We used Rent the Runway Unlimited to rent $4,862 worth of designer clothes in a single week - here's how the subscription plan works and why we're so willing to pay the $160 monthly fee

Left: A.L.C. Dane Skirt, $295 retail; Kooreloo Blue Petite Bag, $325 retail

Second to left: Louna Floral Smocked Waist Blouse, $92 retail

Right: Susana Monaco Strap Back Tube Jumpsuit, $220 retail

Second to right: Solace London Colorblock Manon Dress, $570 retail

If you had told me I'd be happily spending $16o on a clothing subscription every month only a year ago, I would have laughed. My other subscriptions are few and unanimously priced under $10: a joint Hulu x Spotify, my favorite publications, and Scribd.

But RTR Unlimited actually winds up saving me money. Instead of spending around that amount on cheaper, underwhelming clothes that clutter my closet and end up in a donation bin later, I've almost entirely stopped external shopping. I have more closet space. I've finally donated so-so blouses I thought I needed. Rather than buying to fill gaps in my closet, I rent for those needs and use the flexibility of the subscription to only buy the things that I'll still want to own in five years. In the end, I have nicer clothes to wear every day and my non-RTR closet is less cluttered and of a higher overall quality. I also get to "shop" habitually (which is a hard habit to break) without contributing to the waste of the fashion industry.

I pause it sometimes in the winter, but Unlimited is at its peak usefulness in the summer. There are plenty of weddings, reunions, vacations, and gatherings to go to, and the color palettes are even more bright and patterned — and therefore memorable — than any other season. It's hard to afford multiple $200 sundresses, and tough to decide which patterns you'll wear enough to make the purchase worth it. RTR Unlimited is how I afford to wear new designer clothes out on Friday nights, dates, and to yet another wedding reception — and never pay for dry cleaning.

Left: RED Valentino Blush Polka Dot Top, $550 retail

Middle: Proenza Schouler White Label White Denim Culottes, $350 retail

After hearing so many rave reviews from coworkers and friends, I decided to give Rent the Runway Unlimited a try. The trial is too good of a deal to pass up — $60 for a month of unlimited designer clothing — and after just one month I was happy to pay full price ($160 a month) for the service.

I love shopping and trying new styles, and like to splurge on luxury pieces every now and then. But, in true New York fashion, my closet is not big enough to house a continual stream of new purchases. I'm at capacity and I'm not about to pull a Carrie Bradshaw and turn my oven into a shoe rack. Rent the Runway is the perfect way to test out new trends, wear pieces that you wouldn't usually buy, and keep your wardrobe constantly fresh. The service has solved my "closet full of clothes but nothing to wear" conundrum by providing me with cute new pieces whenever I want.

I definitely have had some misses — just like any online shopping experience, sometimes things don't fit or you end up not liking them in person. But, RTR makes it easy to return and swap out those "meh" pieces for ones you really love. I'm ultimately saving money, getting to experiment with my style, and I wear pieces that are way out of my budget. Honestly, online shopping is a lot more fun when everything costs $0 (sort of).