Here's how I'm making the most of my Rent the Runway subscription while I work from home

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Here's how I'm making the most of my Rent the Runway subscription while I work from home
I rented this Tory Sport polo as loungewear for working from home.Elisabeth Chambry/INSIDER

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  • I started a trial of Rent the Runway to up my office wardrobe game, but since I'm working from home right now, I decided to use my subscription to order cozy loungewear instead.
  • You can get sweaters, tees, sweatpants, leggings, and even lounge-ish dresses through Rent the Runway.
  • If you have a Rent the Runway subscription but you're stuck at home right now, there's still a way to make the most of it — even if no one else will see your outfits.
  • More on Rent the Runway: See our review of Rent the Runway's Unlimited plan, or an explainer of the company's new 2 Swaps option.

I started a two-month trial of Rent the Runway Unlimited (unlimited rentals of four items at a time) after joining the team at Insider Reviews. It didn't take me long to realize that almost all of my new teammates had a Rent the Runway subscription of some kind (mostly Unlimited, or the new 2 Swaps option) and I wanted in on that sweet "new week, new look" action I kept seeing around the office.

After considering the plans, which include 1 Swap (four items per month, $69), 2 Swaps (eight items per month, $99) and Unlimited Swaps (unlimited rentals of four items at a time, $159), I went all-in with an Unlimited trial.

I pictured myself flouncing around the office in fluffy coats, super cool pants, and other quirky pieces I might not usually wear. And that's exactly what it was like for four glorious weeks, until I unexpectedly had to start working from home due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

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I had already paid for the following month's unlimited subscription, but I couldn't work from the office, all of my dates had been canceled, and there was no way I was going to any events. That's when I decided to hack my subscription for comfy work-from-home clothes.

I have a lot of experience working from home, and my best work is done when I'm comfortable, period. Going against my true nature by wearing pants would just upset the balance. Thankfully, Rent the Runway doesn't just have the fancy stuff – they also have loungewear and items that aren't exactly loungewear, but can be if you just believe.

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, there are a few ways to make your subscription work for yourself at home.

Sweaters:

Rent the Runway has a ton of sweaters in their catalog. I generally have avoided them because, to me, they're not as special as the dresses, pants, blazers, and the like. But now that I'm working from home, a nice sweater is a perfect piece to lounge around in. Go for something that looks soft and luxurious and be sure to read the reviews. A scratchy sweater is only worth it if you can sport it for compliments.

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Tees:

I had never thought to look on RTR for T-shirts until I was browsing for some WFH pieces and I stumbled across a cute polo. It is truly just a T-shirt with a collar, but hey, at least I'm making use of my subscription. If you search "T-shirt" you'll be served some loungy dresses, button-ups, and even silk pajama shirts. If it looks like you can lounge in it, you probably can lounge in it.

Sweatpants and leggings:

The sweatpant options are limited, but you'll never feel as fancy as you do lounging in sweats that cost more than the subscription itself. Search "leggings" and you'll have a full page of items to choose from. When you're working from home, you can be anyone you want, like someone who wears suede, metallic, leopard, or camo leggings. The list goes on.

Dresses:

Now it's time to really get creative. Looking through the dresses might take a bit more time, but you'll find items that you'll look at and say, "I could lounge in that". I found a denim dress that looked particularly comfy, and I went up a size to make sure it was. I wanted to test the limits of this lounge experiment, but if you're not someone who likes nightgowns and moomoos, maybe stick to the other stuff.

The bottom line

Being stuck at home sucks, and so does paying for a service you might not be able to use. But if you're in this situation, it may be a good idea to first take a second to be grateful that you're able to bring work home and prioritize your safety, and then try to make the most of your solitude with the little things, like wearing a cute dress to lounge around in or renting a pair of fancy sweats for the week.

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