9 best dress rental sites: save money every wedding season

Keeping up with short-lived fashion trends is expensive and not so great for the planet. Dress rental is the hack you need to know about to save money, look stylish, and shop sustainably.

When wedding season rolls around and you find yourself needing a new outfit for several special occasions it can be hard to keep up financially. Instead of buying a new outfit, you can rent dresses for weddings and special occasions, then return them when you’re done (you skip the washing, too).

Clothing rental is a great alternative to fast fashion trends and is ideal for one-off events like weddings. You can often scale up your usual brands and rent designers for a fraction of the usual cost.

We’ve compared rental prices, policies, and brands from UK services and narrowed it down to the top nine places to rent dresses in the UK.

How does dress rental work?

Most dress rental platforms follow the same basic process:

1. Browse and choose your outfit by brand, occasion, or clothing type
2. Select your size and rental period, which usually ranges from three days to a month
3. Receive your item by post and wear it for your event
4. Return it using the clothing bag by the specified date

There are some differences between the platforms in terms of the brands and event clothing they have. Some are focused mostly on dresses, and others feature a variety of everyday clothing, bags, jewellery, and even skiwear. 

Sizing can sometimes be limited and usually falls within 8-14, with fewer items available outside of these sizes.

Each clothes rental site will have slightly different timeframes, but the minimum rental window is usually three days. You can sometimes rent for a week, a fortnight, or up to a month on most sites, and some offer a clothes rental subscription.

Before you pay, it will outline when your item will arrive and when you need to send it back to fit with your timeframe. They’ll provide a bag for returns – not always prepaid – and you should ensure to send it back on time and get proof of postage (so you need to visit a Post Office).

Delivery and cleaning are often included in the final price, although some platforms vary. There are extras you can select like fit guarantee and damage cover in case you need to get a refund or cover for spillage.

Knowing your sizes and measurements is key to getting something that both fits you and suits you, so make sure you check each item’s specs carefully. Most sites offer refunds within 24 hours if you don’t want to keep it. Of course, renting accessories like bags or shoes is a little easier for guaranteeing fit.

Dress rental is mostly online right now, although there are some physical stores that have introduced renting recently. Stores like M&S, Selfridges, and John Lewis have a line of clothing for hire so you can try on in store first.

Best high street rental sites

Dress rental is so popular it’s hit the high street, so let’s start with our favourite places to rent clothes that are less about the label and more about low prices. Starting with a high street brand that has a physical store can be a great stepping stone if you’d prefer to try on first.

1. Marks & Spencer

What kind of stuff do they have?

A capsule collection of ~120 pieces made up of dresses, coats, trousers, shoes, skirts, and tops. Using rental site Hirestreet, the new M&S rental service launched in 2021 and features their M&S X Ghost line of clothing alongside popular M&S items.

How does it work?

Rent via site Hirestreet (which we cover below) for 30 days, then return with pre-paid labels and get proof of postage.

What if it doesn’t fit?

Unfortunately, there are no refunds, but you can exchange your item for a £10 fee.

Anything else?

Some items you can ‘buy like new’ for as little as £10 when there’s a sale on.

2. Hirestreet

What kind of stuff do they have?

In addition to M&S, there’s Coast, Oasis, River Island, ASOS, Warehouse, Nasty Gal, and Topshop, among many others. Browse by occasion to find outfits for wedding guests, parties, races, and even holidays like beach, festival, and skiing.

How does it work?

Two ways: rent on-demand for 30 days per item, or subscribe to get five items every month for £85. Both include postage and cleaning in the price.

What if it doesn’t fit?

Unfortunately, there are no refunds, but you can exchange your item for a £10 fee.

Anything else?

Get £10 off your first basket of £30+ when you sign up for emails. Join Hirestreet Rewards to earn points and get discounts. Buy your item during a flash sale to get it for as little as £10.

3. John Lewis

What kind of stuff do they have?

Rent clothes, bags, and jewellery from higher-end high street brands like Nobody’s Child, Reiss, Karen Millen, and Whistles. Designer brands include Swarovski, Bronx and Banco, Kate Spade, and Elliatt. 

