With the onset of the charity ball season underway and holiday party invitations coming in, the important question for many gals is, “What do I wear?” There seems to be a common thread for women attending a formal function or classy soiree here in town or in the suburbs, and that is, “Where do I get an appropriate dress, without making an enormous investment in something I may only use once?” After all, Milwaukee’s doesn’t have the socialite scene that requires an extensive cocktail/formal wear wardrobe.
From the events that I have had the pleasure of attending, it seems to me that local ladies fall into two categories, chic and sophisticated (unfortunately a minority) or blah and matronly (unfortunately a majority), with not much in between! At one event that I remember, there seemed to be an almost Quaker-like look to a lot of the ensembles. Bland, boring and black dresses, hosiery and shoes. The few trendsetters who caught my critical eye had an understanding of the value of color, styling and proportion. Thus 
sparking interest and attention from everyone they encountered. I know that many people want to “wear it again,” and there is certainly nothing wrong with that, but a lot of what I saw looked more worn out style-wise than anything else. Wouldn’t it be exciting to sport something absolutely spectacular and unforgettable, even if only for one night? How about a dress that is straight from the runways of NYC or Europe? Out of your league you say? Quit making excuses because there is a way for anyone to pull out all the stops and make a stylish statement. By doing a little pre-planning, you can wow them for a fraction of the original cost of an entire designer look with little or no fuss.
How is this possible you might ask? The answer came from my e-mail inbox at Milwaukee Magazine, by way of a year-old website that is gaining recognition for its ability to help women become a red haute, couture queen for an evening at about 90 percent off retail. This is a Cinderella story for the plugged in, wi-fi, high-speed age, where there’s always a happy ending! If you’re invited to a school formal, Christmas party or New Year’s Eve bash, or even if you just want to sparkle and shine for a special evening out, there’s something for every occasion at Rent The Runway.
The website was the brainchild of two Harvard Business School section mates, Jennifer (Jenn) Hyman and Jennifer (Jenny) Fleiss. Their idea is pure genius in my book. Ms. Hyman asked herself, “What if regular women could have access to their dream closet? And, what if designers were able to get their pieces into the hands of fashionable women and build an addiction for designer fashion?” In less than a week, Jenn had Jenny onboard, and they used their business school savvy to start putting together a company. After tweaking many business plans and having meetings with designers and retailers, Rent The Runway was born in NYC.
I know for a fact, as a fashion stylist, that a lot of gals drool over the glamorous gowns that 
celebrities wear on the red carpet to parties or premieres, and can’t help wonder what it would be like to have a rack full of designer clothes to choose from for themselves. Now you can be that diva as well with the click of a mouse.
By cultivating exclusive relationships with top design houses, these smart ladies have a company that continually updates its stock with the latest couture pieces for their customers Not only do they have gowns and dresses, but you may peruse jewelry and high-end accessories as well.
According to the website, this is how it works. You “shop” a vast array of fashionable frocks and amazing accessories. Next, choose the date you’d like to have an item or items deliv
ered. It is recommended to reserve your garment at least 4 weeks in advance. Fill out your paperwork online, and in the blink of a mascara’d eye, you’re wearing a gown by Alice + Olivia, Badgley Mischka, Christian Siriano, Lela Rose, Herve Leger or any one of the dazzling participating designers.
Just check out the pictures of the fabulous fashions that they supplied for this story, and you’ll be as amazed as I was at the variety. With rentals starting at $50, I implore Milwaukee ladies to please leave the dowdy sister wife dresses behind or at the very least rent a spectacular necklace or accessory to add some sensational pizzazz to the LBD already in your closet. With Rent The Runway, who says that fashion dreams can’t come true?
