Why Renting Fashion Is Becoming More Popular Than Buying-上海大学巴黎国际时装艺术学院官网


Why Renting Fashion Is Becoming More Popular Than Buying
19/08/14 12:53:00

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A decade ago, renting fashion was solely reserved for those who couldn’t afford or couldn’t bare to part with a large chunk of change for a designer bag. These days, renting fashion is becoming almost more popular than buying and for good reason. It’s no longer solely about the hefty price tag designer goods often come with, it’s also about consumer habits and the faster paced nature of trends. Many people feel they can’t wear an outfit more than once in the company of the same people, sometimes not even then if they know they’re going to be photographed. It would be close to a crime to be seen in the same evening gown or cocktail dress in such a short space of time between events and of course this is even more important when it comes to high profile events and occasions when an elaborate outfit is called for. The more dramatic the outfit, often the higher the price tag and it’s one thing to spend a small fortune on a designer outfit you’ll wear year after year, time after time like a ready to wear outfit but for a one time use or at best, one time in a year, even dedicated followers of fashion have a hard time swallowing that bitter pill.

Why Rent Instead Of Buy?

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In the UK for example, an average of ￡550 GBP has been quoted to be simply sitting in UK women’s closets, disguised as unworn clothes, sometimes even with the labels still attached. In Europe it’s an average of 40% of each closet that is left relatively untouched and unworn which shows just how terrible at shopping we really are, never mind how wasteful. The other major problem with our attitude towards shopping is the concept of buying for that elusive one day. This means we aren’t actually thinking about where we will wear the garments we’re buying but instead choosing a mentality of buying an evening gown for that one day we’ll be invited to a black tie event or choosing to purchase an exotic African print for one day when you’ll actually visit the continent.

By renting instead of buying, fashion lovers can justify spending a fraction of the buying price in order to wear the dress of their dreams for one night only and are more than happy to send the dress back, safe in the knowledge dead money isn’t clogging up their closets.

While most people are still happy to spend a large amount on designer bags they’re comfortable using on a daily basis, this doesn’t necessarily translate into clutch bags or specific evening bags. Just like their complimentary outfits, these bags are intended to be seen at one event and one event only and depending on the brand or materials used, the price could easily be the same if not more than the outfit itself.

The Growing Trend

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Of course the trend of renting fashion didn’t arrive overnight. Savvy fashionistas have been buying expensive designer clothes and accessories and reselling them on eBay or consignment stores for years. While this is also a good idea, the effort it takes in order to clean and steam the garment themselves, take a few great product shots and the constant fluctuating bank balance with garment sales and resales going in and out all the time can seem like a lot of effort. By cutting out the middle man and going straight to rentals, there’s only one transaction involved and often that price includes a fee for the rental company to clean the garment for you. Renting fashion gives designer lovers the opportunity to wear labels they could never normally afford, it justifies only wearing the outfit once and there’s minimal effort involved, it sounds like a win win situation right?

The Drawback?

But alas, there’s always a few negatives to be aware of. While we think renting fashion is a brilliant idea in many ways, there’s a few pitfalls you might want to consider before jumping in credit card a blaze. First of all, if you’re a bit of a calamity Jane, you’ll need to be extra cautious around red wine or anything else that stains for that matter. Any kind of stain, rip, plucked stitches and more can potentially render you liable to pay the full purchase amount which may be way over budget. Therefore it’s important to read the terms and conditions of each rental company carefully and the best companies will have insurance built into the rental price.

Top Places To Rent Clothes

· Rent The Runway

Best for occasional dresses and designer bargains

Free Shipping

Prices as low as $30 USD

· Haverdash

Best for everyday clothes or ready to wear daily garments

No commitment necessary, ability to cancel at any point

No individual garment prices, only a monthly fee

· Glam Corner

Best for occasional dresses

Australia Only for rentals but great for getting fashion styling inspiration