Considering a clothing subscription? Wondering if Nuuly is worth it? Ready for us to get on with this Nuuly review? After a full year using Nuuly, I’m here with the pros, cons, and tips on maximizing rentals.
To make this extra helpful, my sister (also a certified Nuuly member) will be sharing her take from a tall woman’s view while I share my petite perspective.
Read on to get your burning questions answered.
What is Nuuly & Why I Use it
Nuuly is a clothing rental service that allows you to rent six pieces every month for a $98 subscription fee. URBN (aka Urban Outfitters Inc) owns the brand so you’ll spot lots of Anthropology, Free People, and sister brands among the offerings.
I’ve had a Nuuly subscription for a year and it’s helped me cut back on clothing purchases for events, test out trendy pieces, and always have something fresh in my closet.
What Brands Does Nuuly Carry?
Nuuly members can access pieces from over 400 brands. The range is impressive with contemporary labels like 4th & Reckless and upscale ones like Farm Rio and Love Shack Fancy.
How Clothing Rentals Work
Nuuly’s subscription costs $98 a month. Here’s how it works:
- You create an account and pick 6 pieces.
- Nuuly ships them to your door.
- Wear them for the month (or keep as long as you like).
- Receive an email reminder a few days before it’s time to send them back.
- When ready for your next rentals, send them back with a pre-paid shipping label.
- Receive an email (typically the next day) to pick your next 6 rentals.
- Repeat.
If you fall in love with a piece, simply keep it instead of sending it back. Nuuly will charge you (often at a discounted rate), and the piece is yours forever.
Pricing
Nuuly costs $98 a month.
You can “snooze” the membership anytime. Personally, I’ve hit pause on my subscription for a month when I had no upcoming events.
Pros
On-Trend Pieces
Do you ever see an adorable piece of clothing but think, “No I’ll only wear it a few times- it’s not worth buying.” Well, Nuuly solves that problem.
I’ve been able to experiment with trendy and out of my comfort zone pieces including ones I would never buy. So if you struggle with (clothing) commitment, it’s the perfect way to stay stylish without cluttering your closet.
Long-Term Savings
For me, the flat monthly fee replaced my bad habit of constantly buying new outfits for events. I’ve found that I get so much wear out of the 6 items each month, making it a cost-effective option in the long run.
An added bonus? Nuuly allows you to buy rented pieces at a discount so you can build a quality wardrobe as you go.
Fast & Flexible Subscription
I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly my first box of clothing arrived.
Trust that I started styling and wearing them right away. Another plus is the Snooze feature which lets you skip a month or more. Knowing that I’m not locked in is helpful. And they send an email to remind you when it’s about to unsnooze.
Gorgeous Event Outfits
Birthdays, weddings, galas, dinners, dates. A busy social calendar demands a closet that can keep up. Nuuly delivers with lots of occasion wear ranging from brunch looks to cocktail dresses to formal gowns.
It’s a life-saver when you have loads of events and don’t want to buy a new outfit for each one.
Need a divine dress? These are flattering dress brands you need to see.
Cons
Unavailable Clothing
The Like feature lets you keep a closet of items you’d like to rent in the future. However, I’ve saved items only to find that month after month they are not available in my size.
The saving grace is that Nuuly has a huge array of items so I can usually find something similar. But it’s still sad when your heart is set on one thing.
Size Inconsistency
Many items lack model stats such as height or the size the model is wearing, making it challenging to gauge the fit accurately. You’ll find yourself relying on review images and hoping for the best fit.
I usually find reviews from fellow petite women and map my size based on their photos but this definitely adds to the time I spend filling my box.
Unfortunately, there’s no option for swaps if an item doesn’t fit.
Worn Items
Since the pieces are rented, some are more worn than others. Personally, the items I’ve received have always been in good condition.
But I have read reviews where women report getting an item that looks very worn. Other items come new with tags. So it really depends on how popular it is and how often Nuuly refreshes inventory.
My Nuuly Review as a Petite Woman
I’m 5’3 and need clothing that flatters rather than swallows me. Here’s my petite take on Nuuly.
My First Month of Renting
My first order came in this cloth zipper box with all the clothes neatly folded, fresh, and ready to be worn. Out of my 6 items, 5 fit perfectly.
The barrage of outfit compliments was a nice addition to my daily routine.
Returning the items was a breeze too. The return label was conveniently placed inside the box, so I simply walked it down to my local UPS store when my month was up and handed the box over.
