Why I Swear By Rent the Runway for Holiday Parties

How to dress to impress all month long.

learn more about Entrepreneur Deals

By Entrepreneur Deals

Rent the Runway

Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you'll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

This article was written by Katy Peer — writer, editor, and contributor to the Entrepreneur Store. The details to follow are based on her personal experiences using Rent the Runway on multiple occasions in 2018.

The holiday season isn't just about traveling, gifting, and spending time with family. For those of us in the business world, it includes a slew of holiday parties, events, dinners, and cocktail hours. It's not just your company's holiday party either. You're likely to be a plus-one, be invited to clients' parties, and attend a few for groups and organizations you belong to. Aside from the pure exhaustion of it all, there's the issue of outfits.

You'll want to look festive yet dressy yet professional yet not too professional — and you'll want something different for each event. Are you overwhelmed yet? Last year, instead of scouring the entire mall for a holiday party wardrobe, I tried Rent the Runway.

At this point, most of us have heard of it. In short, it's a clothing rental company that allows you to browse an enormous selection of designer and non designer clothes to rent for a given period of time. I tried their unlimited rental option, which worked out perfectly for a busy season like December. Here are a few things I learned from trying it out, and why I'll be signing up again this year:

1. Reserve early and often.

If you choose to forego the Unlimited option and use their basic service, I suggest reserving your outfits early. During this busy time of year, dresses and sizes tend to sell out well in advance. Plan out your options for the month even if you haven't secured all your invites yet.

2. Browse the customer reviews and photos.

Take the time to browse through customer photos and reviews. They are really helpful for determining fit since it can be hard to tell from the stock photo.

3. Try out styles you know work for you.

It can be tempting to try something totally different when you're renting. But for the holiday season, stick with styles you know fit well out-of-the-box.

Holiday party season is a great time to expand your network and sneak in personal conversations with colleagues and potential clients. If you want to dress to impress without spending a fortune, Rent the Runway won't let you down. New members can save 20 percent off their first purchase when you sign up here.

Entrepreneur Deals

Entrepreneur Deals

Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you'll find useful. 

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

The Dark Side of Pay Transparency — And What to Do If You Find Out You're Being Underpaid
Thinking of a Career Change? Here Are 4 Steps You Can Take to Get There.
A Founder Who Bootstrapped Her Jewelry Business With Just $1,000 Now Sees 7-Figure Revenue Because She Knew Something About Her Customers Nobody Else Did
Everything You Need to Know About Franchise Law
Business News

Amazon Is Starting to Let Customers Know What Products Are Returned Often

The e-commerce giant has begun flagging certain items that were frequently sent back.

Branding

10 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Digital Branding With User-Generated Content

Struggling to outshine established industry giants? Learn how to apply user-generated content for powerful digital branding in this comprehensive guide and build your brand's unique recognition in the market.

Business News

A Scammer Posing as Elon Musk Tricked a Florida Principal into Sending $100K in School Funds: 'I Fell for a Scam'

Dr. Jan McGee has since resigned as principal of Burns Science and Technology Charter in Oak Hill, Florida.

Business News

The Largest Egg Producer in the U.S. Saw Profits Increase By 718% Amid Soaring Prices

Cal-Maine Foods brought in over $320 million in profit for the quarter ending in late February 2023.