Nuuly Review: Everything You Need to Know About This Fashion Rental Service

I joined Nuuly in October of 2023: Want to know the reason? I needed a Halloween costume, but didn’t want to buy something I’d never wear again! Halloween costumes are incredibly wasteful and typically made from polyester (aka plastic). And I didn’t want to thrift something because of the type of costume I planned on wearing. I was going as a cute alien, and I wanted something shiny/metallic, which is NOT what my personal wardrobe typically consists of. So even if I bought it secondhand, it would likely gather dust in my closet after that. But, Nuuly to the rescue! I found the perfect costume through them and I’ve kind of just stuck with them ever since. Here’s my full Nuuly review, what you need to know, and why they’re sustainable.

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Nuuly Review: Everything You Need to Know About This Fashion Rental Service

What is Nuuly?

First off, lets talk about what Nuuly even is. Nuuly is a monthly clothing rental service that allows you to choose six pieces of clothing to keep and wear for a month.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Subscription Cost: For $98 per month, you get access to a curated collection of trendy, unique styles from various brands.
2. Wide Range of Styles: Nuuly’s catalog covers everything from everyday basics to statement pieces. Brands like Free People, Anthropologie, Kate Spade, Urban Outfitters, and Levi’s are part of their lineup. But also some smaller, lesser known brands too!
3. Laundry and Repairs: Once your rental term is up, Nuuly takes care of laundry, dry cleaning, and any necessary repairs. You can focus on styling your pieces throughout the month.

Why Nuuly?

Okay, so now that you know what Nuuly is – you may be wondering why I choose that one over so many other rental services. 

Honestly, while browsing their site I felt like their pieces most aligned with my personal style. They really stuck out to me and I really love how cute everything looked. 

And, I started my account to find a sustainable costume solution for my upcoming Halloween party. I’ve been hooked ever since.

Here’s a few reasons why a Nuuly subscription was the right choice for me – and could be for you too!:

1. Sustainability: By renting clothes, you extend the life of garments and reduce one-off purchases. It feels great to get something new knowing someone else can enjoy it after you! Plus, your Nuuly will come in a reusable shipping container made from recycled materials and a pre-paid shipping label.
2. Seasonal Styles: It’s perfect for seasonal items like coats, jackets, and formal dresses that you may not wear frequently.
3. Personalization: You choose the pieces you want, whether it’s work tops, trendy items, or a mix of both. You can customize your search based on your size too, along with other things you’re looking for like a specific color, material, and even neckline. 
4. Brand Variety: There are so many different brands to choose from, both designer and lesser known. So there’s something for everyone!
5. Special occasions: This subscription is perfect for special moments you will only wear something once to, like if you’re a wedding guest or attending a gala. No need to buy a fancy dress you’ll never wear again anymore!
6. Refreshing + stylish: I don’t buy many new clothes, so it made my wardrobe feel new and refreshed getting Nuuly every month. If you don’t like outfit repeating, or want to look absolutely stunning without spending a fortune, you’ll vibe with this too! 
7. Pause subscription at any time: There were certain months I just didn’t have the extra $98 to spare. So I simply paused by subscription for a month! You can pause it any time for 1, 2, or 3 months.
8. People write reviews: This is SO helpful for determining if a clothing piece will look good on you or not. You can just read someone else’s review who has a similar body type to you and see what their experience was with it!
9. Customer service rocks: I had a question and they got back to me ASAP. On top of this, they were super friendly, and actually helpful. 
10. Bonus items: You can add some bonus items onto your order, if you feel you want more than 6 items that month. Bonus items cost $20 each, but sometimes you’ll get a free bonus item (I just did)!

My Experience with Nuuly

I’ve been with Nuuly since October of 2023, so that’ll be 7 months in April! I did take a few pauses, but overall I decided to keep my account open. The reason? I’ve been loving it!

In February, I really wanted to wear pink cozy sweaters – but I had none in my collection. So instead of buying new, I turned to Nuuly! I absolutely love all the pieces I got. Best part? Since Nuuly lets you choose six items, I had a whole SLEW of pink sweaters to show off – not just one.

One thing I will say is that renting from Nuuly helps me get to know my personal likes and dislikes better.

So for example, I really loved how one sweater looked on me, but didn’t like the texture of it on my skin (pictured above). That’s something I would have never got to experience if I had just ordered it directly online (and it likely would’ve cost me more money too) .

Here are my Nuuly pros and cons list:

Pros:

• Fashion Exploration: Nuuly allows me to experiment with styles without committing to permanent purchases.
• Quality and Condition: The clothes arrive in excellent condition, and I appreciate the convenience of not having to clean them myself!
• Sustainable Choice: Renting aligns with my desire to reduce fashion waste, but look good doing it.
• Easy setup: I love how easy their website is to navigate, and the filters make finding what I like so effortless.
• Fast delivery: I don’t really have to wait long for my Nuuly to arrive once I order it. Plus, shipping it back is so quick and easy since the shipping label is prepaid. Just stick the label on top of the reusable mailer when the month is up and hand it to UPS.

Cons:

• Monthly Cost: While $98 may seem steep, it’s comparable to buying a single high-quality piece.
• Limited Ownership: If you fall in love with an item, you can purchase it at a discounted price. But you won’t own it outright.

Final Thoughts

I think what I’ve found most through Nuuly is my love of fashion again. I used to think that enjoying fashion was bad because of fast fashion’s environmental impact.

And while I won’t go so far as to say fast fashion is GOOD, I will say you don’t have to deprive yourself of new clothes just to help the environment. You just have to make mindful choices. 

In the past, I’ve gone months without purchasing new clothes (both to save money, and reduce guilt behind overconsumption). I’ve talked myself out of SO many purchases, and while that is good for fighting overconsumption – it can also lead to unhappiness too.

But Nuuly has made me enjoy fashion again, with less harm to the planet. It’s not a perfect solution, but it certainly beats buying items (secondhand or not) and having them rot in my closet after one use.

Overall, I’d say Nuuly is a fun way to refresh your wardrobe, try new trends, and contribute to a more sustainable fashion industry. Whether you’re a fashion enthusiast or just need a killer outfit for one night, give Nuuly a try! I’ll certainly be staying with it.

What do you think of this Nuuly review? Would you give Nuuly a try? Let me know in the comments below!

Let me know if you’d enjoy more sustainable fashion tips and tricks on this blog!

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