Where to Find Affordable Cocktail Attire

You tear apart your closet for the 100th time to leave a giant mess on top of your bed and all over your floor. Sound familiar? Usually, that is us before any event. Sometimes you’re bored of your usual picks, sometimes the theme doesn’t match your attire, and sometimes you just want to hit the scene in something brand new. But, this can often be pricey. We’ve included a complete list of where to look for affordable cocktail attire so you don’t have another meltdown over what to wear for your next event.

Rent the Runway
Probably the most well known and accessible places to get cocktail attire, as long as you plan ahead. For those of you who haven’t heard of Rent the Runway, it is an online service (but there is also a store in Santa Monica) that provides designer dresses and accessory rentals for any event. You can join Rent the Runway as a monthly member, paying $99/month or just as a one-time rental. To rent attire for the weekend, all you have to do is pick your favorite, the date you want it to arrive, and the date you will ship it back (for free!). They even allow you to pick a back-up just in case your first choice doesn’t work out. Scrolling through the endless designer options can be a bit overwhelming so be sure to really use the filters and categories they provide to narrow your search.

Check out RTR here: https://www.renttherunway.com/

Lulus
Another popular, affordable option. If you’re looking for something on-trend that is high quality, Lulu’s is a great option. Again, this requires you to plan ahead for your events but you will not be disappointed with your picks. You can either shop by style, color, occasion, or trends to narrow your search. The dresses range from casual to fancy so your options are unlimited. They also have a rewards program you can join, otherwise they usually have deals such as free shipping over $50 and free returns.

Start looking now: https://www.lulus.com/

The Stylist LA
Similar to Rent the Runway, The Stylist LA offers dress rentals strictly in Los Angeles. But, in addition to the designer dress rentals, the store offers dresses to buy as well as a membership to the box. The box is a subscription with free shipping, free (and unlimited) exchanges, and free dry-cleaning. If you’re just looking to buy for a special occasion, you have the option to purchase either new or used clothing items under various occasion categories. These can always be swapped out for a different size, different piece, or returned. If you’re curious about the condition of the used items, you can email customer support and they will send you photos. Check out their amazing website here: https://www.stylistla.com/

BNKR
Located in the heart of DTLA, you can find yet another fabulous option with clothing and accessories from Australian designers. BNKR often has great sales and if you subscribe to their emails, you get $15 off your first order. One of the things we love most about BNKR is the option to shop on their Instagram. If you’re scrolling through your feed and find something you like, you don’t have to worry about the stress of locating it online to order (we’ve all been there). They also offer free shipping on orders over $59 if you don’t want to make the trip Downtown. You will definitely turn heads in any of their clothing pieces.

Go shopping now: https://us.fashionbunker.com/

Reformation
Within the past year, Reformation has blown up all over the country. Being both a sustainable and trendy clothing and accessory brand has helped them gain a great amount of popularity, especially in Los Angeles. Not only that, but their clothing is by far some of the most comfortable we’ve ever worn. This is a little bit on the higher end of the cocktail attire price range but we thought it was worth putting on our list because the items are high quality, the company values are extremely relevant and important, and the customer service is excellent. If you don’t want to sit in LA traffic, they offer free shipping and free exchanges and returns to help you save more money.

Trust us, you’ll spend a solid hour on their website (and your shopping cart will be quite large): https://www.thereformation.com/