Good afternoon, my friends!
Things are going well over here so far today. I’ve been running around a bit and spending some time at my new gym meeting with my boss and getting acquainted with everything. I may actually be teaching my first class this week (a teacher may need a sub) which is sooner than anticipated since we initially discussed a November 3 start date. I’m excited to get going!
Workout
Today’s workout took me back to Pure Barre where I am so close to completing my studio’s October challenge. I’m one class away from completing the 20-class challenge and I’m hoping tomorrow will be my day!
Breakfast + Lunch
Breakfast today began with a hot tumbler of peppermint crème coffee served with a slice of my maple walnut pumpkin spice loaf that I topped with a thick (but crumbly) smear of almond butter.
About 30 minutes later, I followed that up with a green Suja juice and apple that I enjoyed while working at the computer.
Then it was off to the gym where I spent the rest of the morning and part of the early afternoon before it was time to head home for a late lunch.
Right when I walked through the door, I fixed myself a bowl of clam chowder.
And I ended up eating another slice of the pumpkin loaf as I heated up my soup. I can’t get enough of that stuff!
A delicious persimmon also made it into my belly.
And now for a little Monday afternoon fun…
Help Me Choose: Rent the Runway
On Friday morning, Ryan and I will be heading to Savannah, Georgia for a wedding and I cannot wait! I am currently feeling rather uninspired by my closet and after reading good reviews of Rent the Runway on Theodora and Gina’s blogs, I think it’s time to give it a go.
I actually first heard rave reviews of Rent the Runway when my friend Merri’s twin sister Liz rented the bridesmaid dress she wore in Merri’s wedding!
(Liz standing second from the left and is wearing the short blush-colored Tibi dress.)
After quickly poking around the site this afternoon, I found a ton of gorgeous options!
Here are my front-runners:
There are seriously so many beautiful options and I love that a bunch are $30-$40 to rent! I especially love the long red Badgley Mischka gown, but I worry that I would ruin the bottom of it when I dance my face off at the wedding…
I also found myself gravitating toward dresses that are not normally my style at all (like option D with the open back and option E with the tulle), but I think that’s part of the fun of renting a dress instead of buying one!
A few things really stood out to me as I browsed around the Rent the Runway (<—affiliate link!) website:
- Real people upload pictures of themselves in the dresses which I think is amazing and super helpful when trying to select a size
- When you rent a dress, you will receive two sizes to help ensure that the dress will fit
- You can sort by so many different categories, including the level of formality, desired neckline, color, body type, occasion, etc.
Now I ask you…
Which dress should I choose!?
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I vote for H! I am loving the sparkles! I love C, too … but I always get a little weirded out when guests wear a white/cream colored dress to a wedding.
OR … rent them ALL and insist on doing a wardrobe change throughout the evening! HAHA 🙂
I think I’m all about the B, C, and H looks because it’s not something I would normally wear! I would love to try RTR, so I’m hoping you have a good experience and review of them :).
I LOVE B and C!!!
I’d say E or G, for sure!
I rented the red Badgley Mischka for a black tie event and absolutely loved it! I received so many compliments on the dress that evening. I also really love B if you are thinking of something short and sassy.
I LOVE that dress. That is the dress I want to rent the most, but I feel like it might be almost too formal for this wedding. I’m keeping it in mind for the future though. I think it’s stunning!
I have never heard of this company before, but it sounds wonderful. I think option B looks great, and wouldn’t take too much attention off the bride – it’s sexy and sophisticated without being over the top! It would also show off the fit legs. I’m really jealous of your diet, by the way. I wish I had the time to prepare such healthy items! You certainly know how to eat right without ending up with a boring menu. Props to you – and excited to see what dress you end up choosing!
xoxo
Audrey
I love b, c, and h! I saw a few people mention that c is not a good choice for a wedding due to color, but to me that looks nowhere near close to white 😉
First choice is the long red dress,that would be totally gorgeous on you,2nd choice is the sleeveless short black tulle,utterly sexy and you could really rock that one with your figure.
A, D or H are my picks. I’m always partial to pink. 🙂
I love E!
I know a lot of girls who have had a great experience with Rent the Runway! I like that you don’t have to commit to purchasing a dress that you will probably wear just one time. Plus, renting is a great alternative and more exciting too 🙂 I think you should go for option B. I like how it’s a warmer color that goes with the season, yet it’s super fun and cute! Good luck!
I have no idea! I love them all, and I think you would look great in all of them! I don’t know how you are going to decide:) I like your idea of choosing something out of your comfort zone since it’s just a rented dress. As beautiful as the red one is, I agree that it could hinder any dancing:) Good luck deciding…can’t wait to see which one you choose!
Option E!! The tulle is SO fun!!
I like D & E for a fall wedding. I just rented my first Rent the Runway dress (this one –> https://www.renttherunway.com/shop/designers/markjamesbadgleymischka_dresses/crimsoncatwalkdress). It was a great experience from beginning to end. It arrived Friday afternoon with cute little hair and make up samples and an easy to return package already labeled. Funny story- when I went to return it on Monday to my local UPS store, the guy laughed and pointed to a stack of about 30 Rent the Runway packages. I guess it was a popular wedding weekend!
