Rent the Runway is my go-to for nice party dresses

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, but I am providing a referral link. If you sign up for Rent the Runway using this link, both you and I will receive a $20 credit after your first rental.

I'm going to another wedding today! This is the second of 3 weekends I'll be out of town -- Tahoe last weekend, Santa Cruz this weekend, then Los Angeles the following weekend (for my 10 year high school reunion -- woah).

This is the 4th time I've rented a dress from Rent the Runway for an event. You can rent a dress in 2 sizes for the price of one rental, and you can even rent a second style for $25 extra (which I always do 'cause I'm a sucker). AND you can rent necklaces, earrings, clutches, and other accessories.

It's been perfect for events where I needed to look especially nice, or I was looking to match a certain color scheme:

At a cabaret at Martuni's, I wore the full-length Croatian Chain Gown (& folded the sleeve under).

At my husband's company party, I joined the color scheme with the Mad Mod Mini Shift. (Whoops, terrible lighting!)

My favorite dress I've rented so far is definitely the Hybrid Tea Rose Dress, which I wore to my cousin's wedding this June. I wore it with a rented cuff, clip-on earrings and a clutch, and even bought a black shawl to wear during the ceremony. (I sang at her wedding, which was in a Catholic church -- so I wanted to make sure my shoulders were well covered.)

Unfortunately, she hasn't gotten her wedding photos back, and we were all having so much fun at the party that we hardly took any photos! But here are scans from the photo booth she and her husband had set up (girl in purple is my goofy sis; guy in crustacean mask is my goofy husband):

Today I have the Fuschia Palm Party Dress, which I just realized is made by the same people as the Tea Rose Dress -- no wonder I like it! I rented a statement necklace and clutch to go with it.

Update 9/29: Here's the finished look as I wore it:

5 Top Reasons Why I Like Rent the Runway

1. I can try crazy dresses that I wouldn't want to wear more than once
2. If nothing fits, I can send it all back same-day and it costs NOTHING
3. I can dress up without cluttering up with closet & jewelry box
4. Each dress on their website has photos of ladies of all sizes wearing the dress, so I can see what it would actually look like on me (5'6", 160lbs, short-waisted), not just the model
5. They send an already-addressed shipping envelope with your order, so the next morning you just drop it in the mail -- it's the easiest

Have you tried Rent the Runway? How did it work for you?