my (pleasant) surprise, I almost missed the email that announced the arrival of my Nuuly order; it arrived much faster than anticipated, in just two days. This swift turnaround definitely bolstered my opinion of the service, especially considering the fact that even Amazon does not match that delivery speed.
Like a kid on Christmas morning, I eagerly opened the Nuuly, looking forward to seeing what was inside. The opportunity to try on pieces that I might not have purchased otherwise was fun and exciting. Among these picks were dresses and tops that I had been eyeing online, but was unsure yet if I wanted to buy yet. Nuuly allows users to buy their pieces at a discounted rate, so this felt like a trial period to test them out. I got items with retail values ranging from $88 to $315, justifying Nuuly’s $88 price tag (with the student discount).
I got two dresses, two tops, and two skirts, which allowed for a range of outfits and occasions. Something that I particularly enjoyed about Nuuly was that it could fulfill a variety of different dress codes. I definitely got my money’s worth because I could wear my items for classes, formal events, and going out. Plus, my subscription has both curbed my shopping habit and given me fun clothing pieces to wear.
For those who are unfamiliar or unsure about taking a look into Nuuly, my experience has been positive. The service exceeded my expectations for shipping, convenience, and quality of items. Nuuly offers over a hundred brands with thousands of styles, so that there are countless styles to pick from. As an affordable and sustainable option to shopping at retail stores, Nuuly does live up to the hype.
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