When I was packing for a trip to India—a modest country known for its hot climate—I was at a loss for what to wear. My standard summer wardrobe consists of bike shorts, crop tops, and tanks. Not exactly temple-appropriate. I didn’t want to invest in a whole new suitcase of breathable, shoulder-covering outfits I might never wear again. So I turned to Nuuly, a clothing rental service, and browsed its collection of over 16,000 pieces. I added six items to my cart: a flowy white midi skirt, a patterned maxi skirt, two pairs of lightweight Donni pants, a breezy short-sleeve button-down, and a midi dress I never wore (too big).
It ended up being the perfect middle ground: I packed lightly, still felt put-together, didn’t overheat, and stayed true to my personal style. That trip changed the way I pack: Renting clothes has become my go-to travel strategy—especially when I have to dress for a different climate or cultural setting, or want to try out new styles without committing to them forever.
How Nuuly works
Nuuly lets you choose six items per month for $98, with no long-term commitment required. I’ve used it on and off for over a year now, often pausing my subscription to try other services like BNTO. But anytime I have travel on the calendar, I always come back to Nuuly—its brand lineup is that solid. You’ll find pieces from Agolde, Farm Rio, Donni, Free People, Anthropologie, Levi’s, and Alohas, along with smaller labels you might not have discovered otherwise, like Find Me Now and Boys Lie. (BNTO’s brands skew more streetwear or city chic, so I love it for everyday life, but Nuuly wins when I need versatile pieces for a trip.) Nuuly ships your items in a reusable garment bag with a prepaid return label, and everything arrives freshly cleaned.
There’s no option to swap pieces mid-month, so you’re stuck with your picks even if they don’t you don’t like them or they don’t fit—but that limitation has actually helped me become a smarter packer. I plan my Nuuly rental the same way I’d build a capsule wardrobe: thinking through what can mix and match, what fabrics will hold up well in transit, and what I’ll realistically want to wear. If you love one of the items, you can buy it. Most pieces are discounted from 15 to up to 75% off retail value, depending on how long the item has been in Nuuly’s rotation.
Picking six items you want can be time-consuming, but the interface makes it pretty easy to curate your cart. You can filter by size, color, brand, and even vibe—Nuuly has rotating seasonal “edits” like “Summer Outfitting” and “Trends” that make it easier to browse. I usually spend a little time reading reviews to avoid sizing surprises—and I always go to the brand’s website and reference its size chart—but most listings have detailed fit notes and photos from previous renters, which helps so you can try to see what the piece looks like on a similar body type. I also get to experiment with new styles, both when traveling and at home. If I’m not sure if a trend will work on me—like Bermuda denim shorts, drop-waist dresses, or skirt-layered-pants—I can try it with no strings attached. If I don’t like how it looks, I’ll just return it at the end of the month.
Why I love it for travel
While I found it most helpful for building my wardrobe for India, I’ve used it for other types of travel, too. On a recent trip to an all-inclusive resort in Aruba (not my usual vibe), I picked two vacation-y tops (one white tube top and one black embroidered piece) and a seafoam-colored maxi skirt that made me feel like I should be sipping something out of a coconut. I don’t normally wear things like that in my day-to-day life, but for a few days on the beach? It was perfect. And I didn’t have to make room in my already-stuffed closet when I got home.