Your Guide to Fashion Rental: How to Rent Clothes Online

We’ve all been there. There’s a big wedding coming up and whilst you had the best intentions to reuse that cute maxi in your wardrobe from last summer, you end up splurging on an expensive dress last minute. You wear it once to compliments and Instagram snaps but then it hangs year after year unworn in your wardrobe. Sound familiar? 

Happily, the rental revolution is now in full swing and thanks to innovative services like Endless Wardrobe, you can rent clothes online in the blink of an eye for a fraction of the price. So you can have a sartorial moment wearing AlexaChung to brunch without any of the commitment or the wastage. Ideal for your wallet and the planet (oh, and your Instagram).

If you’re wondering how to rent clothes online and are full of burning questions around cleaning, delivery and designers, read on…

How do I rent clothes online?

The good news is, it’s really straightforward. Innovative ways to rent are starting to emerge giving renters greater flexibility and more choice. Platforms like Endless Wardrobe partner with brands to hold multiples of each piece allowing UK shoppers to rent designer clothes in sizes 6-18 and up to 30 days in advance. So that means you can guarantee that Free People wrap dress will be on your doorstep in time for your friend’s July wedding.

Simply browse by date, filter by size and collection and pick your favourite piece. Add to your basket, pick your rental period (how long you’d like to rent the piece for), sit back and wait for it to arrive. You can wear the piece as many times as you like during that time and then just pop it back in the bag and send it back. Easy.

There are some really unique features out there when it comes to deciding where to rent clothing online. Endless Wardrobe not only allows you to rent women’s clothing, it’s also the only brand to allow you to shop each piece in three different ways: rent, buy new or buy good as new. Partnering with the kind of contemporary high street brands we all want to be wearing to brunch, the platform allows you to keep your piece for 4, 10 or 16 days. 

And if you fall hard for that Whistles jumper dress (we wouldn’t blame you) you can opt to ‘keep forever’ with the rental price deducted from the total. Plus, you’ll get a full refund on any unworn items so if you want to try a few styles or sizes, simply pop up to three pieces in your basket, have a try-on and keep the swing tags and ribbon on any items you don’t end up wearing. 

On or before the final day of your rental period pop everything back in the reusable mail bag - worn and unworn - and take it to your nearest DPD drop-off point or Post Office.

Can you rent designer clothes?

Happily, the answer is a resounding yes. Depending what sort of brands you’re looking for, rental sites allow you to rent designer clothes in the UK at a whole range of levels, from super premium to emerging contemporary. Whilst some online platforms cater to cult brands, some stock only sustainable fashion and others operate peer-to-peer meaning you can rent directly from individuals with amazing wardrobes. It really depends on your personal taste and ethos. 

Endless Wardrobe sits in a unique space offering premium high street rentals from contemporary brands like AlexaChung, Free People, Whistles, Essentiel Antwerp and De La Vali. So whether you want an Instagram-worthy cocktail dress for a special birthday or a cosy jumpsuit for chilling at home, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for all in one place. 

Where can you rent clothes online?

It really depends what you’re looking for. If you want ultimate flexibility, a non peer-to-peer service like Endless Wardrobe is the one for you. Stocking multiples of each piece means you can grab it in sizes 6-18 and reserve it up to 30 days in advance. It’s also the only service allowing you three ways to shop: rent, buy new or buy good as new. So if you fall in love with that denim boiler suit straight off, you can shop it immediately or choose to rent and then buy after you’ve taken it for a spin. The good news is the price of the rental is discounted from the purchase price so you’re never losing out by opting to rent first.

Our advice? When shopping around, pay close attention to what is and isn’t included. Many platforms charge extra for dry cleaning, delivery and insurance which can cause the price of your rental to sky rocket. With Endless Wardrobe, everything is included so the price you see upfront is the price you pay. That means eco-friendly dry cleaning, refunds on unworn items and insurance covering all forms of damage (because red wine happens). Endless Wardrobe also includes a door-to-door next day courier service for super slick delivery and no stress before that special event. You’ll receive your piece on or before the first day of your rental with a text notification on the morning of arrival giving you a 1-hour time slot. 