You would look great in anything, lets get real 🙂
But I say A or B or E !
I like G and F!
I think G is perfect! I love it! Also… congrats on the Pure Barre Challenge! Amazing! Can you feel the difference? I love Pure Barre but the classes are too expensive for me 🙁
xx Larisa @ weheartbeauty.com
Cant wait to hear how your rent the dress experience goes. That sounds like a great idea, if it actually all works out. Great options for sure!!! http://www.eatallovertheworld.weebly.com
What a cool idea! I love dress E. Give me a ballerina tutu any day! How fun!
I like B, C and D! 🙂
a, h of f!!!! all of them are gorgeous!!
I’ve worn Dress H before! I wore it to our end-of-semester Christmas social and it was a HUGE hit – simple dangling earrings and a black clutch and heels are all you need for accessories. It fit absolutely perfectly. I did a smoky eye but I could also see doing pale eyeshadow, winged liquid eyeliner, and a smokin’ red lip. I think it would be a great choice for you!
Oooh this makes me even more excited about that one. I just love the sparkle!!
They are all cute, but I really love H! Can’t wait to see how it all turns out!
Based on dresses you’ve posted in the past I think they’d all be fun while staying true to your style.
I’d go with C or F!
Good luck 🙂
A, B, or H! Tough decisions, but the Rent the Runway idea sounds pretty cool! I’ll have to keep the website in mind for next year’s weddings….or New Year’s Eve!!
I vote D! The open back is a great detail, and since I’m assuming the front is pretty basic, you can have fun accessorizing! Plus, long sleeves=warm for a fall wedding.
I’m sure you could pull them all off but my vote is D! I have been reading your blog for years now and cannot recall seeing you in something like it. Always fun to try something different – especially since it is only rented!!! Have fun 🙂
I vote for H.
I love C and D. C is more fun, and D is more dramatic. Have fun choosing!
I’ve actually rented dress F in blue for a wedding and loved it! Really flattering.
I’m leaning toward that one. I love it! Did you think it was long enough?
Yes, the model makes it look really short. The length was perfectly appropriate. I will email you a picture.
I vote D! I think that is the classiest look for a wedding!
E
LOVE option E!!! I feel like it would be so fun to dance in 🙂
Oooh! I LOVE dress B (but will it be too hot for sleeves in Savannah?) my second pick would be E or F – so gorgeous! I also wouldn’t do C since even if it isn’t actually white, it has that wedding dress feel with the color and the lace.
I love b and h!
I love option A or E!
E would look ADORABLE on you and I love that it’s a little different from your style!!
I’m particularly fond of dresses B and H 🙂
The long sleeved dresses would look gorgeous on you.. D is my fave! But if that’s too warm for Savannah, I would go with A!
Love C…E too!
I love that you just introduced me to this site! It’s amazing. I can’t even count how many dresses I have in my closet that I have worn once and then more or less forgotten about [and let’s be honest, they usually cost more than $40]. The concept of this site is perfect for someone like me, I have already ordered two looks for Christmas and New Years and will definitely be back to order more 🙂
I personally, like B the best above for practicality reasons (the Red one’s gorgeous, I just agree it’ll get ruined dancing at a wedding).
I like E or H. I think you can typically get a code for $25 off your first rental too. My friends and I have done TRY a few times and it is a great experience and company!
I definitely love B the best. I use RTR every New Year’s Eve to have a fun dress to kick off the year. Halloween in Savannah will definitely be interesting. Have fun!
My eye is gravitating towards B and C but you could pull off any of them!
I like F !!! Also, where did u get ur leggings.. Love the color!!! Thx 🙂
I’ve always wanted to use Rent the Runway! I would DEFINITELY go with your first choice and do the open back black number. Wear your hair up or to the side so everyone can see the back details. Gorgeous! Savannah is a beautiful place for a wedding. I hope you have fun!
I’m going to a wedding in Savannah this weekend too! It looks like it’s going to be on the cooler side so I’m leaning towards H so you have a bit more of a sleeve in case it’s chilly. They are all really cute though!
Julie, I’m not exactly your “target” audience given that I’m a 42yo, overweight, single mom of 2 teenagers. However, you’ve given me so much inspiration in the way of recipes, work out ideas and now, clothes. Usually I skip over a lot of your clothing blogs(please don’t take that in a negative way, I just simply can’t fit into anything you show lol) BUT for some reason I read this blog and my interest was piqued. I checked it out and they have clothing that are age appropriate and will fit me!! I am going to a formal gala for my aunt who is getting an award and was simply dreading going dress shopping for a dress I’d only wear once. This is an incredible option and their dresses are simply stunning. I absolutely LOVE that you can see the pics “real” women have posted to get a better idea of how they look and fit someone in real life.
ALL of that to say, thank you….so very much. You’ve been a wonderful inspiration to so many.
Bridgette
C & G are total stunners!!
I vote B or C. I love RTR! My best friend rented her wedding jewlery from there and it was gorgeous, don’t forget to check out the accessories!
I think E would be a fun and unique option to wear! I love the neckline!