What is Rent The Runway?

Rent the Runway is a luxury e-commerce site that rents designer dresses and accessories for a fraction of the retail price and delivers them directly to your door. It is an exciting new way for women to experience high-end fashion. Our fashionable members are addicted to finding the perfect look for every occasion. To keep our inventory fresh, we work directly with designers like Proenza Schouler, Herve Leger, Milly, Catherine Malandrino, Badgley Mischka, Subversive, Dannijo and more. We are committed to delivering a fun, luxurious, convenient experience so that every woman can access her dream wardrobe.

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Meet The Team at Rent The Runway

Click here to meet our amazing team!

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Who are the Rent the Runway stylists?

Our stylists are fabulous fashionistas ready to take the intimidation factor out of the designer experience. We know many of you have never been able to afford to wear a $2,000 dress before and may be nervous about how the dress will fit. The stylists are here to break it all down for you. Our stylists are women just like you—and us!—but with some added fashion sense and know-how. They know everything about our garments: how they feel, how they fit, and how to accessorize. You won’t have to pay anything extra for their expertise; it’s all included with your rental and is a part of our promise to help you look your best.

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How Rent the Runway Works

How do I become a Rent the Runway member?

Rent the Runway membership is free, and you can sign up here.

What if my password does not work?

Click the Forgot Password link on our homepage. If you’re still having log-in difficulties, contact help@renttherunway.com.

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How do I rent from Rent the Runway?

1. Shop. Enter the date of your event, your size and shipping zipcode on our homepage and you will receive a result set of dresses and accessories available for your special occasion. Filter by occasion, body type, style or designer to find the look you love. Need help during your shopping process? Call our stylists anytime at 1-800-509-0842.
2. Reserve. On any product page, select the two sizes that you want in your dress, enter your shipping zip code and the date you want your dresses/accessories to arrive. You’ll have the option to rent for either 4 days or 8 days. We recommend booking weeks in advance of your event to ensure that you get your first choice styles.
3. Wear. To your date, wedding, cocktail party—whatever the event, we know it’s important to you and we will make sure that your order arrives exactly when you need it.
4. Return. Each order comes with a pre-paid, pre-addressed return envelope that you can drop into any blue USPS mailbox. No need to worry about dry-cleaning or any other fuss. Just drop your order into any mailbox on the 4th day of your rental period.

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When should I make my reservation?

As soon as you know you need it! Ideally, you should make your reservation at least three weeks in advance of your event to guarantee you get your first choice. We recommend reserving your dress to be delivered 1-2 days before your event.

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When does my rental period begin and end?

Your rental period starts on the day your order is delivered, which is the date you select on the reservation calendar. For example, if you select to have your dress delivered on a Friday, that is your start date and you would need to drop your order in a mailbox to be returned to us on Monday (4 days later). We ask that you postmark your dress back to us by noon on the last day of your rental. If your rental ends on Sunday or holiday, it needs to be postmarked the following business day (see delivery and shipping).

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My rental period ends on a Sunday or holiday. What should I do?

Not to worry – just drop your return envelope in any blue USPS mailbox. Your package will be postmarked the following business day and will arrive back to us on time.

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How do I know my order will arrive in time?

Our entire business is based on timely delivery so that you can look fabulous for your special occasion. We have partnered with a courier service in NYC and UPS (for everywhere outside of NYC) to create specialized RTR accounts, which help us track delivery minute-by-minute. Please note that your order can be delivered anytime up until 7:30pm, depending on your local UPS delivery schedule. Your shipment tracking information will be emailed to you when your order ships via UPS. If you do not receive your package by 7:00pm EST, call us immediately at 800-509-0842 and we will remedy the situation.

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What if the renter before me returns the dress late?

First, we have dozens of units of each dress in every size so no need to stress. If in the worst case scenario (this almost never happens), another customer has been delinquent with the only unit available in the dress you love, we will ship you a more expensive dress for the date you need it. We will never leave our customers without something amazing to wear.

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How do I cancel my order?

Contact customer service right away at 800-509-0842. We’ll be happy to take care of it for you. Just let us know as soon as you can! Remember, if you cancel your order within 14 days of your start date, we will issue you a credit in the amount of your order. If you call with at least 14 days’ notice, we will happily issue you a full refund.

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Renting Dresses

How do I ensure that I find a dress that fits?

