Rent the Runway: How Do Students Feel?
Rent the Runway, an online store, offers shoppers the opportunity to rent clothing. It has become increasingly popular, especially for people who want to wear something specific or expensive without paying full price. Nordstrom recently renewed its partnership with Rent the Runway, and brands such as Gwynnie Bee, Armoire and Bloomingdales have adopted similar services of clothing rental. The phenomenon is still growing in popularity, so there are differing perspectives on whether or not clothing rental is practical for everyday wear.
While clothing rental in the past has been mainly used for special occasions, such as weddings, it is changing to cater toward people's everyday wardrobes. The desire to keep your wardrobe up to date seems to be the leading force behind the new trend.
Sam Longo, a sophomore communications major, worked at Francesca’s, a retail store, while home over the summer. Based on her experience, Longo said the system of clothing rental is good for stores like Nordstrom, which sell more expensive clothes. Although, Longo doesn’t think clothing rental would work well with everyday clothing.
“I would think that Nordstrom has clothes that you would only wear once, like a wedding or special occasion, but for stores that have more everyday wear, it wouldn't be as ideal. I think that everyday-wear stores, because the clothes are cheaper, customers would not treat them with the same care as a nice dress,” said Longo.
Would students use brands like Rent the Runway for everyday wear?
Emily Kapla, a sophomore communications major, said she wouldn’t rent clothing in her everyday life.
“I probably wouldn't use Rent the Runway, because I feel like, since you don't get to keep the clothes, you would be losing money in the long run. However, for occasions such as prom or my wedding day, I would use it because I would never wear those dresses again,” said Kapla.
Kapla said she knows people who have used Rent the Runway and really like it, but as a student, she wouldn’t find it useful.
“If I need something, I always borrow from my friends, which is a lot easier,” said Kapla.
Ashley Goodman, a sophomore at Muhlenberg College, has used Rent the Runway many times.
“It is the best website of my life because it allows me to wear new and fun pieces that I wouldn’t usually want to purchase. It also allows you to post to Instagram once and never have to worry about repeating an outfit,” said Goodman.
Goodman said the website allows her to go out of her comfort zone and try new dresses and jackets that she wouldn’t typically buy.
Daniela Morgan, a sophomore communications major, works at Uptown Cheapskate, a thrift store in College Park. Uptown Cheapskate has become well known among students at Maryland who are looking for unique or cheaper clothes.
“I definitely think it would be a good move for stores to rent their clothes. It could be good, especially for college students involved in Greek life who may have themed events and need stuff for temporary usage,” said Morgan.
Morgan believes that for a local store like Uptown Cheapskate, a system of clothing rental would work well.
Overall, whether or not students would actually rent their clothes for everyday wear is still up in the air. However, the system seems to work best for people who are looking to be up to date with new trends and want to continuously change up their look.
