Armoire vs. Rent the Runway: The Ultimate Clothing Showdown
After a long, comfortably-dressed, two years of WFH, I finally received the ‘return to office’ email from HR. This meant I’d have to start getting dressed for work again, so I dug through my closet and tried on all my pre-pandemic work clothes.
Unsurprisingly, nothing seemed to fit right and I knew I’d never wear any of it. I’ve wasted a lot of money on outfits I barely wear, so I decided to try renting clothes for work – Rent the Runway initially came to mind. However, after more research, I came across Armoire. At first, the two appeared to be similar, but my experience since has shown otherwise…
If you want unlimited styles for every occasion… Armoire.
After looking through Rent the Runway’s site I quickly realized most of their clothes are catered towards fancier events, where cocktail or formal attire is needed. Many Rent the Runway pieces feature revealing cutouts or daring necklines that almost require stylist support to get you taped in appropriately. Alternatively, Armoire offers a wide variety of high-quality pieces that are suitable for any occasion. From athleisure to black-tie, Armoire has it all! For my first case, I selected clothes for work, casual dresses, and a cocktail dress – everything I needed for my upcoming events! Armoire has designer clothes that fit a range of body types with sizes 0-3X and they’re always adding new styles to suit every body. And best of all, Armoire offers an unlimited plan so you can swap your clothes for new looks as often as you’d like! Rent the Runway no longer offers an unlimited plan.
If you want personalized & fully-customized shopping… Armoire.
Rent the Runway’s inventory had me scrolling for hours to find something that fits my style. Armoire is a much more personalized experience. After completing a quick, 5-min style quiz, Armoire uses an algorithm and personal stylist expertise to show you clothing that matches your choices, rather than overwhelming you with options that you’re not interested in. For an even more efficient search, you can also customize your recommended items by category, occasion, and season to find exactly what you’re looking for! Armoire’s community also makes it easier to browse and discover new styles with an in-product feed where you can connect with other members and see how others are styling their items.
If you want a young, trendy high-fashion piece… Rent The Runway.
No doubt, both Rent the Runway and Armoire offer high-quality, fashionable items – but there are differences between the types of clothes that they offer. If you’re into trendy designer-wear or are looking for a one-time statement piece, Rent the Runway is where you should go. Alternatively, Armoire’s clothing options are more suitable for enhancing a capsule wardrobe or outfitting you for whatever is on your calendar–not just those big events. So, if you’re looking for long-term staples and statement pieces to mix-and-match into a bunch of different outfits, Armoire is where you should go.
If you want flexible returns… Armoire.
Aside from the fact that only Armoire has a truly unlimited option, the items per month and pricing structures are fairly similar between Armoire and Rent the Runway. Rent the Runway’s lowest price plan only provides access to their “basic closet” or styles with a retail value up to $350. But something that blew me away was the fact that Armoire lets you keep all your items until your new case arrives so you’re never without styles to wear–because you get to hold onto your stuff, you actually get significantly more access to clothing.
This flexible returns perk is available across all of Armoire’s plans. So whenever you’re ready for something new, you can choose new items and keep your current ones until you receive your next shipment. On the other hand, Rent the Runway requests that you send your items back as soon as you initiate a return, so there can be days when you have no clothing rentals at home. As someone who appreciates always having new styles to enjoy, Armoire has my vote.
The ultimate winner… Armoire.
Both Armoire and Rent the Runway offer high-quality and trendy items for rent at a reasonable price. However, as someone who is anti-eternal scroll and in need of a more functional and interchangeable wardrobe, Armoire is the obvious choice for my styling needs. If you’re interested in trying Armoire for yourself, use our special link to unlock up to 50% off and two free bonus items in your first case.