A HIRE POWER
Never tried a fashion rental site? KATIE WRIGHT has the answers to common questions about hiring outfits
WITH many people looking to cut back on non-essential outgoings, it’s no surprise that renting clothes is on the rise.
Research from the financial app Revolut shows hiring outfits has jumped by 105% compared to June 2021.
Even celebrities are getting in on the act, with style queen Holly Willoughby wearing a yellow The Vampire’s Wife dress rented from HURR Collective on the This Morning Platinum Jubilee special.
Outgoing PM Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie wore a rented gown for their wedding last year, loaned, for £45 a day from dress rental site Mywardrobe HQ (MWHQ).
We asked experts to answer commonly asked questions about clothing hire...
1. Can you only hire dressy outfits for parties or weddings?
While there are plenty of occasionwear options, you can now find all kinds of clothing and accessories.
“The most popular items are party dresses, designer bags and items from trending brands of the moment, but there are also wedding dresses, saris and ski suits,” says Eshita Kabra-davies, founder and CEO of By Rotation, where ‘rotators’ hire their items to other users.
“At the moment, holidays and suiting are two very strong performing categories,” says Isabella West,
CEO and Founder at Hirestreet.
“We often see that people try renting for the first time because they have a dressy event, but after that, they rent for other things, like dinners out or work events.”
2. Can you hire vintage clothes?
This varies between websites.
Selfridges Rental, for example, focuses on the latest designs, while HURR Collective has a wide range of vintage pieces.
Eshita says: “One of our most popular listings is a beautiful vintage wedding dress, and we’ve also seen a lot of Y2K style pieces being listed on the platform, such as vintage Vivienne Westwood and Dior.”
3. Can you try more than one size to find the right fit?
In most cases, if you want to try more than one size, you’ll have to pay for both, but you may be able to get a refund for an unworn item.
“If you do feel you need to order more than one size, simply make sure you return the garment you don’t wear with the tags still attached, and you will receive rental-credit for that item,” says Isabella.
Eshita adds: “It’s always best to reach out to the lender if you are worried about fit, so you can enquire about measurements, their height, etc. Lenders know their garments inside out, so can give honest and accurate feedback.
“If your garment doesn’t fit, you can always request a partial refund.”
4. Can you hire plus-size clothes?
Most fashion rental sites stock the standard UK 6 to 16 sizes, with a limited range going up to size 26.
HURR, which is a mix of peer-topeer and brand rentals, is notable for going up to size 32, with other sites aiming to improve their plussize offering.
“We actively encourage plus-size women to list on the platform to make their pieces accessible to users across the UK,” says Eshita.
5. Do you have to pay to send an item back?
The delivery and returns process varies between sites, so make sure you check before you rent.
At Hirestreet, all items come with a prepaid postage label, Isabella explains: “Once you have worn your rental, all you need to do is attach this label to the front of the garment bag and drop at your nearest Post Office.”
With peer-to-peer borrowing, you usually need to pay for the postage yourself, unless you happen to live near the lender.
6. What happens if you accidentally spill something on a garment or rip it?
Eshita says: “Lenders can set a dry cleaning fee which will cover most spillages.
“If a garment is accidentally ripped, we will support the lender in finding a tailor to help fix this at a reasonable cost to the renter.” Hirestreet offers an accidental damage cover option for £3, Isabella explains: “This just means if an accident does happen, we will take care of the repair costs for you.
“If you don’t have cover on your outfit, you might be asked to pay a small fee to cover the repair costs, but this is very rare.”
7. If you love an item can you buy it?
Most sites don’t offer the option to buy items outright as standard, but you can ask about purchasing if you’ve rented a piece and can’t bear to part with it.