By: Lucy Ugar
I’ll admit it: I have a severe shopping addiction. But I feel like I’m not alone. As girls in a world where trends move fast, how are we supposed to keep up? Sadly, I think our culture of overconsumption can leave some of us feeling bored with our closets. A month ago, I found Nuuly, a clothing rental service, and thought maybe it could cure my shopping itch. Let’s get into how it works and if it indeed satisfied my constant craving for new, unique pieces.
FYI: How it Works
The Nuuly service costs $98 a month, but I was sucked in by a discount code for $15 off your first three months, bringing my total down to $83, and I thought, why not try it out? They also have a student discount that would bring your total down to $88. You can also pause your subscription at any time, so if you have a month where you feel like you don’t need anything, use the app to skip, and you won’t get charged. After your month ends, return your box with the prepaid shipping label at UPS! Super easy.
Time to Shop!
After confirming, I was able to shop the entire site and build my first box. You get to pick six pieces, and I was surprised to find that they carried so many of my favorite brands (Polo Ralph Lauren, AGOLDE, Free People, For Love and Lemons, Guizio, Frankie’s Bikinis, and the list goes on. You want it? They probably have it.)
Honestly, picking the pieces was the hardest, but also most fun part. I didn’t expect to be so overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices. Adding stuff into my cart was super fun and totally scratched my evergreen online shopping itch. I’m not proud, but I probably spent over 2 hours building my first box... the choices were just too good!
I tried to think of the things I do in a week where I feel like I have nothing to wear. What came to mind were meetings where I have to be business casual and going out, so I decided to pick out some sweaters for school, as well as a cute going-out top. I also wanted to test some jeans from my favorite brand, Citizens of Humanity, as I have one pair and am obsessed, but they are super pricy. I rounded out my picks with an adorable jacket that would help me transition from winter to spring, and a graphic sweatshirt I knew I would reach for every day.
Here are the six pieces I ended up picking:
Arrival Day...
My box arrived super fast. I ordered it on Saturday, and it arrived on Tuesday!! I unboxed my new clothes, and to my surprise, two of the items came with tags, which felt luxe. Everything fit well, and the value of my rented haul totaled over $1,000, even though I only paid $83.
But the excitement was far from over; a huge surprise was still in store. I checked my app and saw that if I bought an item from my box, it had a huge discount attached. Honestly, I didn’t even consider the buying part of the equation, thinking that maybe you could get something small like 10% off... but no. The discounts they offered were enormous. I’m talking 50-60% off. This discovery spelled trouble for the shopping addiction I wanted this subscription to remedy. Still, I decided to wear my items for a whole month and try them out before even considering purchasing.
Final Thoughts and Tips
Did renting clothes cure my shopping addiction? Yes and no. Having some new fun pieces that I was excited to incorporate into my wardrobe was a plus and resulted in much less mindless shopping and scrolling.
However, the heavy discounts really did get me. After wearing the Citizens of Humanity jeans almost every day for a month, I ended up purchasing them from Nuuly for a whopping 65% off. I think an underrated aspect of the service is the opportunity to try out expensive brands and purchase them for a serious discount.
I don’t know if I’ll continue to rent every month, but I’m glad I tried it out. I can see it being helpful for months where I have events that I have to dress up for, for trips, or even just for months where I’m feeling like I need a closet refresh. For example, I’m attending a wedding in Charleston in May. I will for sure utilize Nuuly for some wedding guest dresses and coastal chic outfits that I don’t have in my closet as a Californian.
If you’re thinking of trying out Nuuly, here are my tips:
1. Filter items by “newest”If an item has zero reviews or just got put on the site, chances are you’ll be the first renter and get it with tags!
2. Read the reviewsIf you’re not renting a new item, make sure to read the reviews thoroughly. This can help with sizing info, so you make sure to order the correct size.
3. Get your money’s worth!Rent a couple of statement pieces that you wouldn’t spend your hard-earned cash on to only wear once, but also try out some luxury staples.
4. Plan out your monthConsider the events for which you might want to buy new pieces for that are coming up, so you can get ahead of this craving by picking out a rental.
Sadly, I think the only thing that can cure my shopping addiction is me, but trying Nuuly was a fun experiment.
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