1. Our stylists have tried every dress in our inventory on multiple different body types and are the ‘fit experts’. Call, email or live chat with us for a second opinion.
2. The sizing charts on our website, along with detailed sizing information by dress, provide precise guidelines.
3. The first time you rent a dress from any particular designer, we will let you try it in two different sizes – at no extra charge – just to be sure. We only ask that you return the extra dress unworn.

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What if the dress still doesn’t fit?

If your dress doesn’t fit, contact us immediately upon receiving your order and be sure to postmark the unworn dresses within 24 hours. Once we receive your dresses, we will issue a refund less the cost of shipping. An important note on our return policy - we only issue refunds for fit in the following scenarios: 1) you reserve only one dress and it does not fit; 2) you reserve more than one dress and none of them fit. If any of the dresses in your order fit, we consider this a successful rental.

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What is the fit kit and how do I use it?

Every new customer receives with her first order a Rent the Runway fit kit. This kit, developed by our expert stylists, will ensure that everything sits and drapes in all the right places. It includes handy quick fixes from Hollywood Fashion Tape like Hollywood Square Deodorant Remover, Hollywood Touch Ups Lint Removing Sheets, and of course, Hollywood Fashion Tape®. We are always including new, special surprises for our members. Fit kits are provided while supplies last!

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What is a back-up size?

A back-up size is the second size of a dress that we let you rent FOR FREE. If the backup size for the dress you want isn’t available, you can rent a second dress in the same or lower price tier for only $25 (see details below).

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What is a second style?

Once you rent a dress via RTR, you can get a second style in the same or lower price tier for just $25. We know that when you usually get dressed for a big night you lay a few dresses out on your bed, try them on, and twirl around until you settle on one (That, or curl up into a ball and vow not to leave the house — believe us, we’ve been there). Now, we make it easy for you to have multiple options at home. Rent any dress and the second dress is only $25.

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What if I accidentally stain or damage the dress?

Don’t worry! We understand that some wear and tear may be inevitable and beyond your control. Our dry cleaner can take care of most minor damage. And the $5 insurance charge on each dress you rent will cover these types of situations. Although very rare, significant destruction (the dress is torn apart at all the seams, you try to squeeze a size 10 body into a size 0 dress, the centerpiece catches fire and chars your dress) or theft is obviously not permitted and we hope to never run into this problem. Unfortunately if these situations occur, your credit card will be charged immediately for the full retail price of the dress. There are no payment plans.

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How do I know my dress is clean?

All Rent the Runway dresses will ship to you directly from the RTR designer warehouse, where all dresses are cleaned, without any handling in between. We’ve partnered with a premier dress specialist in NYC and developed a process that ensures stringent quality control. We’ll only ship dresses that receive a 100% fresh seal of approval. Our dry cleaner is an expert in eco-friendly, luxury dry cleaning. They utilize an environmentally safe process that certifies that every garment is thoroughly cleaned and cared for, maintaining the impeccable quality of the garment while being kind to the environment (not to mention to your health!). Our packaging is also specially designed to fully protect the dresses during shipment.

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What if I want to keep the dress?

Sorry, you need to buy the dress from the designer or at retail if you want it; otherwise we won’t be able to offer other customers the experience of trying out new styles. Feel free to call our customer service center for recommendations on retailers who may sell a particular dress.

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What if I want to rent a dress from a designer that isn’t currently featured on your site?

We’re constantly looking to add to our designer lineup and create the best possible inventory selection for our users. E-mail us at help@renttherunway.com with the dress or designer you’re looking for and we’ll get back to you.

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Renting Accessories

Can I rent accessories alone or do I have to rent them with a dress?

You can absolutely rent accessories to update a dress that you already own and love. You don’t have to rent a dress to rent accessories, but it is more fun!

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How do I add accessories to an order that I already placed?

Simply place a new order for the accessories and reserve them for the same date as your dress.

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What if I rent accessories with my dress and I have to return my dress early because it doesn’t fit?

If your dress doesn’t fit, you can return it within 24 hours for a full refund excluding shipping, but we will not offer refunds on accessories. You are welcome to keep your accessories for the full rental period and return them separately- it’s the perfect opportunity to update a dress you already own or glitz up a classic white blouse or tee.

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What if I accidentally damage the jewelry?

