Everything I Rented from Nuuly This December

This December has been an odd, lovely one. On the tail end of a November that was frankly a little nightmarish, this month has been all about resetting, reading, reviewing, and getting ready for 2025.

I ended up holding onto my Nuuly in November for longer than I anticipated, so planned my December haul with Christmas, family travels, New Year's Eve, and my upcoming birthday (January 10) in mind.

Sometimes, my Nuuly stretches into a two-month endeavor based on life events and how much use I'm getting out of the clothing; Nuuly of course charges you for both cycles, but won't penalize you for extra time or require you to turn in items within a specific window.

ICYMI, renting clothing is my preferred method of attaining new apparel. Picking out a monthly selection of six items keeps everything feeling fresh, allows me to wear new items for events without having to splurge, satisfies that "new item" dopamine hit many seek from shopping, and has made me way, way more adventurous—and I largely credit Nuuly for my career as a style writer.

Thanks for reading Words Like Silver! Subscribe for free to support my work.

Subscribe Now

placeholder

I wouldn't have the vocabulary for it otherwise. This month, I wrote style content for PEOPLE, Real Simple, and Southern Living, and that was even a slow month for me.

A Related Reading List

Recently, I've read or collected a decent number of reads about sustainability, fashion, our culture of consumption, and neuroaesthetics (a constant niche of mine.) Here are some highlights if you're mostly here for the book clubbing rather than the OOTDs.

• The Molecule of More by Daniel Z. Lieberman— If you're high in dopamine, you're high in wanting "more, more, more." So you can get your dopamine fix by renting and satisfying that itch without necessarily spending more than the monthly rental fee. For me, the monthly $99/cycle is more than justified in my budget because I literally never buy any other clothing.
• The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwarz — According to author Barry Schwarz, we're shopping way more than ever, but enjoying it way less. (And he wrote this in the early 2000s, so my guess is that this effect has been magnified.)
• Possessed by Bruce Hood — Why do we need so much right now?
• Stuff by Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee — Midway through this one. I also think frequently about the study that we're more attached to items once we own them (which is why free trials and all work so well), so the psychology of hoarding and owning is super interesting.
• To Dye For — Clothing quality, like furniture quality, has only gone downhill in previous years. Everyone's taking shortcuts. Which is why that thrift shop find or closet hand-me-down from 10 years ago is in so much better shape than the replacement item you snagged a season ago when the original one started to show wear.

I also have a half-baked post in mind about cleaning my room (studio), social pressure, and how my closet largely only functions by having at least one load of laundry hidden in the garage at all times, based on The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Internet Overload by Daniel J. Levitin which is an absolutely fabulous read to prime you for simplicity or optimization going into 2025.

So do ignore how messy my bed looks (and how dusty the mirror is) in my photos below. I was doing a fashion show for my sister and just didn't care enough to tidy visually for the photo; I'm in the process of doing quite a bit of rearranging!

The Rough Formula of My Nuuly This Month

In my last Nuuly haul, I talked about a rough formula for a Nuuly maybe including a comfort item, fancy dress, going out top, jeans or pants, casual dress, and wild card. Some months though, I know exactly what I'm going for based on specific events that I want options for.

Before the MICHELIN Guide Ceremony in NYC in 2023, with my friend Carlyle.

I love an Évent. I love being a maximalist at an event. If you invite me to a dress-up function, I will likely go (and possibly overdress, especially here in Hawai'i where occasions are so minimal.)

Before a hotel event in Honolulu.

And my sisters and I have passed around dresses so often, and for so many years, that we're so sick of both our own closets and each others'. So I'm definitely on a mission to use any opportunity for a fresh cocktail dress or similar. (My current assortment of cocktail dresses is definitely deserving of its own post in ode.)