How does it work?

You’ll receive your item before 4pm on your rental start day. Dry cleaning and postage are included in the price. 

What if it doesn’t fit?

Request the Fit Guarantee before you purchase to receive a refund minus £16 for postage and dry cleaning. Return within 24 hours with tags still attached.

Anything else?

John Lewis rental also have a Resale section of pre-loved clothing that you can buy as well as rent. Get £5 off your first rental when you sign up for their newsletter.

Best high-end & designer rental sites

If you’ve never owned designer outfits, renting is the perfect opportunity to do so, albeit temporarily. With prices for designer dresses coming in at £400+, it’s a big financial investment. Spend what you’d spend on buying a new dress on renting a designer one and you’ll probably be the best dressed person at the event.

4. Girl Meets Dress

What kind of stuff do they have?

A mix of high street, high end, and designer dresses and hats including DKNY, Lipsy, Missoni, Needle & Thread, Phase Eight, and Stella McCartney.

How does it work?

This may be our favourite system out of all of them (even if the website isn't the best). Choose one to three dresses for your event and only pay what you wear. Leave the tags on the unworn ones and you’ll get a refund, even if it’s all three. Pay for delivery, but returns and cleaning are included in the price. Their monthly membership allows you to borrow up to three dresses on loop.

What if it doesn’t fit?

Send back any you don’t want with the tags on and you’ll get a refund.

Anything else?

£10 off your first order when you sign up for emails and 20% birthday discount. Opt for Advance Try On to try dresses first then have your favourite one re-delivered closer to the event. GMD own a showroom in London SW6 where you can try on via appointment.

5. Front Row

What kind of stuff do they have?

Designer dresses, footwear, and accessories from the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Missoni, and Carolina Herrera. The peer-to-peer rental site is available in London and Dubai.

How does it work?

Submit a rental request for the pieces and dates; once approved (within 24 hours), you’ll receive your item for rental. Postage and cleaning are included in the price.

What if it doesn’t fit?

Contact Front Row within four hours of receiving your item to send back and get a refund.

Anything else?

Some pieces are available to try on in London showrooms and some pieces are available to purchase. If you own something designer, you can apply to become a lender and make some money. 

6. By Rotation

What kind of stuff do they have?

Designer and high-end dresses for formal occasions, including bridesmaid and wedding dresses, as well as everyday clothing and accessories. Brands include Reformation, Reiss, Ted Baker, Phase Eight, and Chanel and you rent directly from owners for most of the stock online.

How does it work?

The peer-to-peer lending platform is best experienced on the app. Lenders pay for cleaning and renters pay for delivery, which you can skip if you filter by ‘rentals near me’ and collect in person. You’ll need to wait for your rental request to be approved, and in the meantime you can communicate with the lender about sizing details or any other queries. After you’ve returned the item, you both review each other.

What if it doesn’t fit?

Unfortunately, there are no refunds unless an item was described incorrectly. Communicate with the lender via messaging to ensure a good fit first.

Anything else?

Download the app and get 15% off your first rental. Some pieces are available to buy under their Resale section where it states you can get up to 70% off RRP. If you have high-end stuff available, apply to become a lender and make extra money.

7. HURR

What kind of stuff do they have?

High-end and designer brands like The Vampire’s Wife, Rixo, Never Fully Dressed, Bvlgari, DKNY, and Hermès. There’s a lot of event wear for formal occasions like weddings and graduations, as well as skiing holidays and festivals so you’ll find bags, accessories, and other clothing aside from dresses.

How does it work?

You’re renting directly from lenders for the most part, although you can filter by ‘managed stock only’ to rent from HURR. A lender will have 48 hours to approve your request and send your item, and you can message to ask questions in this time. With HURR rental, the renter pays postage.

What if it doesn’t fit?

Select the Fit Guarantee when you add to your basket so that you have the option to return within 24 hours of receiving it. You’ll get a refund minus delivery and cleaning fee.

Anything else?

