Whether you're a relaxed glamour kind of person or a dramatic dresser, deciding on what to wear over the festive season is no small task.
But it's a time when even the most minimalistic of dressers add some extra pizzazz to an outfit, be it a subtle colour change, OTT sparkle or lashings of feathers. This likely means that any outfit purchased will not be worn repeatedly throughout the year (if, ever again) and therefore gets wasted sitting in your wardrobe.
Renting an outfit is not only more sustainable but "you can also be a bit more experimental with your style," explains Eshita Kabra-Davies - the founder of the social fashion rental platform By Rotation. "Another bonus is if you’ve wanted to try a brand before but didn’t want to commit to the price tag, you can rent it and you can see whether it fits your style."
We spoke to Eshita to find out everything you need to know about renting an outfit this festive season:
Why should you rent during party season?
"With the festive season being filled with party after party, it makes for the perfect time to rent your outfits. Not only is this more sustainable, with high-street partywear often featuring sequins and feathers combined with non-biodegradable materials like polyester, it also works out the same price as buying a high-street item that will most likely stay in your closet until next Christmas.
"You can also be a bit more experimental with your style when renting over buying. With rental, you can finally wear that designer dress you’ve had your eye on all year, and are less likely to show up wearing the same outfit as someone else!
"Another bonus is if you’ve wanted to try a brand before but didn’t want to commit to the price tag, you can rent it and you can see whether it fits your style."
Tips for festive renting from top lender Lana Nalepa:
1. Experiment with your style.
"The great thing about renting is you're not committing to a heavy price tag, so you have the freedom to mix up your style. I love scrolling through the New In section on the app and adding favourites to my saved folder, so when an occasion arises I can go back to my rental wishlist and pick anything from there."
2. Start your rental one day prior to your event.
"Depending on when I need the rental, I always rent for an extra day before, so I can see if it works and fits as imagined."
3. Think about the occasion.
"Always think about where you are planning to wear your rental. Personally, I would stay away from renting white items when I'm headed out for drinks - I'm just way too clumsy. I am also mindful of the price point of the piece I'm renting depending on the occasion."
What were the biggest style trends on By Rotation in 2023?
"Our Rotators are the real “trendsetters” when it comes to setting rental trends on our app. As a peer-to-peer platform, all listings come straight from our user wardrobes, therefore we don’t dictate the styles and trends that are being both listed or rented on the By Rotation app. We’ve even introduced a ‘Trending Edit’ collection, where based on an algorithm the app features the most coveted styles, as rented by our Community.
"When it comes to ‘viral’ and trending rentals, OddMuse dresses have been especially popular this season, as well we’ve noticed an increase by +20% for red dresses, especially the coveted Réalisation Par Gia Dress, available to rent from as little as £7 per day. We’ve also noticed that this festive season velvet, feather trim and sequin dresses have been especially popular from brands including 16Arlington, Daily Sleeper and Self-Portrait. Our rotators love a statement look and are always the best dressed at a party!
"The most popular dresses to rent from our new NET-A-PORTER festive edit are the Christopher Esber Venus cutout gathered stretch-jersey maxi dress , the Self-Portrait Cutout crystal-embellished ribbed-knit mini dress and the Self-Portrait Open-back embellished metallic open-knit maxi dress.
"Y2K style and Barbie fashion was extremely popular in 2023 with bright colours, diamanté and vintage brands dominating the rental requests. Red has definitely been the colour of the season and we’re also seeing rotators tap into the ‘balletcore’ trend renting pieces with bows and ribbons. Saloni, Ganni and Self-Portrait are the go-to brands for this."
What trends do you expect in 2024?
"For 2024, I think we will see more rental requests for simpler statement pieces from the likes of Phoebe Philo, The Row and Jacquemus. Sleek suits, classic bags and statement oversized jackets I predict will be big. For Winter, I predict for chunky and statement knitwear pieces to be trending, such as the coveted Loewe’s oversized knits.
"I also anticipate that brands that have been popular amongst Renters in 2023 will continue to be successful in 2024. Brands such as Self-Portrait, Rixo and Reformation are rented all year round, from weddings to birthday parties, and festive looks."
How has fashion rental grown this year?
By Rotation has had an increase in demand for festive rentals by +230% in 2023 vs 2022 festive season. We’ve now hit half a million users and we’re excited to see fashion rental be more mainstream, illustrated with our recent partnership with NET-A-PORTER and our launch into the US.
Eshita Kabra Davies' By Rotation holiday rental picks for 2023:
All pieces are available to rent at ByRotation.com
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