The December Nuuly

Like I said, I got fancy this month. I got a bonus item to pick out because they'd sent me a different color than I'd selected in the Cocktail Hour Bodysuit last month (a fair trade) and I'd wished I'd been able to roll that over because I didn't necessarily need seven items for December, but still appreciated that offer. I also got lucky with some fresh items; often, if you pick from Nuuly's new arrivals section, you're the first to wear something—and receive it new with tags.

1. Bardot Capri Slip Dress: Not a winner in terms of fit, but looks great on everyone else!

2. Society Mano June Crochet Cami: Looks like something my older sister could make—so, I love! The colors are fab, but it's a bit tricky to wear.

3. For Love & Lemons Brenna Mini Dress: I knew months ago that I needed to buy this one and make it a staple in my closet.

4. Susana Monaco Vegan Leather One-Shoulder Dress: A striking faux-leather mini with a flattering cut and look-at-me colorway.

5. Line + Dot Headline Strapless Maxi Dress: This vivid green maxi is shockingly versatile, and comfortable enough to wear around plenty.

6. AMUR Legacy Velvet Rosette Mini Dress: Chic for Christmas Eve, tricky in fit, but absolutely a look.

7. Free People Easy Street Tunic: Pretty, comfy, perfectly slouchy, constantly on. A winner too.

My Fit Notes

Height: 5'10
Weight: 135(?)
Body Type: Hourglass
Chest: 32C

Olive skin, currently honey blonde-ish although normally brunette, hazel-ish eyes.

Tangent: Similarly, I significantly dyed my hair this year for the first time and went blondeish for a change, but I'm considering what I'd like to have in my author photos when I decide to take headshots for my book, should it sell. If/when it sells, you might not have that long of a turnaround before announcements, and I'm picky enough that I'd probably like to do a few sessions so I can pick my favorite (and use all of them for something.) My last headshots are from maybe 2019.

I'd like to keep the blonde going because I dig the vibe, but I want my author photos to feel like the most "me" version of me—which is brunette? So I'm trying to decide whether/when I should go back. Big, tough decisions, I know. So would welcome any feedback if you have a strong opinion, because I'm being indecisive. This is what's fun to think about in contrast to all the rest of the process (which is all way more serious.)

My Verdict

Bardot Capri Slip Dress

Credit / Nuuly

Originally $129, now $76 (41% off)

I've been really into butter yellow this year—like the rest of the world. It's undoubtedly a significant color of 2024. When attending a wedding outside of Paris this fall, I considered the buttery version of this House of CB dress but opted for the burgundy instead; still, I craved that Belle energy.

Calpak released some everyday bags in butter that I'm currently using pretty frequently—for overnights, café workdays, you name it. I'd also note that the color is way creamier and more muted in person; online, it looks bright. And I tend to love brights, so I'd be disappointed in the mismatch!

And I just tested, and wrote about, women-owned ski brand Halfdays's latest belted puffer jacket and soft-shell bib, which I may love even more than my previous Halfdays gear. (You can read about my love for the brand in a dedicated Town & Country review. A hard standard to live up to!) I'm headed to Quebec at the end of February for travel-writing work (and am still scheming to somehow take trips to Alaska and Japan this spring if possible) and am so ready to wear the set again.

Anyway, the color is shockingly flattering, even on someone like me who has olive undertones, and every gal wants their How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days event dress vision.

This, unfortunately, was maybe the one item in my Nuuly that was a dud. I'm tall, so realized that the straps were too short and pinched in. Adjustable straps would have been such an easy fix, but they aren't adjustable! I'm also normally pretty comfortable in a 2 (varies depending on the dress), but this one definitely runs small, so the effect wasn't as flattering as I would have liked. I'm also tall and didn't like where the length hit me.

A skip, but it does look stunning on those it fits properly. I love the V back, and have gotten more comfortable in silky slip dresses.