How I Selected Clothing as a Pettite
As a petite woman, selecting clothing can be a challenge. But I’m happy to report that Nuuly has a wide range of 5’4 and under friendly pieces.
Here are my tips for finding the best pieces:
Reviews. Reviews. Reviews.
Many women share their experiences along with pictures and details like height, weight, and even bra size. This was immensely helpful in choosing the right pieces for my frame.
Another useful tip is to venture off-site and look up the brand’s size chart. For example, I’m a fan of 4th & Reckless pieces, so I visited their website to view their size chart. You can do this for loads of brands to see data that’s not on Nuuly.
Explore this chic wardrobe designed to elongate petites.
Nuuly Customer Service
Nuuly’s customer service is attentive and helpful. I accidentally forgot to return an item and they helped me resolve it without charging me.
I’m a phone person and was happy to have their rep call me to get things sorted. But for you text-only people, they have a chat line and are available by email too.
Lessons After One Year with Nuuly
Don’t wait for the “fill your box” email to start looking for clothes.
Take advantage of those little bits of time throughout the month to browse. If you see something you love, add it to your closet using the hanger icon. That way you’re not overwhelmed by options when the time comes.
Experimenting is incredibly fun.
Don’t be afraid to try out cuts or colors you wouldn’t normally go for. Want to rock a statement dress? Go for it! Nuuly is the perfect platform to step out of your comfort zone and embrace new styles.
Remember, there are no swaps!
The items you choose are the items you’ll receive until you send back the box. So choose wisely and make sure you’re happy with your selections.
Don’t expect perfection with every box.
Out of the 6 pieces you receive, not all will be a home run, especially when you’re just starting out.
As I became more adept at reading reviews and understanding my size, I’ve had boxes with 100% success and others with 1-2 misses. It’s all part of the learning process.
My Tall Sister’s Nuuly Review
I’m 5’8 and looking to build a more sustainable closet. Here’s my tall girl take on Nuuly.
My First Month of Renting
I eagerly anticipated my first Nuuly order as I had heard rave reviews from my shortie sister as well as a long-legged friend of mine. Still, I played it safe in my order and opted for sweaters, cardigans, and tops with only one pair of pants.
How The Clothing Arrived
Everything came neatly folded in a strong tote (made from recycled plastic!) I was doubly pleased to find that everything fit, and one Anthropologie cardigan even arrived new with tags.
On the final day, I retrieved the return label zipped safely away in an inside tote pocket and handed it to my neighborhood UPS carriers. I placed my next Nuuly order on the app the very next day.
How I Select Clothing as a Tall Woman
As my tall girlies know, picking out clothes online is a daunting task where measurements must be read, understood, and double-checked.
However, I’ve found that Nuuly is a space where this is easily accomplished, as it is comprised of women who understand the importance of reviews!
Here’s my process:
- After finding a piece that I like, I will filter reviews to my height class (they have one for every 2 inches so 5’6”-5’8”, 5’9”-5’11”, etc.).
- I browse pictures and read reviews to see if I can rock the piece.
- If I can’t get a good idea of the fit of people with my body type, I will nix the height filter. If the majority of five-star reviews are by the 5’2” queens, I know it’s not for me.
Tips on Making the Most of Your Nuuly
Take stock of your current closet’s strengths and weaknesses.
As I daydream of what to wear to work or to dinner, I note what’s missing from my closet. With Nuuly, I like to rent pieces that fill in the gaps. If my closet were as organized as my sister’s I would call this a revolving capsule wardrobe.
There’s nothing like a good coat.
As a desert-rat turned Seattleite, I have learned a lot about what makes a good coat and it usually translates to a high price tag. If you’re not renting at least one fabulous coat per order, I wonder, are you really making the most of your subscription?
Don’t be afraid to be an “outfit repeater.”
I cannot stress enough how quickly a month can go by and it will be such a bummer to only wear each piece once because you didn’t want to repeat. Pick pieces that you can style more ways than one (see the importance of tip 1?) so that you can make the most of your subscription.
Is Nuuly Worth it?
Absolutely! The ability to constantly refresh my wardrobe with trendy pieces without the commitment of purchasing them outright has been invaluable.
Plus, the flexibility of the subscription means I can access the huge closet when I need to and pause when I don’t.
Whether you’re looking to save on clothing costs, experiment with new styles, or simply enjoy a flexible wardrobe solution, Nuuly is worth a try.
Sign up with this link for $30 off your first month
(I get $10 off my membership, too!)
