A Very Special Dress for a Very Special Party

In my last post, I wrote about my Moroccan Christmas under canvas. A very special evening that required an equally special dress… one that deserves a whole post of its own!

Dress, Badgley Mischka rented c/o WishWantWear | Heels, Guess c/o Sarenza | Beaded clutch, M&S | Jewelled cuff, Zara

I’m quite new to the concept of renting clothing… it seems a bit weird to spend £50+ on an item you’ll only get to wear once. But for a special occasion, it’s different. I bet I’m not the only one with a wardrobe full of once-worn party dresses. When Christmas, a birthday or a celebration looms, I hit the high street like a woman possessed, looking for the ever-illusive ‘miracle dress’ – one that makes me look thin and beautiful and Hollywood-esque. Shopping trips like this almost always end in frustration, despair and FAR too much money spent in Whistles.

This is where renting something starts to look appealing. After oooh-ing and aaah-ing my way through pages of black tie dresses on WishWantWear, they very kindly offered to waive the rental fee for a dress I could wear to the Papa Kata Christmas party last Friday. The concept is simple – choose your dress, your size (and a back-up in case it doesn’t fit) and your date and WishWantWear will send your goodies out in the post, along with a prepaid returns envelope. You get to keep your outfit for 4 or 8 days, paying a charge based on the value of the dress and the length of time you need it for. When you’re done, just bundle it into the envelope (no washing or dry cleaning required) and send it back.

I chose this seriously sexy Badgley Mischka Foxxy bodycon dress – not my usual style but I loved the art deco beading and longer sleeves. It was an utter dream to wear – the fabric felt so luxurious and comfortable (something that cannot be said about the Spanx I had on underneath). Teamed with simple heels, a coordinating bag and a blingtastic cuff, I felt fabulous.

Once you’ve got your head around the concept, renting a dress for a special occasion makes perfect sense. The initial cost is probably what you’d spend buying a dress from the high street, but the piece you receive is much better quality and design – great for knocking the socks off the accounts team at your work Christmas do. And I love the accessories too – this Mawi necklace would look amazing with a simple LBD, and if you REALLY want to go for it, how about a vintage Chanel 2.55 Classic? Drool.

I’ll leave you with one of the MANY photo booth shots from the night… this is the first attempt and therefore most composed. They got steadily more raucous as the night went on!

 What do you think of dress rental? Would you hire something special for a fancy-pants occasion?

Heads up – I was sent this dress to wear (and return!) for free by WishWantWear but was not paid to write this piece.