As with our dresses, insurance has you covered for normal wear and tear- if a clasp malfunctions, you lose an earring back, or a stone falls out. $3 insurance will cover most situations that can be repaired. Although very rare, significant destruction (you lose an earring, shatter a piece) or theft is obviously not permitted and we hope to never run into this problem. Unfortunately, if these situations occur, we will charge your credit card immediately for the full retail price of the item.

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How do I know my accessories are clean and sanitized?

All of the jewelry is hand cleaned at our warehouse. Additionally, customers receive alcohol wipes with all earrings and new earring backs with pierced earrings.

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What if I fall in love and want to buy an accessory that I rented?

We know it’s hard to part with something you love, but please be sure to return your order on time. If you are interested in purchasing an accessory, contact our Stylists at help@renttherunway.com, and we will do our best to help you locate it!

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Delivery and Return

What are my delivery options?

Based on the date you select and dress availability, our super smart system selects the least expensive shipping option and we’ll ship to you via UPS.

If you live in Manhattan, not only do you have the privilege of living in the best city in the world (sorry—we’re a little biased), but you also get the super-special privilege of impulse renting from Rent the Runway. Have a last-minute date? A spur-of-the-moment benefit? Just want to dress up and look fabulous? Order your dress/dresses anytime before 3pm EST and we’ll get it to you the same day.

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How much does shipping cost?

Standard shipping costs $12.95 and next-day shipping costs $35. In NYC, next-day shipping costs $15 and same-day shipping is $25. As explained above, our system will automatically select the most cost-effective shipping method to deliver your dress on time. As you add items to your order, your shipping charges will slightly increase.

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What if I want my package delivered to a hotel or location other than my home?

That’s totally fine—just provide the exact address to which you want the dress shipped. If you're shipping to a hotel, please put the hotel name in the company field and address it to the person who has the reservation. It must be a secure location, not a P.O. Box, and please make sure the hotel concierge or someone is expecting your delivery.

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Do you deliver outside the continental United States?

At this time, we only ship and deliver orders within the continental United States. Similarly, orders must be returned to us from within the continental US. We hope to expand soon because we know there is a lot of demand from both near and far so stay tuned!

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What if I return my order late?

You will be charged late fees (5% of the retail price per dress or accessory) for every day your order is late, since you are preventing someone else from looking fabulous at her event. You can, however, switch your rental time from a 4-day to an 8-day rental if the dress is available. Call one of our RTR stylists at 800-509-0842 to complete the process.

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How do I return my order?

Rent the Runway wants to make the rental process as convenient as possible! We’ll take care of everything you need to make returning the dress entirely hassle-free! Simply follow the 3 easy steps on the Return Instructions card:

1. Check the tag included on the dress to verify your selected return date.
2. Next, to ship the dress and/or jewelry, simply put it in the enclosed bubble-padded return envelope. There’s no need to iron or clean the dress —we’ll take care of any reasonable wear and tear. To return jewelry without damage please send items back in the way that they were sent to you: place each item in jewelry pouch and black box and place in bubble-padded return mailer. You also don’t need to return the garment bag or the fit kit; these goodies are yours to keep!
3. Lastly, drop your return envelope in the nearest USPS mailbox, just like a letter. Make sure you post the package by no later than 12pm on the return date. If your return date falls on a Sunday or holiday, it must be postmarked first thing the following day. It is important that we receive the dress back on time so we can ensure availability to other members, so please don’t forget! Really, it’s that easy!

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What if I misplace/lose my return shipping envelope?

Rent the Runway gives each customer a pre-paid return envelope lined with protective bubble paper, ready to just pop into the mailbox. If you misplace the envelope and return shipping label, it is your responsibility to send the order back to us by the due date at your own expense. If you need assistance, please contact our Stylists at 800-509-0842.

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Helpful Hints for Navigating Rent the Runway

How do I earn rental credit?

Spread the word! For each friend you invite, we will credit your account with $20 after your friend’s first rental order has been placed and shipped. There’s no limit to the number of friends you can invite, or the number of credits you may receive. Click here to send invitations now.

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What is the best way to use my Wishlist?

See a dress you love? Click “Add to Wishlist” and we will save it for you, along with a handy reserve button that will allow you to make a reservation whenever you’re ready to have it!

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My question isn’t answered here. Where can I send my question? How can I talk to a RTR stylist?

You can e-mail your questions to help@renttherunway.com at anytime. You can also contact us at 800-509-0842 or through Live Chat on our site. We are available Monday to Friday, 9am-7pm EST and on Saturday, 10am-3pm EST.

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