I’m just five weeks away from my twins’ due date, and yesterday I got asked: “Is it hard to find clothes that fit?” It’s a good question. I’m a size-small person with an extra large baby bump, but getting dressed and looking put-together hasn’t been a problem, thanks largely to the clothing rental service Nuuly. I’ve relied on a steady rotation of maternity dresses and sweaters to keep me looking and feeling cozy and professional during my second pregnancy.
After using both Nuuly and Rent The Runway for maternity clothes, I found that both of these … More
I also used Rent The Runway when I was pregnant the first time and going to an office almost every day, so I’ve got the scoop on how these clothing subscription services can help working moms-to-be, as well as the drawbacks and things to keep in mind.
Big Benefits For Your Baby Bump
When your body is changing as rapidly as it does during pregnancy, finding clothing that lasts from when you first start to show (and “hard pants” are a no-go) all the way through delivery is daunting. It can also be a blow to your budget—especially considering these are pieces you may only wear for a couple of months. Some women can make it through pregnancy with the flow-y tops and elastic-waist pants that they already own, but most pregnant people find they need something specifically designed to accommodate their growing belly.
A clothing rental service can help you save money compared to buying each item new. In my experience with both Nuuly and Rent The Runway, you can find plenty of designer brands, which does enhance the value of the service. A Nuuly subscription costs $98 per month and my current batch of six garments includes two items that sell for over $200 each. The services also take care of cleaning the clothing for you—another thing I’m happy to take off my to-do list as a busy working mom.
Another benefit of maternity rentals is they let you dress for your current size without needing to worry about what will fit your bump in the coming months. You can also adjust your selections with the season. For example, if you only need a heavy jacket with room for a bump for a couple of months of your pregnancy, renting one is a great option—it won’t be taking up space in your closet come springtime. You can also easily get looks for one-off special occasions, like your baby shower or a wedding.
“I relied a lot on my Rent The Runway membership during my nine months and beyond, as my body changed so much,” says Liz Teich, a stylist based in New York City. “You don’t even have to rent the maternity brands, but just size up the designer brands, which was so helpful for all of the events I attended, including fashion week.”
If you want to keep an item, most rental services give you the option to purchase it—often at discount.
Some Drawbacks To Keep In Mind
There are a few things to be mindful of when signing up for a clothing rental service. Each month’s batch of garments arrives at my doorstep, but I do need to be organized enough to return the items in a timely fashion to make the most of the subscription (your new shipment is unlocked only when your prior shipment is returned).
Nuuly doesn’t do home pickups, and while Rent The Runway does offer that service in some areas, it wasn’t available in my neighborhood. So, you will need to be able to bring your bag of clothing to a drop-off point for a shipping company used by the service (like UPS or FedEx) once per month. This could be a dealbreaker for some moms.
Sizing can also be a little bit of a challenge, much like shopping for any clothing online. There’s often a lot of helpful info and images of each garment on the service’s website to guide you to the right fit, including photos from other shoppers. But if you miss, it can be a pain to swap for the right size even if the service you pick offers unlimited swaps. I’ve also found some garments are just not available in my size (usually a small or medium), and there are pretty limited choices for plus-size folks.
Lastly, there will be a gap of a few days between when you ship off one month’s rental and the next one arriving—so that’s another bit of planning you’ll need to do. If you have a job that requires professional attire every day, you may want to buy one or two outfits for those gaps (you may want to consider my guide to the best maternity clothes).
Nuuly Maternity vs. Rent The Runway Maternity
It’s worth keeping in mind that I used Rent The Runway about three years ago during my first pregnancy, but after trying both services I’ve found that Nuuly meets my needs better. Still, there are some pros and cons for each clothing rental service.
Cost
As I mentioned before, Nuuly costs $98 per month for six items, and you have the option to rent additional items for $20 each. This is Nuuly’s only subscription level. You’re eligible for your next batch of clothing as soon as you ship back your current one, but this will also move up your billing date.
Rent The Runway has more pricing and subscription levels. Currently, there’s a “Limited Closet Access” option at $94 per month for five items but this excludes access to some of the service’s choices. There’s also two “Full Closet Access” options at $199 per month for five items or $144 per month for 10 items. All of these tiers have a discount for the first month. There are also more expensive plans for 15 or 20 items per month. For the first 60 days, you swap unlimited items from your monthly batch for free—which is helpful if you selected the wrong size.
Styles
While the available styles have certainly been refreshed since I used Rent The Runway in 2021, I’ve found it easier to find comfortable yet office-ready maternity looks on Nuuly.
Looking at what’s available today, Rent The Runway’s offerings seem to skew a bit dressier (this fits my memory of what was available when I used the service in the past, too) and has fewer true maternity items overall. A filter for “maternity” on Rent The Runway yields 258 results; the same filter on Nuuly has 466 results. I’ve also had better luck finding items on Nuuly that are in my size.
That said, Rent The Runway does also have a “bump friendly” section of the site, but these looks can be harder to navigate because the models are often not pregnant. I rented a few items from this section—some were OK and others were a total bust. Plus, a few of the oversized styles were big to the point of being unflattering.
Returns
Both services clean the garments for you, and both include pre-printed return labels that you just need to stick onto the reusable bag that the clothing comes in. As a New Yorker who walks everywhere, I’ve found the compact suitcase-like bags that Nuuly shipments come in easier to tote around (they even fit in the bottom of my stroller) than Rent The Runway’s large garment bags. However, this difference is unlikely to matter as much if you drive.
Wardrobe Staples To Consider Buying
If you opt for a maternity rental service, there are still a few wardrobe staples that are worth investing in. Consider getting a yourself a couple of the best maternity leggings, because they’re great for lounging in or working out in on their own, plus pair well with dresses and blouses. My top pick is Storq’s Signature Leggings after testing 12 styles. I also think it’s worth it to make sure you have comfortable underwear, as your growing belly and changing bra size mean some of your pre-pregnancy styles may stop feeling good. My favorites are the The Effortless Bra and Under the Belly Panty from Bodily, as well as the High Leg Maternity Brief from Embrace . Good leggings and underwear will serve you well in the fourth trimester, too.
Personally, I also had such poor luck finding a good fit in maternity jeans during my first pregnancy that I didn’t even try the second time—although both Nuuly and Rent The Runway offer them. If denim is an important part of your wardrobe, that’s another item you might think about buying outright—consider Forbes Vetted’s guide to the best maternity jeans.
Finally, it can be helpful to round things out with a couple of versatile tops for casual days, layering and when you’re between rental shipments. Right now, I’m loving Storq’s Easy Button-Up and Embrace’s Daily Ribbed Maternity Tank. Ingrid + Isabel also has a nice selection of maternity tops. If you plan on breastfeeding, you may want to consider tops that are designed to do both.
Other Maternity Clothing Rental Services
Based on my research, Nuuly and Rent The Runway are the heavy-hitters in the clothing rental space, whether you’re pregnant or not. But there are a couple of others out there for expecting moms. I haven’t used the services below, but they may be worth considering if the above choices don’t meet your needs.
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