21 of our favorite styles from Rent the Runway for work, weekends, weddings, and everything in between

rent the runway favorite 23

Editor Sally Kaplan in the Nicholas Pleated Prairie Dress, which retails for $678.
Sally Kaplan/Business Insider

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  • Rent the Runway is the best online service we've found for keeping your weekly wardrobe fresh or finding an affordable designer outfit for a formal event.
  • Many Insider Reviews members have used or currently use Rent the Runway. Below, we shared our 21 all-time favorite rentals.
  • They range from work staples to vacation-ready dresses, proving you can find anything on the site to fit your own personal style.
  • If you choose to try the service, you can save $100 on your 60-trial with the code " RTR INSIDER " at checkout.

It's how we keep our weekly wardrobes fresh, new, and exciting. It's where we go to find a nice outfit for weddings and black tie events. It's the retail unicorn startup causing a shake-up in the clothing industry, prompting even big names like Macy's, Banana Republic, and Urban Outfitters to try their hand at clothing rental services.

I'm talking, of course, about Rent the Runway.

Through the service, you can rent individual pieces of designer clothing for four or eight days, at a fraction of the retail price. You can also sign up for a membership plan, RTR Update or RTR Unlimited. Update costs $69 a month and lets you rent four pieces each month, while Unlimited costs $159 a month and lets you rent an unlimited number of pieces each month, with unlimited swaps.

Whether you choose one-time or membership rental, Rent the Runway includes free shipping and dry cleaning.

With all these perks, it's no surprise we love the service and personally use it in our own lives. That's why I asked the Rent the Runway users on the Insider Reviews team to share their all-time favorite rentals from the site. Rent the Runway offers more than 600 top designers, and pieces that range from flowy maxi dresses to clean-cut blazers. The clothing below proves you can find anything to fit your own personal style.

If you need inspiration for what to rent, check out our 21 favorite rentals below. You can learn more about the fit, occasion, and overall style of each piece.

Rent designer clothing from Rent the Runway here

Chinti & Parker Lounge Pants

Connie Chen/Business Insider

Rent the Chinti & Parker Lounge Pants

Retail price:$515

These funky lounge pants are loud and colorful, and should not be restricted to indoor weekend wear. They're made from a knit material (mostly wool) that's not the softest I've ever worn, but is overall pretty comfortable. I like how thick and supportive the waistband is, while the pant legs taper down the legs nicely. If you get lost in a crowd, your friends should have no problem spotting you.—Connie Chen, reporter

Jill Jill Stuart Floral Cutout Dress

Sally Kaplan/Business Insider

Rent the Jill Jill Stuart Floral Cutout Dress

Retail price:$348

I have never loved a dress more than this one. The midi length makes it easy to dress up or down (I paired it with Nikes for work but you could easily wear some strappy heels with it for a wedding). It has a very subtle cutout in the front that's just a little bit sexy but not so overtly showy. I recommend going true-to-size for this one — I sized up and the shoulders were slightly loose. —Sally Kaplan, editor

Auguste Magnolia Violet Midi Dress

Rent the Runway

Rent the Auguste Magnolia Violet Midi Dress

Retail price:$175

I felt so summery wearing this long, floral dress. The chest ran a little large, but I just pinned the back to keep it from falling, as everything else fit perfectly and I really wanted to wear it. I got a ton of compliments on the style and paired with wedges, perfect for a summer wedding rehearsal dinner. —Remi Rosmarin, reporter

Miaou Leopard Junior Jeans

Rent the Runway

Rent the Miaou Leopard Junior Jeans

Retail price:$295

Probably my all-time favorite RTR rental, ever. These leopard print jeans are everything — comfortable, flattering, and fun. They're a lot stretchier than I was expecting, so I'd recommend sizing down for a more flattering fit. I wore these pants a bunch of times and was sad to return them, but I still have my eye on them in case I want to take the plunge and purchase. —Remi Rosmarin, reporter

Tanya Taylor Colorblock Samra Skirt

Skirt pictured on the left
Connie Chen/Business Insider

Rent the Tanya Taylor Colorblock Samra Skirt

Retail price:$425

Elegant with a flashy pop of color, this skirt is perfect for evening functions or as a mid-work-week pick-me-up. The hot pink portion is a shiny, smooth silk that feels luxurious and attracts a lot of compliments. The skirt wraps at the waist (though it runs a little large) and hits right below the knees, so wear it with heels and your legs will look great. —Connie Chen, reporter

Jil Sander Navy Tented Green Shirtdress

Sally Kaplan/Business Insider

Rent the Jil Sander Navy Tented Green Shirtdress

Retail price:$750

Talk about versatility! If you wear this dress without a belt, it's flowy, tented, and oversized — a look that I'm personally very partial to on the weekend. But when you belt it, it suddenly takes on a tailored aesthetic that's perfect for work. I've rented this dress three times now, most recently on a trip to Italy where I wore it unbelted with white sneakers for a morning of exploring, then with a Parisa Wang belt bag for an afternoon of gelateria-hopping and a really nice dinner out. —Sally Kaplan, editor

