The summer season rolls in many wedding invitations, and that means shaadi outfits shopping. But that also means buying outfits you will rarely wear again and a spending spree you’d like to avoid, especially given the economic downturn during the pandemic. So why not rent an outfit?
From classy evening gowns to beautiful lehengas or even a vintage saree, fashion rentals are the perfect solution for the wedding season. They’re more economical, they offer you a variety of options, some times from high-end designers you may not have been able to afford if you had to buy the outfit outright, and they help you get a brand new look for every shaadi you have to attend this summer.
TC46 connected with Jheal Shah, founder of the fashion rental platform Stylease. Here, she explains 8 insider secrets about renting outfits for special occasions.
1. Renting an outfit is just like borrowing your friend’s dress
Renting outfits is the same as borrowing a dress from your best friend’s wardrobe at a price. It gives you access to an endless wardrobe with clothes and accessories for every occasion at every price range to keep for a 4-day or an 8-day period.
2. Renting an outfit is simple and convenient
Renting clothes is super easy and accessible. In fact, fashion rentals have become extremely common. The process can be as simple as going to the brand’s site or store, selecting what you like in the size you like, choosing your rental date and duration, and blocking the outfit for yourself for that period of time.
At Stylelease, we even offer matching accessories that can help pull the whole look together. Our process if very hands-on. Once you’ve selected the outfit and size, a team member will get back to you to enquire about your exact measurements so the outfit can be tailored to fit you like a glove. The same exercise is conducted in store if you choose our offline service. Post this, sit back and relax while we deliver the custom-sized, dry cleaned outfit to your address at no extra cost. We also arrange the pick up once you’re done.
3. Get an endless wardrobe at 8% of the retail value
When you’re renting outfits, there are many advantages:
- You get access to an endless ever-changing wardrobe
- You pay only 8-10% of the retail value to flaunt the outfit for a 4-day period
- You can match accessories at a minimal cost
- No hassle of storing these expensive outfits
- No need to dry clean the outfits ever
- Custom-fit to your size every time
- Keep up with the trend at all times
- Never pay full price for an outfit again
We have a stringent dry cleaning and quality check process. We’re also always adding to our collection every month so there is no limit to the looks you can create.
5. Renting outfits is not the same as thrifting
Renting outfits is very different from thrifting. Renting outfits includes only the original designer pieces with labels. It is top quality stock with a constantly changing and mix of trendy, classic silhouettes. They include everyone from international designers to upcoming Indian designers as well as some of the topmost designers in the country. It is the same as borrowing an outfit from your sister, cousin or best friend.
6. The outfit you rent is sanitised and dry cleaned thoroughly
Most rentals have tie-ups with industrial dry cleaners that follow a strict quality check process, from the minute the outfit is returned. First, the outfit is checked for stains and tears followed by a high-quality dry cleaning process as well as steaming to kill all the bacteria and viruses that may be present on the garments.
7. Renting clothes decreases the pollution created by the fashion industry
Fashion is the 2nd most polluting industry in the world when it comes to water. Every year millions of garments are worn and discarded before the shelf life of the product is over. Every woman has innumerable clothes in her wardrobe that she rarely wears. With heavy Indian outfits, the cost-benefit ratio is even lower! The amount that you pay for these garments, which you barely use, is also very high. Instead, if you rent outfits, it’s like picking from someone else’s wardrobe, which you return to them eventually. It creates a circular economy where instead of buying pieces and wasting fabric and creating more waste, people borrow what they need when they need it and return it.
8. Sizes and measurements are easy to check when renting
Check the size chart of the garment to make sure it is available in your size. Always ask to get the pieces customised to your measurements for an ideal fit. Don’t forget to check the length of the garment as well as options for accessories so you’re not stranded at the last minute. At the Stylease, we ensure we send garments 2 days prior to the event, in case there are last-minute fit issues and so that clients are not running around getting their outfit at the last minute as well.