Society Mano June Crochet Cami

Credit / Nuuly

Originally $150, now $78 (48% off)

My older sister Darby is a seriously talented crocheter. Every Smith—or in her case, Evans—has some distinctive artistic talent. She can whip up just about anything with yarn, and I have a beanie from her that I absolutely love. And her toddlers! Every time she crochets Hallie a dress or something, I lose my mind over how adorable it is, and what a creative feat she's accomplished. (I'm a proud sister.) Anyway, I'm pretty sure she could make this, and am pretty tempted to ask.

I tend to struggle with crochet tops because I usually don't want to wear a bra, but nipple covers and whatnot are visible. Part of me—the part gradually desensitized to modesty on an island where we all lounge on the beach in skimpy bikinis anyway—wants to say to hell with it and do it anyway, but my mother would not be pleased with me. Still, this would be cute over a swimsuit or something.

So I like the vibe and it's great in a bonus-item mentality, but I haven't gotten a ton of use out of it. Still, it was a happy item to throw into the mix; I love anything rainbow or colorful. A ton of the books I just shipped to myself came in, so my studio is such an explosion of color right now that I absolutely adore.

For Love & Lemons Brenna Mini Dress

Credit / Nuuly

Originally $218, now $81 (63% off)

I absolutely fell in love with this Nuuly pick a few months ago, but didn't buy it yet because I'd been planning on spending on a pair of red jeans already and couldn't justify buying multiple items at once. So I picked it out this time—not because I had a specific occasion in mind, but because I knew I would ask my mama (or myself—"Mom, I am a rich man") to buy it for me as a Christmas or birthday present. So this is about to be a permanent part of the Grace repertoire—and it's 63% off too.

Plus (and I'll chat about this another time), my aunt's house got destroyed in Hurricane Helene, so she moved into my bedroom, which means that I don't have storage at home at the moment, so finally got the kick I needed to shuttle the rest of my closet to Hawai'i.

Long story long, I have this fabulous pair of funky lilac Charlotte Stone platform boots (a now-discontinued colorway); I hadn't brought them on-island yet because I figured I'd probably break an ankle on the North Shore's uneven sidewalks instead, but I am dancing in heels again and hopefully getting my balance back via ballet, so we're going to roll with it. I have a vision of styling these two together.

I also tried throwing on the pullover tunic sweater below with it, and it was adorable, so I'd absolutely wear as a cute daily 'fit, or layer it in the fall with tights. In June, I called this the perfect date dress, and I wore it to Turtle Bay to dinner with my friend Erin. The corset top, with the billowing, blousey neckline, is beyond flattering.

Susana Monaco Vegan Leather One-Shoulder Mini Dress

Credit / Nuuly

Originally $178, now $107 (40% off)

In college, I had an absolute banger of a leather dress I bought at a little shop in Milan (for maybe $15) that I affectionately called my "secret weapon" dress. It finally, literally disintegrated—see To Dye For above, yikes—but it made it through many a fraternity occasion and made me feel on top of the world.

I rented this one originally in June because of the same faux-leather fabric, plus because the one-shoulder silhouette and color looked absolutely divine. I'm on a huge bold cornflower blue kick right now in everything from my sheets to other cocktail dresses. It's just so rich and gorgeous. I ended up having nowhere to wear it, and it was a bit too big, despite me figuring that the material wouldn't be the most forgiving.

I sized down but actually think the small might be a little too much so, especially in length. It definitely feels shorter! Still, I'm so tempted to buy this one, but will probably settle for renting it this time.

For the past few years, I've had an absolutely wonderful tradition of having champagne around 8pm and then passing tf out before midnight on January 1. For one, I start the year off with the smug, obnoxious moral superiority of being hangover-free, and indulge my superstitions of starting the year off with my most optimal habits. This year though, I'll be in Honolulu—so I have to go out with friends and see those famous fireworks. This dress is hot, but just funky enough to feel a little different.

I'm between this and one other option for New Year's Eve, but will likely pick this one. If not, I maybe will buy and save for the next special occasion on the horizon—but I'm weak for any opportunity to wear a dress like this on an island that often veers casual.

