My plus-size, clothing rental review!

Gwennie Bee is a site I found out about around this time last year. 

After some contemplation, I decided to give it a try 

and now I'm back to share my thoughts in case you decide to try it too.

As I said before in a previous blog entry about Plus Size Shopping Online,
Gwennie Bee is like Netflix for plus-size clothing.
Although I suppose it's more like Blockbuster Online (back when that was a thing), 

since you have the option to buy if you really like an item (and they're up to 50% off retail prices). Basically, you put items in your "closet" and when they become available they are the next article sent out to you,. 

I tried their one-month free trial, with three items out at a time 

(that's the most you can have out for the trial period, but it goes up to ten items). 

I suspended my subscription after my free trial, 

and I love that they didn't give me any hassle about it either. 

But they did offer the first month for only $10, which is pretty sweet. 

Note the $10 is a promotion, the regular subscription prices are beneath it.

Because they can only send items out when they are available in the size you chose, 

you have to put a good amount of clothes in your closet before you can get started 

(about fifteen articles). 

I didn't know this when I first started my free trial, so a delay occurred. 

They sent me an email, informing me of it and letting me know they extended my free trial 

by a week to make sure I would get the full free month experience. 

On that note, the rest can wait, let's get to the clothes! 

...in no particular order... 

 Conveniently enough, this was the first item I received. As you can see, I (who normally wears a size 14-16 in Forever 21 jeans) requested a 2X which fit well, but defiantly could have been sized down without any problem. My favorite part about this was the pop of color made all the difference.
purple "belt". That added

As you can see, I was not entirely pleased with the dress which turned out way too big. I also felt that the cut wasn't very flattering. However, if they were right about one thing, it's that a belt does make it look a lot better! I got this in a size 20, my standard
size I shop for since I don't like zipping and unzipping things. 

The Rockabilly in me loved this! 

I don't normally wear red, but I just had to try this style and I must say, I was quite satisfied. 

Plus it helps that I absolutely love when dresses have pockets!

This was my favorite of the bunch. 

I'm a sucker for mesh and I thought that the flower pattern was just too cute. 

This also happened to be one of the cheaper options to buy, 

the only thing that kept me from doing so, was the material; which had this 

thick, off-polyester-y kind of feel to it. 

 I ordered this shirt in my standard dress size 20, and it fit as expected. This is my favorite casual cut but I wasn't very fond of the pattern up close.

This dress was nice, although I must say, 

I kind of liked it better without the sash. 

If I were to wear this out I would substitute the sash for a black belt. 

I got this, to try something different, 

I ordered the 3X but the 2X  or possibly even the 1X would have suited just fine. However, the material was just, not for me. 

This looked a lot cuter online, but none-the-less I still love peplum tops. 

I paired this with a black pencil skirt I had lying around and it turned out to be the perfect pair. While I didn't buy this shirt it definitely gave me an idea of how I want to utilize my skirt in the future.  

This tunic dress was cute and fun! The only downfall to it was that the zipper was an actual zipper! It could zip all the way down, which was just asking for a wardrobe disaster. However, it could easily be prevented with a few stitches in the right place along the zipper if you ever buy a dress like this... 

I thought the little owl pattern on this was just adorable! Plus I'm pretty sure it's cotton, so you know it was comfortable. 

If I was a little older I would totally have this in my casual-wardrobe rotation! 

And Although this didn't have a whole lot of stretch I think the 2X would have worked just as well. 

As with the other dress in this same style, I got
this, to try something different, 

But of course, the material was not to my liking. 

I loved this dress, it was so cute, not to mention fun to twirl in! I ordered a size up because the size chart on this one was making me nervous, but my normal size 20 would have likely worked as well.  

This dress was okay, I wish the blue and white dots on the top showed more. 

I probably should have sized down and a belt would have really pulled this look together. 

So I ordered this...

 ... and then I saw it in burgundy, so I ordered it
again! 

Did I mention this is my favorite color? 

This dress was a snug fit, but I loved everything about it, the end.

It's the final countdown... I'm sorry, I just had to say it:

Pros: 

- I liked that they are prompt and courteous. 

- I love that you don't have to wash the clothes, they do it for you. 

- Sending things back was super easy, they give you a pre-addressed, pre-paid envelope 

to send your items back in. 

- The reviews were a big help in the decision process!

- They are always getting new things so you literally never have to wear the same thing twice. 

Cons: 

- I didn't like that you only saw a front view of each item or that you couldn't zoom in really close.

- I felt that even after the discount some of the items were still a bit pricey.

- Because the clothes change so often, there's a chance you'll never get to try a piece
that you're especially excited for.

Tips:

- If you decide to try this, always look at the size chart for each item. They rent out from many different brands and each brand has its own form of sizing. 

- Make note of when your free trial ends so you can cancel the subscription on time
if you decide not to continue it.

- Read a few of the reviews both good and bad, it'll shine light on the fit, material, sizing etc.
that will prove to be helpful during the selection process. 

Basically, I thought Gwennie Bee was a good site. 

I believe it's perfect for people on a modest budget that still want to try different brands. I think it would be best suited for actual adults 

(as opposed to someone like me who still rocks graphic tees and skinny jeans). 

It would especially be perfect for those in a business casual environment, 

seeing as a majority of the clothes are suited for that class. 

This is definitely a site I'd come back to when I have a bit more money
and a slightly more important job. 

In the end, no matter what I think, 

you won't know if you'll like it if you don't check it out for yourself! 

Until next time, try new things and remember Confidence is Key.