Bored of so-so budget outfits, I stepped out of my comfort zone in a fabulous knockout frock

Fashion writer and stylist Susie has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to trends, and says renting dresses is great for wearing luxury brands without spending a fortune.

There’s still a bit of silly snobbery around dress hire but, personally, I think it’s brilliant. My first experience of hiring came as a teenager in the ’80s when I – believe it or not – took part in a beauty pageant and needed an evening gown. The choice back then wasn’t great, but now you’re in serious designer heaven when it comes to hiring, especially with online companies.

I’m currently eyeing up a Self Portrait dress on the Girl Meets Dress site for an awards ceremony I’m hosting in March. It’s not my usual style and I wouldn’t wear it on a regular basis, but I am trying to step out of my comfort zone, and hiring makes that a less risky and expensive mistake.

It makes so much more financial, and fashion, sense to hire one fabulous knock-out frock rather than settle for a so-so budget friendly dress, and I’m a big advocate for making your wardrobe work for you and getting a good return on the cost-per-wear.

Hiring probably makes better sense on the environmental front, too. If you hire rather than buy outfits, you’re not feeding that fast fashion frenzy and dumping clothes in landfill to make room for more purchases.