How to Use Rent the Runway to Rent Designer Outfits for Events or by Subscription

Rent the Runway is a fashion rental service that allows you to wear designer clothing and accessories without purchasing them. The company rents pieces from hundreds of brands — including Diane von Furstenberg, Theory, Joie, and many others — at prices that are a fraction of their retail cost. This makes high-end fashion accessible for a special occasion, a work trip, or an event where you want to wear something special but not spend hundreds of dollars on something you will only wear once.

There are two main ways to use Rent the Runway: one-time rentals for specific events, and a monthly subscription that lets you rotate through a set number of items throughout the month. For single events — a wedding, a holiday party, a gala — you browse the site, choose an item, and select your rental dates. The dress or outfit arrives cleaned and ready to wear two days before your event, and you return it using a prepaid bag when you are done. No dry cleaning on your end.

The subscription model works differently. For a monthly fee, you can have a certain number of items at home at a time, swap them as often as you want within your plan's limits, and return them when you are finished. Subscribers access the same designer pieces as one-time renters and can keep an item longer if they want by pausing their rotation.

Rent the Runway handles all cleaning, maintenance, and shipping. You do not need to worry about dry cleaning bills or damaged zippers — the company repairs and cleans all pieces between rentals. If something arrives damaged before your event, you are covered by their damage policy and can contact customer service for a replacement.

One practical consideration: Rent the Runway includes backup size options with most rentals, allowing you to order an item in two different sizes to ensure one will fit. This removes the guesswork that comes with ordering clothing online.