Imagine a world in which maternity clothes were a long-term investment in better style. And that investment actually saved you money. Thanks to Rent the Runway, that’s becoming reality: The clothing rental service has officially added maternity wear into its rotation.
Some of the maternity-specific brand names you’ll be able to choose from? Ingrid & Isabel, Rosie Pope and Isabella Oliver—plus the 550+ other designers carried by Rent the Runway, many of which have maternity lines (hello, Yumi Kim maternity dress).
View more Rent the Runway maternity favorites
Here’s how it works: Sign up for the existing RTR Unlimited at $159 per month (you’ll start with four items and get unlimited swaps throughout the month) or RTR Update at $89 per month (you’ll just get four items each month). You can filter by maternity options, which Rent the Runway divides into maternity-specific designs and clothing that is simply bump-friendly. Even cooler, though: You can enter you due date to get clothing recommendations catered to your trimester, as well as options that work for new and nursing moms.
Wondering what took them so long? CEO and co-founder Jennifer Hyman says it was born out of necessity.
“Last year at Rent the Runway, we had nearly 50 women go on maternity leave, including myself, so we know from first-hand experience what will serve expectant and new moms best,” Hyman says. “With 70 percent of expectant moms in the US working during their pregnancy, and 60 percent working after giving birth, we knew there was a need for a solution for women both during pregnancy and afterwards.”
To make the experience even more personalized, a maternity stylist will help you choose a few looks and check in at each trimester. While that service will end after you give birth, nothing else really changes. You’ll be able to continue using Rent the Runway beyond its maternity wear, choosing from all 450,000 of its styles. Don’t need it? Cancel any time.
Since it’s so new, there aren’t many reviews yet. But we heard from customers who were given trial subscriptions, and the feedback is positive.
“I spent the early part of my pregnancy ordering (and mostly returning) clothes online that didn’t fit quite right, that I felt guilty about spending a ton of money on because it would be such a short time frame that I’d get use out of them,” says mom-to-be Betsy Sacks. “Now that I can rent clothes, it actually gives me something to look forward to getting dressed during the week. And it’s a relief to know that even if something doesn’t fit quite right, I can return it and have something new within a few days. I hope even more people start using this for pregnancy, because it would be helpful to see more reviews on the maternity items. But the upside of that is a lot of the maternity clothes I’ve gotten have never even been worn.”
The feedback also suggests that if you’re on the fence about getting Unlimited versus Update, you should probably go with Unlimited.
“Unlimited swaps are amazing; I used the four slots to constantly try different sizes and new maternity styles to find what would fit me and held onto those,” says Nina George, a new mom. “During my second and third trimester, I dressed for work almost exclusively in a rented dress or a rented blouse or jacket paired with maternity jeans I owned which helped me save a ton of money. I also used Unlimited to dress for four weddings I had over the nine months.”
Want to check out more Rent the Runway maternity wear? Head here to see The Bump favorites.
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