Amanda Uprichard Wrap Front Trousers

Connie Chen/Business Insider

Rent the Amanda Uprichard Wrap Front Trousers

Retail price: $235

Stick your leg out and — surprise! What looks like a cute skirt is actually a pair of moveable, practical pants. In addition to its unexpected design, I'm a big fan of the salmon color. The only potential drawback is that you have the pick out appropriate underwear to wear with the pants, because the backside is unforgiving. —Connie Chen, reporter

Solace London Colorblock Manon Dress

Mara Leighton/Business Insider

Rent the Solace London Colorblock Manon Dress

Retail price:$570

This is the only piece I've rented multiple times and eventually ended up buying. My friends lovingly refer to this dress as the "art dress" because of how often I wear it to museums. It reminds me of the fun, punched-up pop art colors of Piet Mondrian and color blocking of Mark Rothko. It's in-your-face vibrant and retro, which makes it feel contradictorily modern. You can wear it with tennis shoes during the day or heels at night. Plus, the stretchy fabric is really comfortable. —Mara Leighton, reporter

Hunter Bell Blue Fawn Top

Rent the Runway

Rent the Hunter Bell Blue Fawn Top

Retail price:$413

This lace top is the first piece I've rented from Hunter Bell, but it won't be the last. I ended up holding onto it for a month and finding more reasons to wear it because the lace sleeves and hemline are so beautiful. The boxy fit runs a little big, so you may want to size down. —Ellen Hoffman, director of content strategy

Kate Spade New York Swing Flora Dress

Rent the Runway

Rent the Kate Spade New York Swing Flora Dress

Retail price:$528

I wore this dress to work and a bridal shower. I loved the pattern mix and flowy sleeves, but the chest was a little too low-cut for my taste, so I pinned it. Otherwise, the fit was perfect. — Ellen Hoffman, director of content strategy

Nicholas Pleated Prairie Dress

Sally Kaplan/Business Insider

Rent the Nicholas Pleated Prairie Dress

Retail price:$678

This is another dress I brought on my trip to Italy. It's the perfect mid-weight dress for transitional weather — just heavy enough to keep you from getting cold, and just flowy enough to keep you from overheating. The material is almost like a thick, ultra-soft linen, but it doesn't wrinkle the same way. It maintains its structured pleats through the day so you always look put-together, but the elastic waist makes it as comfy as loungewear. —Sally Kaplan, editor

Cinq à Sept Lorelei Pullover

Rent the Runway

Rent the Cinq à Sept Lorelei Pullover

Retail price:$395

I loved wearing this pink, frilly sweater. It's boxy (in a good way) so there's room for layering, which you may want to do since it's a little cropped. I paired it with high-waisted, ripped jeans to add some edge, and I loved the look — it's sweet without being too cutesy. —Remi Rosmarin, reporter

Rosetta Getty Pull On Cropped Flare Pants

Rent the Runway

Rent the Rosetta Getty Pull On Cropped Flare Pants

Retail price:$790

From the outside, these pants look structured, but once you slip them on, they actually feel like pajamas. All work pants should be this comfortable — they're so stretchy, but still somehow look sophisticated. The pattern is a retro, funky plaid, but it still isn't too loud for everyday. —Remi Rosmarin, reporter

Connie Chen is a former senior reporter on the Insider Reviews team, where she led coverage of home textiles, home entertaining, and food and drink. While at Insider, she specialized in all the things that enhance life at home, from the most comfortable bed sheets and fluffy pillows to cool online wine clubs and bartender-approved cocktail shakers. She combined rigorous testing methods, conversations with professionals, and active knowledge of the home and kitchen space to help readers get the most out of their money. When she's not changing duvet covers or washing towels twice a day for articles, she loves talking about and trying the newest snacks, drinks, and food gifts. You can see more of her testing process and other behind-the-scenes of being a product journalist on her Instagram @connayreviews. Connie joined Insider Reviews as an early member in 2017 and has also reported on products and services in the style, tech, fitness, travel, and e-learning spaces, with a particular interest and expertise in emerging startups. She has represented the team at CES and moderated panels on media business and the future of retail. Connie graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in media studies and business administration, which help inform her perspective on and coverage of industry trends, as well as the competitive e-commerce landscape at large. Read some of her work: The 4 best cocktail shakers in 2021 The 7 best women's bathrobes in 2021 The 5 best wine openers and corkscrews we tested in 2021 The 5 best bed sheets we tested in 2021 The 5 best cordless vacuums we tested in 2021 12 direct-to-consumer kitchen startups that are changing the way we shop for cookware and knives 8 tableware startups changing the way we shop for dishes Even chefs experience cooking burnout — here's how they get re-inspired in the kitchen How businesses create successful virtual experiences 50 cookbooks from famous restaurants across the US that will help you recreate their best dishes at home Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test kitchen products.

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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.

More: Insider Picks 2019 Fashion Style Rental

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