Instead of buying one or two dresses for holiday celebrations this year, rent a whole wardrobe from The Showroom instead. They have a collection of designer dresses, outfits and accessories for holiday parties, New Year’s celebrations or winter weddings.
“The advantage of renting, besides being more cost efficient, is that people like to be able to wear something new every time they go to an event,” says owner Kristin Geyser.
Now open for over five years, The Showroom carries many well-known labels such as Jessica Angel, Bariano Australia, and Jovani, as well as their own private label, Ruby & Pearl. While purchasing these brands may not be in most people’s budgets, renting them provides a more reasonable alternative. Even those customers who are able to afford them, like Reba McEntire and Martina McBride, love the ability to constantly change up their outfits for the stage or photo shoots.
Before moving to Nashville from Los Angeles in 2013, Kristin worked as a stylist in the entertainment industry. “When I started styling people here, I had a hard time finding the right clothing, so I was ordering everything from NY and LA or from my mother’s store in Texas, that I co-owned with her,” she says. “That’s why I decided to open up my own place.”
For the holidays, Kristin has dresses, jumpsuits and pantsuits in festive reds and greens, and vintage and faux furs to add even more pizzazz. There are great accessories too, like big sparkly earrings and beaded evening bags. Some customers come in just for these fabulous additions.
“They want to make something in their closet work, so they change it up and rent accessories like a belt,” she says. “If they don’t want to get a whole outfit, they can rent a great pair of earrings or a cute bag.”
Besides glitzy and glamorous outfits for big fancy parties, Kristin also offers clothing for smaller, less formal gatherings, such as house or work parties. “It’s a little different this year because of COVID and a lot of celebrations may be toned down a bit, so I’ve changed it up to have more casual options.”
She and the store manager, Lauren Lettow, work as a team to assist customers. “Lauren is very creative and is great at styling,” says Kristin. “We find out what event you’re going to, what the invitation says, and then we help you choose what’s appropriate. We find that a lot of people actually do need and want help, while others like to be left on their own.”
Most rentals are for five to seven days, but can be extended. And, if someone absolutely falls in love with a dress and can’t bear to give it back, there’s an option to buy. The cost of the rental is then deducted from the retail cost.
Unlike most other rental shops, alterations can be made, and the store has a seamstress to ensure that the fit is just right. All clothing is dry cleaned between rentals, and jewelry and other accessories are sanitized between wears as well. “We make sure everything that’s on our floor looks perfect and brand new,” she says.
The Showroom, with its white and gold décor, is very girly, says Kristin. “We have sequins and florals and colors and I would say it’s happy and bright when you walk in. It really sparkles.”
“We feel that finding the right dress shouldn’t be stressful, so we try to make it easy and fun,” she says. This includes always having champagne for shoppers. Fun indeed!
1212 8th Ave S., Suite 201, Nashville
615.645.9964
showroomnashville@gmail.com