Londoners can try before they buy – the Selfridges store on Oxford Street features a studio with HURR items to try on first. Check out the Resale section to buy items second hand for up to 80% off RRP. HURR offer a student discount via Student Beans, there’s £20 off your first rental as a newsletter subscriber, and refer a friend to get £10 credit.

8. Loan the Look

What kind of stuff do they have?

Clothing and accessories from designers like Alexander McQueen, Jigsaw, Yves Saint Laurent, 16Arlington, and Rebecca Vallance. You’ll find wedding guest outfits, co-ords, skiing outfits, jackets, trousers, jewellery, and bags.

How does it work?

For London dwellers, you can use a £10 eco-courier service for a 15-minute delivery and collection window, or visit their studio on Portobello Road to pick up and drop off for free. Outside of London, their rental service works as normal with a Royal Mail delivery (~£10) and return bag included. Although postage isn’t included, cleaning is.

What if it doesn’t fit?

Get in touch via email and return the item within 12 hours to get store credit minus delivery costs.

Anything else?

Get 10% off your first rental as a newsletter subscriber. Post your fit on socials using #LoantheLook for a chance to win a free rental. Try on at their studio on Portobello Road by appointment. You can opt for a courier service to deliver up to five items to your door where you have an hour to try on, after which the courier will collect any unwanted items.

9. Rites

What kind of stuff do they have?

Luxury designer brands from the likes of Jimmy Choo, Kitri, The Vampire’s Wife, Emilia Wickstead, and Prada. The majority of their stock is dress rental, although there are some coats, bags, skiwear, and everyday clothing.

How does it work?

The London-based service works in the usual way, with shipping and cleaning included. If you live in the London area, you can pick up and drop off for free, or opt for their courier service for a 15-minute delivery window.

What if it doesn’t fit?

Rites include a Fit Guarantee that offers you full credit if returned unworn within 24 hours. 

Anything else?

Try before you rent at their East London store on Broadway Market, no appointment needed. Their Resale section allows you to buy second hand designer items from as low as £85.

Top tips when renting clothes or dresses

If you’re new to renting clothes, we’ve got some handy tips to make sure you get your money’s worth and get it right the first time you try it out.

📏 Know your measurements

Check the website’s size guide per item against your tape measure to ensure a good fit. Every brand can be different, so don’t rely on what you usually wear, and forget about vanity sizing if you don’t want to waste your money.

🪞Seek out in-person try-ons

The ideal way to rent is to try on first. With dress rental branching out into the high street, this is becoming more accessible with the likes of Marks and Spencer, Selfridges, and John Lewis. 

📦Check the return policy

Some of the rental sites on our list have either strict or non-existent returns policies. Make sure you check this first, or add any guarantees to your order. The key is to try on as soon as you receive it so you can contact them and return promptly.

🫧Check if cleaning and delivery is included

Most rental sites include both in the price, although some add it as a fee at checkout. Make sure you’re not surprised.

🍷Decide if you need a damage policy

Spills happen, so make sure you know what the damage policy is before you rent. Parties and weddings can result in food and drink stains or even smoke damage.

🗓️ Get your times right

Rent with plenty of time before and after your event so that you’ve got time to get the rest of your ensemble together and recover from the event. Returning your rental late incurs a daily fee so try to avoid that.

🏷️ Shop for the item second hand

Before you rent a pricey item, do a quick check to see if you can buy it online second hand. Many of the above platforms feature a resale option so you can buy your outfit if you really love it. (Still check online first for a better price).

💲Can you rent out your own stuff?

Platforms HURR and By Rotation allow everyday folk to rent out their stuff for cash. This can be a lucrative way of making money if you’ve splashed out on a designer dress and have few chances to wear it.

Rent the look, skip the cost

Clothing rental can be the perfect excuse to get a designer outfit without the designer price tag. It’s also a sustainable alternative to buying an outfit you’ll only wear once.

We love the new rental movement, although it is still a little limited as you often can’t try on before you rent, and the sizes aren’t very inclusive. 

However, with the rise in popularity, we hope to see it in more high street stores, following in the footsteps of M&S and John Lewis.