Packing for a vacation or work trip can feel like a monumental undertaking, especially when your wardrobe could use a refresh. For busy travelers with limited time, money and closet space, traditional shopping marathons can be overwhelming and unrealistic.
The smart solution?
Try renting standout pieces specifically for the trip and mixing them with reliable basics you already own.
Step One: Audit Your Closet
Before spending money, decide which reliable basics you own and can add to your suitcase rotation.
If you live in pajamas or workout clothes most of the time, it may be time to invest in a few versatile pieces. It’s always a good idea to have a pair of sturdy, comfortable walking shoes, go-anywhere jeans and a few shirts that can serve you equally well on vacation and in everyday life.
Step Two: Leverage Rental Services for Statement Layers
Once your wardrobe has a few packable staples, renting clothes is a handy hack to elevate your style on top of the basics.
One rental service available online is Nuuly, from the parent company of Anthropologie and Free People, which allows members to rent six items per month for about $98. It’s a low-risk way to experiment with high-quality styles, especially when traveling to a different climate, refreshing a business-casual wardrobe, or simply wanting to look fabulous without a hefty financial commitment.
It’s easy to get started, and the service often has introductory rates for new customers. Download the app and start browsing. In the top right corner, you’ll see the red hanger symbol. Click that to add items to your virtual closet.
Step Three: Avoid Rookie App Mistakes
Fair warning: Navigating Nuuly and other rental apps requires a bit of strategy. Make sure to spend time reading customer reviews to assess the physical wear and tear and sizing accuracy of items. Pay attention to how outfits look in the photo reviews, especially on customers with body types similar to yours.
During peak travel seasons and holidays, high-demand pieces rent out quickly. One of the biggest mistakes renters make is falling in love with items too far in advance. To avoid a last-minute scramble, filter strictly by real-time size availability on the exact day you want to place your order with backup options saved in your virtual closet.
Step Four: Maximize the Value of Your Box
The true value of renting is the ability to choose garments you’d never buy outright because of high retail costs. Use your rental slots for expensive statement pieces like patterned pants, a unique jacket or a fun blouse that will shine in your vacation photos or at that conference you’re attending. Being well-dressed is a big confidence booster.
Premium rented garments often offer noticeably better quality and tailoring than typical fast fashion. Even a last-minute wild-card selection, like a houndstooth jacket with toggle buttons, can push you outside your comfort zone and inspire you to style your existing clothes in entirely new ways.
When curating your suitcase, one helpful formula is the five-four-three-two-one method: five tops, four bottoms, three pairs of shoes, two layers and one set of accessories.
Step Five: Skip the Post-Trip Laundry
After you return home, subscription services like Nuuly include a prepaid return shipping label and handle all the cleaning themselves. Simply toss the dirty, worn garments back into the return case and send them off, eliminating post-vacation laundry dread. But if you can’t part with an item, you can also purchase it at the current listed price and keep it. If you decide not to keep a favorite piece—at least it will live on in your vacation photos and memories. And that’s nice, too.