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As soon as I opened the invitation to a drinks party and saw the “holiday cocktail” dress code, I knew what I wanted to wear: Saloni’s Camille dress.
You may recognize it: the long-sleeved velvet midi dress with crystal-embellished bows on the bodice has become a new holiday classic since Saloni launched it a few winters ago. It now comes in multiple versions, from black velvet with bows embellished with beads and pearls, to a floor-length burgundy version and a jumpsuit.
The only problem is that I don’t actually own this dress. Versions of it have remained on my Net-a-porter and Matches wishlists for what seems like forever. But I was hesitant to commit, firstly, because of the price: £695, this is no casual purchase. Secondly, because I have wondered if it might be too specific a piece to justify the splurge. It’s not the kind of thing you can justify with “you’ll use it.” constantly”Base when most days revolve around writing at home and at school, like I do mine.
The easy but irresponsible decision would have been to buy it anyway and worry about my credit card bill later. Instead, I remembered hearing that this dress was one of the most requested party dresses on various fashion rental platforms. And I quickly found it in my size at Hurr.
I’ve used event rentals in the past, finding fancy dresses to wear to weddings and Royal Ascot. Although renting instead of buying saves closet space and money, it still comes at a cost. The dress I found cost me around £85 for four days (the minimum rental period) and I would have to return it at the end.
I got over it. And she rented her dress.
Tuesday morning arrived, I tried it on, took a look in the mirror, and decided I couldn’t bear to wait until Thursday night. Why delay, when I could wear it to dinner that same night? Possibly also to a Christmas lunch on Wednesday, and then to the Thursday party that inspired the rental in the first place.
Doing so would maximize my enjoyment of a dress I only had for a limited time, while also reducing the cost per wear to less than the price of my Uber home at the end of the night: £28.30, to be precise. The good thing is that none of the events in my diary seemed to include overlapping guest lists, so (as long as I didn’t write about the experience for a national newspaper) no one would notice the new clothes (ahem).
On Tuesday night, I put on red tights, black platform sandals, and crystal clip-on earrings and headed to dinner at chef and food writer Clodagh McKenna’s home in Chelsea. Burgundy taper candles flickered on the beautifully decorated dining room table as guests congratulated each other. “Thank you, it’s rented,” I responded, and soon everyone knew my plan.
Emily wearing the Saloni dress for the first time on Tuesday night
Of course, she would have to keep the dress clean for the plan to work. The high-risk nature of the venture became clear when McKenna brought out the main course: boeuf bourguignon. “Here, you better put this on,” he said, unbuttoning his dahlia-print apron and handing it to her.
On Wednesday I wondered if black velvet would be too strong for a festive lunch in Notting Hill. Screw it, it’s Christmas, I thought, and put the dress back on, this time swapping the red stockings and platforms for lace stockings and flat patent leather Mary Janes. Black velvet proved strong enough when I found myself sharing an elevator with goth fashion icon Michele Lamy, who was also dressed in head-to-toe black. (She may have imagined it, but I think she gave me an approving look.)
The festive period is one of the most popular times of year for rentals, along with the summer wedding season. Demand has increased on all platforms. On By Rotation, the fashion rental app, demand for holiday rentals is up 230 percent compared to 2022. My Closet HQ rental orders are up 400 percent over last year “as rentals are now becoming the default choice for many buyers,” says founder Sacha Newall. And Hurr has seen a 160 per cent increase in average weekly bookings over the past four weeks.
“It’s hugely encouraging to see rental performance at peak times,” says Victoria Prew, founder and CEO of Hurr. “Rental is a great tool to discover fashion; You can access an incredible number of styles and brands for a fraction of the price; people can have fun with it, so the holiday season is the best time to try renting if you haven’t done it before.”
She says the Saloni dress is the platform’s top rental right now – a size 10 listed on the site will have been booked for 32 rentals in 2023 alone by New Year’s Eve.
The dress on its last outing to Winfield House, the residence of the United States ambassador.
Mine held up very well. On Thursday night, the spills were successfully evaded, all it took was a quick steam to prepare the dress for its third outing and the main event: drinks at Winfield House, the residence of the US ambassador.
Beaded bows sparkled in the candlelight as servers circulated with trays of champagne and Shake Shack burgers. Across the Green Room, I saw another guest wearing a different version of her dress: hers had silver bows. Before she could congratulate her, it was time for the Christmas carols.
On Friday morning she was ready to return the dress to its owner. No one could say that she hadn’t made the most of it. You’d think I’d be tired of wearing it after wearing it at events three days in a row. In fact, as I folded the dress into a bag, I kept thinking about other contexts that could be livened up with a little glitter and silk velvet: next year’s Thanksgiving dinner. The school carol concert. The Nutcracker… Maybe that’s not too specific after all. Did I mention it comes in green?
The 5 best party dresses to rent this season
Rotate Birger Christensen Puff Sleeve Dress, rental from £55, Rites; Self Portrait Sequin Dress, Hire From £10, By rotation; The Vampire’s Wife silk dress, rental from £153, Match Fashion Rental
Galvan One Shoulder Dress, Hire From £12, my wardrobe; Queens of Archive Starling dress, hire from £59.16 for 4 days, Hooray