What happens if I damage or spill something?

It depends where you rent. With Endless Wardrobe, absolutely nothing! Each piece includes full insurance meaning spills or broken zips aren’t a problem. Just pop it back in the post and forget all about it. 

Sustainability is a huge part of the rental market and so make sure you have a look into how planet-friendly a platform’s cleaning offering really is. At Endless Wardrobe, the dry cleaning process is as eco-friendly as possible with zero waste going to landfill as well as reduced energy wastage, water consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Between wears each piece is inspected, sanitised, spot treated, and put through an eco-friendly ozone chamber which removes all odours and eliminates 99.8% of all known germs and viruses. Spotless and planet-friendly.

Other platforms, particularly peer-to-peer, may leave it at the discretion of the person renting out the piece to charge extra for dry cleaning or damages so make sure you establish this upfront. 

Is renting clothes better than buying?

The million dollar question! If you want to experiment with styles and designers without spending a fortune and getting sucked into planet-damaging fast fashion? Absolutely. We’ve all purchased an item which we’ve worn once or simply haven’t liked as much in real life as we did in the rosy glow of the changing room. Not to mention the pressure from social media to look different for every occasion which can force us into making hasty decisions. 

Not only is our shopping habit expensive, it’s bad for our planet. In fact if everyone in the UK stopped buying clothes for just one day the emissions saved would be equivalent to driving a car around the world 8,640 times. 

But all of this doesn’t mean we have to stop enjoying fashion. The excitement of styling a new piece, trying out a new silhouette and supporting the fashion industry can be achieved through renting with no commitment and no waste. Just fun. 

Of course if there’s a piece you fall in love with and know you’ll wear again and again over many years, buying is always the best option financially. Endless Wardrobe is the only platform to offer three ways to shop each item: rent, buy new or buy good as new. So you can take the piece for a spin as a rental and then decide to keep forever with the rental fee discounted from the purchase price. Or, if you find a piece you instantly know you’ll wear on rotation, you can choose to buy it new or pre-loved straight off the bat. The choice is yours. It’s all about making smart, informed choices about the clothes you want to be wearing and enjoying. 

Do celebrities rent clothes?

Celebrities are often loaned clothes to wear to big events or red carpets in return for the amazing exposure the designer will get. So yes, in the celebrity world wearing a beautiful piece once and then returning it is pretty common practice. We tend to want to ‘own’ something we wear for a special occasion but rental encourages us to think in a different way, enjoying a piece and then letting it go to welcome in the next thing. Look at us getting all deep and meaningful…

What brands can you rent women's clothing from?

Pretty much all of them! Different platforms offer different things for those who want to rent women’s clothing. One platform might cater exclusively to high end designer handbags whilst another focuses solely on sustainable fashion brands. 

At Endless Wardrobe you can rent women’s clothing from premium high street brands which means not only can you find the perfect dress for a wedding or birthday, you’ll also find jumpsuits and cosy knits for brunches, meetings and impromptu dates. Think AlexaChung, Free People, Whistles, Essentiel Antwerp, De La Vali, Never Fully Dressed and more to come. 

Is rental clothing worth it?

In a nutshell, yes! It’s a planet-friendly, affordable way to get excited and enjoy fashion each and every time you get dressed. Plus, Endless Wardrobe is the only service that allows you to flex your shopping style depending on the piece. So if you need a showstopper for a wedding that you’ll really only wear once, you can rent. If you decide that jumpsuit you rented for drinks needs to be on rotation forever and always, you can buy new or pre-loved. So you really can adapt your shopping habits to each occasion. And with brands like De La Vali and Free People, there’s something for a special birthday or a casual brunch. 

Trust us; the rental revolution is here and you’re going to want to be on board. Ideally wearing that Essentiel Antwerp denim boiler suit… 

Have we convinced you yet? Come and find your next rental.