Look hotter, feel superior at your next function (for less than $75)
💌Read this before you buy that fast fashion dress you only kinda like 💌
First things first: Silky Crunch is a shameless splace.
If you find a fabulous new gown that fits perfectly and have the means to buy, get it! If you love a trendy piece from H&M and that’s what you can afford, we won’t judge!!
However, if you’re feeling apprehensive about spending $380 on a brand new, regular shmegular dress but also don’t want to spend $128 on fast fashion… buckle up. You can save money, but more importantly, mental energy, time, and space by renting or buying secondhand.
Peer-to-Peer Lending
Good for:
You don’t fit into pieces off the rack: you’re short or tall, for example
You’re looking for a really unique piece you’ll only wear once
Cultural dress (e.g. Desi celebrations, Chinese weddings, etc.)
I’m so happy that borrowing from other humans is finally becoming de-stigmatized. You get to wear something “new,” minus the headache of dry cleaning and storage. I use Pickle, but By Rotation, a UK-based app, is now in the US as well.
The Pickle app can be a bit janky, but the diversity! It’s unmatched. There’s a discussion board where Picklers ask to rent XXXL leather jackets, conservative long-sleeved dresses for Amish weddings, even Halloween costumes.
Last October, I rented a Realisation Par silk dress for a sweaty wedding in Nashville. At some point in the night I realized it was not flattering (on me), and that was ok. I didn’t crumble with melancholy, because… well, I didn’t spend hundreds, then fifty more to get it shortened. The $55 rental would go home to its owner in NYC soon enough.
Renting is a double win for those of us who rarely fit into clothing off the rack. Hemming the length or getting straps shortened is an added cost, so my cost-saving, lazy hack is renting pre-hemmed dresses from other shorties!
In short (lol), I spent $55 to borrow a $300 silk dress that fit my height perfectly. No worries about alterations, dry cleaning, or wearing it enough for it to be a “good investment.”
The final boss mode: find renters with covetable closets and similar body types. When I feel the urge to shop from corporations, I scroll through Pickle closets of other humans, and there’s a few favorites I follow. It’s fascinating to see how they style their pieces. I wonder what goodies they keep just for themselves? You should only rent out things where you can be comfortable with the possibility it might get damaged. (Though there is an insurance policy!)
I’ve also rented out my lehenga and a vintage gown, but don’t list anything I’d be devastated to lose. You can ship to renters/buyers in other states or have a courier come pick it up from your house if the renter is local. It pleases me for my lehenga to see more Desi celebrations instead of sitting lonely in my storage space!
If you’d like to check out the Pickle app, use my link for $10 off your first rental (not sponsored, just the same code everyone gets!) You can also buy/sell, though my only experience is with renting.
Online Rentals
Good for:
you have a specific designer in mind that you really want to wear
You need multiples of the same style (like bridesmaids)
The styles availability on P2P platforms like Pickle skews young
Body is experiencing temporary change due to pregnancy/ illness/ etc.
My online rental experience is with Rent the Runway (RTR). There’s always some discount so you can rent multiple outfits for a set price in one month, or just one dress (a back-up size is included).
One November, I rented this silk Rachel Comey dress for a long weekend: Thanksgiving dinner in NYC with boots, then a southern California wedding that Saturday with heels.
I saw someone wear this gorgeous orange Proenza dress at a wedding in Sicily last summer!
RTR has helpful photo reviews accompanied by height and bra size. In my experience, the lengths can be really long, and smaller sizes are often unavailable. The reviews can help you determine whether a dress will be too long without 10-inch heels.
If you’re tall or bigger, RTR is better value as sizes 8-16 are usually available. Many options go up to size 22.
This slinky, caramel ALC dress is $75 to rent, goes up to a size 14, and would look gorgeous on any guest, bridesmaid, or mother-of-the-bride!
This silver Reformation dress, 100% silk, is only $35 to rent.
I haven’t tried Fashionpass, but some renters think it’s better than RTR. I won’t elaborate here as you can’t rent individual items, just monthly for $125. Apparently, you can get one month for $59 with code SNOWDAY.
Secondhand Online Shopping
Good for:
You know exactly what you’re looking for
You want to keep whatever you spent the $75 on
You have time to find the right piece, and return if needed
Online second-hand shopping is advanced, though I know some of you are pros. I started searching on GEM after discovering it through Viv Chen’s , and it’s such a timesaver!
If you’re new to online second-hand shopping, this might not be the best option unless you 1. already know how something will fit or 2. know how to get it altered to fit. Get comfortable with a measuring tape since that’s the most accurate way to assess the dimensions—letter/number sizing can vary across brands and decades.
Some quick gems I found for under $75, searching for specific brands:
Nanushka collared silk dress in M for $75, originally $630.
Cult Gaia Billie dress for under $75 in size S and size XS.
I cannot believe this green Sies Marjan silk dress is $48. Size S/US 4.
The infamous Jacquemus XS Saudade dress is $73 on The Real Real.
This flirty RIXO x Target collab dress in size 20W is $31.
For unknown brands, be ready to measure and check the return policy:
Vintage, gradient Hawaiian dress from the 1960s, and the Etsy seller accepts returns within 7 days.
Size L vintage Oquendo NY dress ($35) is the deepest shade of eggplant. I’ve seen other pieces from Oquendo go for $250+.
Lush 80s black silk velvet dress by Zelda in size 10.
Local Vintage Shop
Good for:
You need something like now or tomorrow
You’re feeling lucky
You’re attending a themed event, like 80s prom
What more can I say? Walk into your local vintage shop. Try on at least three things? You never know what might surprise you.
Thrift stores are where I let myself buy things without an immediate use case; I hate the feeling of going back and it’s gone forever. Take a note of the brands you like, you might be able to source it online.
One of my souvenirs from four months of living in Denver is a real leather, fringed suede jacket that I snagged for $40. It was a deceptively sunny day and I wasn’t dressed warm enough, a bit of an impulse buy. When I see fake suede fringe jackets made of plastic that cost $168 before tax, there’s a small sense of triumph.
If you don’t mind the feel of synthetic fabrics, you shouldn’t feel bad about buying vintage, it’s better than going to a landfill! We didn’t know then that sequins and polyester would be bad for the environment.
Now my favorite part: let’s discuss!
Where are your weddings this year? I have Pittsburgh and New Orleans in March, then Lebanon in June. How do you decide which destination invites to accept and which ones to skip?
Related:
Somehow just seeing this in April, but incredible roundup of how to find a secondhand or rental dress.
Thank you for mentioning our sister app Gem!