nuuly (first impressions)
first impressions of the first fashion rental service i am trying for science
So far, I don’t know if this solves a lot of the sustainability nor accessibility problems of fast fashion.
Like first of all…why do you need to know my height and weight and NOT MY MEASUREMENTS?
Also I don’t know what size to choose, because my size truly depends on the brand thanks to our dear friend vanity sizing.
So far, we’re not off to a great start.
Bra size - so like what if i don’t wear a bra or don’t have breasts?
Like yes, as a non-binary person, I can find clothes that feel affirming to me on this platform, but I know a lot of my trans and non-binary friends would struggle to…
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying gendered fashion if you do, but also there’s ways to make navigating the world of fashion feel more inclusive.
And these are merely my thoughts from the outset, we need to dive deeper….
Why is fashion rental overwhelmingly marketed to women and feminine presenting or perceived people? Do men, masc, androgynous and otherwise presenting or perceived people not need to serve new lewks on the daily?
Or maybe that’s just my experience as a sometimes feminine presenting or perceived non-binary person on the internet - I’m interested in the perspectives of others if you would like to share your experience in the comments.
I’m waiting on my package to ship but there were a few accessibility/sustainability barriers I’ve noticed so far in the process.
You pick things based on the size, and the measurements of each size were not readily available. I guessed sizes instead of googling the measurements of each garment for science purposes, because I’ve been buying garments based on measurements for years. They did have a little meter letting you know if a garment ran true to size, small, or large, however, measurements would be better than that in a world without a universal sizing chart.
Shipping the garments and laundering the garments and dealing with garments that are no longer rentable is arguably creating a bigger footprint than just wearing what you already have in your closet.
That being said - if you’re in a transitional fashion period of your life that is requiring you to buy new clothes, renting could be a good way to figure out what you like and don’t like and play around with your style. And while not necessarily price accessible for most people, can provide folks with an opportunity to explore style that in person shopping may not be the best option for, without many of the downsides of fast fashion. Not everyone has the time, transportation, sensory tolerance, energy, or desire to spend hours digging through the Goodwill bins, and that’s ok! Sourcing things secondhand online sometimes poses risk if you can’t return things you don’t how they will fit you etc - so renting can fill accessibility gaps that currently exist for many consumers in the market for new to them clothing.
Should you be renting your entire wardrobe, probably not - but ultimately I can’t tell you how to live your life, or what the most sustainable and accessible fashion practices are for you. Only you can do that. Is renting an outfit or a few for special events, to figure out navigating a professional wardrobe at a new job, to navigate a change in your body shape or size, going to have the turtles and the orcas come after you? Nah, the proverbial turtles will be going for the fast fashion haulers and the companies that enable them. Fashion rental is greenwashed in many aspects, but it is ultimately an imperfect tool in the imperfect toolbox that will help us make more sustainable fashion choices, and reduce the rage of the turtles.
Questions I will continue to investigate while I wait for my shipment of rental garments:
How size inclusive is nuuly? like if ur not straight sized is it a good experience, or does it feel like a rip off?
Idk - what questions do you have? I will try my very best to find answers hehehe
On a scale of 1-10, how angri does it make the metaphorical turtles?