Faking your wardrobe: The rise of fashion hire sites!

While celebrities have been getting glammed up to the max for the weekends Oscars, most of us are left feeling fed up with our Winter wardrobes! Girls who could usually only dream of imitating the styles of celebrities are now renting them instead, to gain a quick fix fashion boost, even if only for a fixed time period. Although the UK economy is currently on the rise, renting luxury items has proven successful and several sites of this nature are launching.  According to Retail Week a growing list of online operations are offering temporary access to high-end fashion including spin-offs from established independent retailers and ambitious start ups. Pop star Lily Allen is also reportedly planning to open her own hire boutique later this month.

Buying or Hiring designer Clothing, Footwear and Accessories?

The Evening Times has revealed that although top editors and stylists may be strutting around in Louboutin heels and designer bags, the likelihood is they don’t actually own them.  Several high-end rental companies are making it easier for the rest of us to dress up in style without making a long term commitment, for instance saving up for a designer bag which will either be out of fashion as soon as we can afford it or which we will only use a handful of times, worried it will get ruined!

For instance hiring a designer pair of stilettos, from £40 a week can provide a confidence booster, making girls feel special. It also offers the opportunity for shopaholics to kick a dress or shoe buying habit via the rental route. The Sun also reveals that men have also been leasing the shoes as a treat for their ladies. If you need a further reason to be persuaded, FashionWeekDaily reveals ‘if you rent rather than buy, one fifth of your household purchases each year, emissions drop 2, or 13 million tones of CO2 a year, since it decreases manufacturing and the consumption of raw materials’. Surprisingly inferring renting your wardrobe could even be viewed as environmentally responsible!
(http://www.dudleynews.co.uk/newsxtra/4559292.Wardrobe_for_rent/)

Hygiene Concerns?

If like me you are thinking this sounds ok so far, but concerns over hygiene are a potential deal breaker.  The UK’s first shoe hire agency Cinderella-Me.co.uk, reassures customers that they have got the hygiene thing sorted. They insist that no pair of shoes will be hired more than eight times to ensure they remain in fabulous condition, and each pair of shoes goes through a rigorous process of UV cleaning and quality control prior to dispatch. Despite these various assurances you still might prefer to invest in something that you can call your own and spend your hard earned cash on a dress, pair of shoes or a handbag from your favourite high street store?

What’s the Catch?

Some of these sites restrict access to invited members, thus entailing an element of exclusivity to a service otherwise geared at broadening access to expensive items. In the case of Cinderella-me.co.uk, shoes, you have to become a member of the website in the first instance which costs £9.95 for the month. In exchange members are notified of any new arrivals and special offers, along with rewards points to put towards free hires and invitations to private product sales. A further consideration includes the postage charges, although listed on the site forum it lists postage and packing at £10, a message posted on the site reveals that from the 7th of March the shipping for all completed hires will be free of charge. Additional sites including Fashion Hire, the designer handbag rental store also has a monthly membership fee of £9.95 and there is a £12.99 round trip delivery charge added each time you borrow a bag.  Furthermore in the case of My Celebrity Dress, although no membership is required, there is a refundable 15% charge to reserve your favourite dress. The standard rental tends to be seven days but a cheaper second week can be negotiated if you become too attached.

Suitable for Special Occasions!

Although I like to select and keep my own clothing and accessories, I could perhaps be tempted for a special occasion. So if you are craving a slice of designer labels, perhaps against the advice of your bank manager, renting your wardrobe for a night could be an ideal solution. Flaunting the garments and accessories for maximum impact, returning them guilt free, and swapping them for the next big statement must haves. Therefore for any upcoming events, parties or romantic weekends away – these sites could be worth a look, getting a designer look for a fraction of the price!

Top Rental Sites!

cinderella-me.co.uk, specialises in designer footwear.
The UK’s first shoe hire agency, provide a shoe fairy godmother type service offering more than 1,000 of the world’s most expensive high heals including Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Prada, Dior, Channel and Gucci. Prices start at £40 a week and hit £85 depending on the shoes’ rarity and value.   Once approved your first job is to select the shoes you want. Classic black Louboutin sky-high courts cost around £65 per week, Fuchsia McQueen peep-toes from £50 per week or buckled Choos for £60 per week.

fashionhire.co.uk, an online heaven for handbags

The site boasts a huge selection of 100% authentic guaranteed designer handbags all available to rent on a monthly basis. Labels include Prada, Mulberry, Jimmy Choo, Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci. An additional tempting selling point includes that the site offers a smart way to trial new designer handbags to see how you like them prior to purchase.

mycelebritydress.com
This site has a range of designer dresses available to hire which have recently been spotted on our favourite celebrities from Cheryl Cole through to Rhianna and Victoria Beckham. The site was founded by a self confessed shopaholic, which intends to offer those who are also obsessed with designer clothing the opportunity to save a fortune.