Dressing for winter and prepping for spring
Also! Today's Rent the Runway spring preview with CEO Jennifer Hyman.
I’ve lived in New York for 10 years and this has been my most brutal winter yet. For the last few months, going outside felt like a chore that required pep talks and motivational playlists in order to convince myself that leaving my apartment would in fact be worth it. Most of the time it was, but there were moments where I truly questioned my own sanity. Going to a heated sculpt class during a feels like -15 degrees morning was peak “you’ve lost ya damn mind!” delusion but we survived. And while I’m eagerly anticipating spring’s true awakening (no more pump fake spring-like days, please!), I had a good time mixing and matching my Rent the Runway pieces with older items in my own closet to fashion some winter fits that were fun, showed a little skin and kept me warm.
A close up of my faves that I’ll be remixing and repeating
A perfectly heavy and warm statement jacket from Stand Studios that I’ve been renting for months paired with a Rosetta Getty organza collard shirt and midi skirt and accessorized with the Jacquemus pochette clutch and Vlogo Valentino slingback pumps. Wore this out to evening drinks with a friend at Bar Reve in Cobble Hill, BK.
A Quince cashmere turtleneck that stays in heavy rotation paired with a stunning paneled A.W.A.K.E. Mode skirt that I didn’t want to give up (and probably shouldn’t have!) and accessorized with the Bottega mini jodie bag and Miista effie boots. Wore this to meet my Spelman sister for coffee and a Formula 1 yap session at Zero Bond.
First fit (on the left) is a Sandro striped polo paired with Joe’s billie barrel jeans that hung just right. I layered an old Frankie Shop blazer on top, with my Saint Laurent oxblood loafers and threw on my BedVyne Brew (RIP!) fitted cap as a statement piece to pull it all together. Wore this out to do some reading and writing at Cordelia in Crown Heights, BK. The second fit (on the right) is a pair of barrel leg slacks from Cos (similar style here) and thrifted RL striped collard button up layered with a wool striped corset top from Miaou. The Miista boots made another appearance here. Wore this to early happy hour drinks with a friend at Bar Goto Niban in Park Slope, BK.
Thinking about giving Rent the Runway a try? Use code AMBKAYLAC725 to get 50% off a membership (new and rejoining members).
Spring Preview with RTR’s CEO Jennifer Hyman
If you can’t tell by now, I’m BEYOND ready for spring. I need the sun’s warmth on my skin, I need the bare trees to come alive with blooms and greenery and I need the harsh, cold wind of winter to leave us the f*ck alone. As the countdown to the equinox continues, I got a glimpse of better things to come at the Rent the Runway spring preview earlier this morning at their Dumbo HQ! Jennifer Hyman (CEO) and Sarah Tam (Chief Merchant Officer) broke down the expectant colorways, trends and exclusive designers that will be hitting the platform in the coming weeks. Here’s what stood out to me.
Colors: buttery yellow and pastel pinks are here to stay. Cerulean blue (oh hey, Miranda Priestly!), earthy greens and browns and pops of fiery-orange reds will be everywhere.
Trends: Sarah presented close to 20 trend categories, some of which I cannot wait to rent—soft tailored separates and sets, refined utility that bring sharp, structured silhouettes to everyday looks, sporty spice motifs for elevated athleisure wear, mini moments (aka mini dresses) for cheeky date nights and sexy vacation dinners and what they’re calling the line up, which plays on clean lines, graphic stripes and mismatched/contrasting patterns—while others like playful paisley and wanderlust (ie. crochet, lace, eyelet, embroidery) simply aren’t for me. Nonetheless, it’s clear that RTR is taking user feedback seriously and working to be more nibble in order to meet demand and maintain customer loyalty.
Occassion matching: they’re really leaning into ready-to-wear workwear and stylish suiting as more and more folks are being forced back into the office, while also working to source more polished everyday pieces and getting more sophisticated with their beach/resort wear as spring break and summer vacation planning kicks into full gear.
Jennifer also gave us a preview of some upcoming in-app features that are currently in development or early-stage beta testing that will be launching soon and are designed to further enhance the search, discoverability, recommendation and personalization experiences on the app. A lot of this is being powered by AI (shocker!).
The RTR Marketplace: This is the feature that I’m probably most excited about but its success depends on the quality of inventory they’re able to source for this platform extension. It’s currently in beta with a very small number of test users, but in essence, RTR will source wardrobe staples like the plain white tee, collard shirt, year-round denim and the perfect leather belt from reputable brands that you can then purchase and pair with the more trendy, statement pieces you rent as part of your monthly subscription. It’s a cheat code for curating a capsule wardrobe that compliments the moments of whimsy and experimentation you crave while shopping the app. They’re moving into a full-funnel model, which if done right, could scale the business in new and interesting ways.
Shop other user’s “Favorite” lists: The RTR power user has “favorite” lists for everything—meticulously curated for every trip, event and occasion. And while some users have a very clear vision for the looks they want to create with each shipment, many people who open the app don’t have a strong pov on their personal style. For those who fall into the latter, they’ll soon be able to get inspo from and shop other user’s lists to help alleviate some of that friction and decision paralysis. This feature is still being build out but it’s 85% of the way there and should be launching soon.
The “Clueless” closet: Since the early days of pitching RTR as a viable concept to investors, Jennifer has wanted to build the “Clueless” closet. And with the help of AI (I know, I know), she’s hoping to see that dream soon realized. A version of virtual in-app styling will be coming to the platform so users can mix and match pieces of available inventory in order to fully visualize a look, get a sense for how it will lay on their body type and ask more questions about fit and feel of the fabric before committing to the rental. There are so many virtual try on experiences on the market right now, for both in-app and in-store use cases, but it’s still early days. A lot of kinks to be worked out. It will be interesting to see how this feature gets incorporated into the current RTR user flow and if it can not only encourage more rentals but more in-app purchases as well.
As a long standing customer and new-ish member of their ambassador program, I really appreciate being invited to connect with the RTR leadership team, directly. They care about the community they’re building and take user feedback seriously. And at a time when affordability of everything is so low and the quality is even lower, I love that RTR allows me to grow and play with my personal style without breaking the bank.
So again, if you’re thinking about giving Rent the Runway a try? Use code AMBKAYLAC725 to get 50% off a membership (new and rejoining members).
Here’s to the last 3 days of winter. Spring, we’re ready for you, girl!