How to Supplement Your Capsule Wardrobe With Clothing Rental

Want to start a capsule wardrobe or have a more minimal wardrobe but don’t want to have to wear the same things all the time? Try clothing rental service to supplement your wardrobe.

Something that has become very popular lately is having a more minimal wardrobe or what’s called a capsule wardrobe. Add in Marie Kondo and it seems like everyone is getting rid of half their clothes. 

While capsule wardrobes are becoming more mainstream these days they have been around for a long time. The term was first coined by author Susie Faux in the 1970s. It became more mainstream when Donna Karan created the first capsule collection in 1985 called “Seven Easy Pieces.”

It’s a really great idea and while I don’t have a capsule wardrobe I have been reducing the size of my wardrobe and being pickier about the pieces I buy. And one of the tools I’ve been using for this is also great for capsule wardrobes.

That tool is clothing rental. It’s a great way to supplement your capsule wardrobe or keep your wardrobe more minimal without missing out on wearing new clothes.

Using Clothing Rental Services With a Capsule Wardrobe

In the past clothing rental was only something you did for special occasions like a wedding. Now there are clothing rental serves you subscribe to and get “new” clothes every month.

Instead of shopping and buying something you may only wear a handful of times, you can rent it and wear it a few times and send it back.

There are many reasons to use clothing rental, it’s great for when you are losing weight and don’t want to keep buying new sizes, or if you want to try new things, and of course to supplement your wardrobe to allow you to have a much smaller wardrobe.

Over the years I’ve tried many clothing rental services and it’s something I really enjoy. Since the pandemic I’ve mostly paused the services but for those still going to events and such it’s still a good option for fun new clothes to try. 

Getting Started With Clothing Rental

If you think this could be a good option for you then here is an overview of how clothing rental works, each service is a bit different but this is a general idea of clothing rental.

1. Find the service that fits your needs. There are a lot of services out there. If you need clothes for nicer events something like Rent the Runway may be the best fit for you. If you want business casual clothing Armoire is a really good option. And for more everyday clothing I love Gwynnie Bee. 
2. Fill out your profile. Generally there will be a profile you fill out with sizing and your style preferences. The more details you are the better your options will be.
3. Add items to your closet. For most services you will also save your favorite items. Some services let you fully pick what’s in your box and some just pull what is available from your saved items. 
4. Wait for your box to be styled. In a few days your box will be filled and sent to you.
5. Send back or keep the items. If you love something you can keep it and they will charge you the discounted price. For the items, you are sending back simply place them in the postage-paid bag, no need to wash them they take care of that as well.
6. Get your next box. Depending on your subscription level you may get more as soon as you send back the items or you may only get a set number of items a month. 

It’s all very simple and is a fun way to try new clothes without having to buy a lot of clothing. People often use it when losing weight so they don’t have to keep rebuying clothing or for event clothing so you don’t buy something you won’t wear much. 

If you decide a service isn’t for you then you can cancel anytime.  Many also allow you to pause your subscription if you just need a break. But you won’t need to for vacations if you time things right.

I love packing with rented clothes because I don’t have to wash them when I’m done. You could even bring your shipping bag with you and ship them back  from your trip to have more room in your suitcase for souvenirs.

Check out my A Guide to Clothing Rental to learn more about clothing rental and get discounts on services.