Romance for Rent

Somehow, it always happens: between balancing life and work, Valentine’s Day is a week away and you have nothing to wear on your dinner date…again! You could dash to your nearest department store, sport last year’s outfit, or rent a beautiful designer dress for 90 percent off the retail price and have it at your door in the nick of time. Tough choice? We didn’t think so.

“Whether it’s Valentines Day or a black tie gala, professional women always have somewhere to go and something to do,” AJ Nicholas, Director of Public Relations for Rent the Runway, tells PINK. “The decision to rent a dress and look great for less is a no-brainer.”

Rent the Runway lets you borrow designer garments for a deep discount (think a $1,400 D&G gown for $200 or a $500 Helmut Lang dress for $75). Plus, they’ll ship you two dresses so you always have the perfect fit and they foot the drycleaning bill.

Dress: The concept is simple: rent your dream dress, wear it, then return it. Wear Today Gone Tomorrow offers the same service for weddings, cocktail parties or just an evening out.

Shoes: Need some head-turning heels for a big event? Rent Me a Handbag (or a purse) and Love Me and Leave Me let you borrow top shoe brands like Christian Louboutin, Prada and Miu Miu.

Accessories: Formerly named Bag, Borrow or Steal and made famous in the first Sex and the City film, Avelle allows you to rent designer jewelry, watches and handbags to polish off any outfit. Bling Yourself Inc., also offers discounted designer jewelry for rent.

Bonus PINK Link: Rent the Runway founders share more fashion tips for Valentine’s Day in our online exclusive.

By Artesia Peluso

“The real measure of your wealth is how much
you’d be worth if you lost all your money.” Unknown