Line + Dot Headline Strapless Maxi Dress

Credit / Nuuly

Originally $141, now $85 (40% off)

The theme of my Nuuly is absolutely color and maximalism, and this dress is no exception. I tend not to love ruched items, but this vivid green looks so bright and show-stopping in every customer review; so many people look good in it. And this dress unintentionally became the hero of my month's rentals. I've more than gotten my money's worth out of it, and I'm not normally big on maxi dresses either.

I wore it while traveling with family, to a nice dinner, as a coverup. I wore it on Christmas Eve, could layer a cardigan over it to dress it down, will undoubtedly wear it again for our next "photo" occasion. Similarly, I'm tempted to keep it. When it rains, it pours, and I had a lot of luck this time around.

AMUR Legacy Velvet Rosette Mini Dress

Credit / Nuuly

Originally $498, now $413 (17% off)

Admittedly, it might be silly of me to wear velvet on a tropical island. But let a girl live!!! This is so my type of mini dress for a photo occasion like Christmas Eve: decadent, unusual, flattering.

It's absolutely short, so likely wouldn't work had we opted for our usual candlelight service on December 24th (at least without currying some major side-eye.) I definitely was doing a little shuffle and making adjustments whenever I had to, well, move. Reviews said to size up and I did, but also am nearly constantly tugging it up too.

But it's a look, and I'm weak for the right statement item. Since it's a rental, and I have no plans to fork over $400 for it (a price I'd say is too expensive for this dress), I don't mind its limited cons.

I've been big on my dancer/ballet-inspired style again lately, so have been all about adding texture, light layers, and black sleeves to any applicable outfit. So I paired this with a super soft Carbon38 bolero I'm obsessed with, and then threw on a pair of 70's-inspired velvet platform sandals from Larroudé to go with. (Would also note—I'm very much in love with my Larroudé shoes, but they were gifted, and the sole is peeling off despite me only really busting them out every so often—so I'd look for them secondhand if you like the vibe, because for $315, they should really hold up better.)I'd probably opt instead for a black heel with an ankle strap to break up some of the lines, but overall love the outfit's elegance.

Granted, it's a little much for the occasion here, but I definitely plan on stealing this exact combo in the future.

Free People Easy Street Tunic

Originally $128, now $60 (53% off)

Since Nuuly's owned by URBN—the parent company behind Free People, Urban Outfitters, and Anthropologie—the rental service is constantly uploading "basic" items that are part of their visual signature—and nobody does slouchy sweaters like FP.

This oversized tunic is so soft and comfy, and I could quite literally own a sweater like this in a dozen different colors. (Luckily, Nuuly gives you a ton of options to choose between, and I got this one new with tags.) I've lived in it so much that I did consider buying it at a 53% discount, but will likely resist for now. Maybe they're trying to offload some stock.

I really love its shape and feel, and feel "pretty" in it even when just lounging around the house—versus a sweatshirt which I'm probably committing to feeling eh in. It's also light enough that I'm not dying in the Hawai'ian heat, so it might be a good mid-layer to have on hand. I love a sweater that's soft enough to want to sleep in, and I've definitely cranked up the my AC in order to shiver in this to sleep.

Like I said, I could throw it on over a sundress and add boots or heels for some extra insulation. Plus, it's just a romantic vibe when I have a messy bun, a half-scribbled notebook, and a deadline.

Tempting...

The Proof's in the Mirror Selfies

This blue >>>

The rosette vibe. Someone take me to an opera, perhaps? Or a symphony.

Proof I am walking in heels again like a normal human non-baby-deer. In a top I bought from Nuuly.

The FL&L dress in June — plus a cleaner room and a mirror phrase that explains a lot.

Butter yellow, but wrinkled.

Today's look: a soft green nightdress, slippers, the oversized tunic, and a mirror I didn't realize was so dusty. (Sorry.)