Tuxedo rentals have been popular for years, so why not try expanding that business model to other clothes, too? Le Tote is a rental service that lets you get anywhere from 5 to unlimited clothing rentals a month. It’s not just for special occasions: you can rent casual clothes, businesswear, and even athleisure. For many users, it’s a fun, affordable way to keep up with trends. The monthly fee covers your rentals, but if you try a piece and don’t want to let it go, you can always buy it from the company at a discount. If you have limited closet space, need an outfit for a special occasion, or are between sizes, this rental service could solve your wardrobe woes.
Le Tote is a clothing rental service with lots of subscription options. You can pay as little as $59 or as much as $119, depending on your subscription plan. Le Tote also has a maternity option, so pregnant women can rent a wardrobe instead of buying clothes they’ll only be wearing for 9 months. One of the best things about this service is that you have total control over what you receive in your Tote shipment. I recommend this service to anyone who wants to try new clothes without buying them.
Le Tote Overview
Le Tote is a rental service for casual clothes, business attire, and formalwear. Most of their clothing is casual enough to be wearable on a daily basis, and they have plenty of comfortable options.
One especially useful aspect of their service is the maternity clothes option. Le Tote is a lifesaver for pregnant women, because it means you won’t have to purchase an entire new wardrobe. Instead, you can sign up for a monthly subscription that will keep you clothed in stylish, comfortable maternity clothes.
For those who aren’t pregnant, the service can fill in gaps in your wardrobe, or help you transition smoothly between sizes. It’s also a fun way to get access to brand-new clothes without cluttering up your closet or paying full price.
To get started, you’ll fill out a short profile on your size, lifestyle, and favorite brands. This isn’t as detailed as the kind of style quiz you see on styling services, because Le Tote isn’t a styling service.
Finally, you’ll choose a monthly plan. At this point, you can choose the maternity service, or you can go on to choose the number of rentals you get per month, and add accessories if you want to. Adding accessories to your plan is more expensive.
When you’re ready to get started looking at clothes and “hearting” your favorites. You can browse by garment type, occasion, brand, color, and weather. When you add a piece to your closet, the website keeps track of it for you so you can add it to your Tote later on.
When you’re done with your clothes, just send them back in the prepaid envelope that comes in each Tote box. Le Tote will take care of the laundering or cleaning process, and they’re experts who can make sure the fabric isn’t damaged. The company even has its own eco-friendly cleaning process.
Pros:
- Choose the items in your Tote yourself
- Multiple plan options
- Items available for purchase at a discount
- They take care of the cleaning for you
The best thing about Le Tote is that they let users make the final selections for their Totes. Le Tote fills your order with recommendations, but you can swap them out for your own choices. This feature is called Tote Swap, and you have a week to finalize your selections before the company ships them out.
Le Tote has an incredible range of plan options. They offer options for maternity wear and accessories. Subscriptions start at $59 a month, but for $79 a month you can get unlimited monthly shipments, with or without accessories.
If you want to keep something from your bag, feel free to do so. They’ll charge your card for anything you don’t include in your return package. Items are all available at discount prices, since they’ve been worn before. Le Tote also has regular sales, which means you can find things at a fraction of their original prices.
You don’t need to clean items before you return them, which is a major plus. It makes the service truly time-saving, and Le Tote has even developed their own eco-friendly cleaning process. It uses “biodegradable detergents, 43% less electricity, 11% less gas and 50% less water” than normal laundering. They also clean jewelry, handbags, and belts, and even swab test items to make sure they’re thoroughly sanitized.
Cons:
- Charges for damages
- Takes a while to recieve your second Tote if you get multiple per month
- Your size may not be available in the item you want
I was surprised to learn that Le Tote charges for any damages to your clothes. Haverdash specifically states that they don’t charge for normal wear and tear, like stains or missing buttons, so I assumed that was standard for rental services. Le Tote offers a $5 insurance plan to cover any potential damages to your clothes. It’s not clear how much they charge if you damage an item without insurance.
If you order multiple totes per month, be aware of the shipping times so you can make the most of your subscription. It takes Le Tote 1-2 days to prepare and mail your tote. From there, the shipping time will be 2-3 days via Priority Mail. The service suggests that you return totes on Sunday, so you can expect your new one before the weekend.
If you want a particular item from Le Tote, that doesn’t necessarily mean they have your size in stock. Since this is a rental service, some items might all be rented out in your size. Keep this in mind as you shop around in their selection. You might want to check out the size options before you add something to your favorites.
How does Le Tote work?
How Le Tote works depends on the monthly plan you select. You can choose a single tote shipment per month, with anywhere from 5 to 10 items included. Accessories are an optional add-on, available for a higher price.
During the signup process, they’ll also have you fill out a quiz on your size and the kind of clothes you like to wear. Styling isn’t their main focus, so the questions here aren’t extensive.
After you choose a plan, you can browse the clothes they have available and “heart,” or favorite, the items you might want added to your Tote. Le Tote doesn’t use stylists, but they do make suggestions for your Tote each month. You can reject any of them and replace them with your own choices. The Tote Swap feature gives you a week to approve their items or switch them out for your own selections
You get up to 7 days to make your final choices, and then Le Tote will send out your rental box. It takes them 1 or 2 days to mail your box, and it comes via priority shipping.
How much does Le Tote cost?
The lowest possible cost for Le Tote is $59 a month. That’s for 5 items in your Tote a month, with no accessories.
With accessories, the cheapest possible price is $79 a month for 5 articles of clothing and 3 accessories. The highest possible price is $119, for 10 items of clothing and 5 accessories a month.
They have a ton of plan options, so here’s a list of all the possibilities.
With accessories:
Without accessories:
How do you sign up for Le Tote?
To sign up for Le Tote, you’ll need to create an account and fill out a short style survey. That survey will cover the kind of clothes you’re looking for, the brands you like, and your size.
After that, you’ll choose a subscription plan.
What brands does Le Tote send?
Le Tote mostly has mid-range brands, with a few designer options, too. You can find favorite brands like Kate Spade, Free People, Sanctuary, and Levi’s. They carry accessories from many of the same brands, including Vince Camuto and Camilla.
As for sizing, they carry up to a size 16. They have an extensive maternity selection, too.
Final Thoughts
Le Tote is a rental service with extensive maternity options, and they also carry plus sizes up to size 16. This service is perfect for people who need new wardrobe options on a temporary basis. If you’re changing sizes, spending some time in a different climate, or even attending a special event, Le Tote is there for you. Their clothing selection has plenty of popular brands like Levi’s and Sanctuary. Most of their items seem practical and wearable, so most people should be able to find options for daily wear.
I recommend this service if your current wardrobe isn’t filling all your needs. With Le Tote, you can borrow clothes and wear them as much as you want without actually adding them to your closet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you cancel Le Tote?
Unfortunately, Le Tote has a cancellation service that requires you to submit a request. That means you can’t cancel instantly, and instead you have to wait a bit for a customer service representative to approve your cancellation.
Make sure to plan ahead when you want to cancel, so you don’t get charged for another month by accident.
When is the billing date?
Le Tote bills you on the same day every month. That day is determined by your signup date, and you can check what that date is by going to your account and then visiting the Membership Details page.
Can I see what’s in my Le Tote order before it arrives?
Le Tote always lets you preview your final tote before it arrives. Their Tote Swap feature lets you switch out their selections with your own choices. You have a week to finalize your Tote, and the company will ship your box out in the next few days.
What are the Le Tote alternatives?
Haverdash is a similar rental service, but it seems to carry trendier, bolder clothes. It’s at a similar price point, but offers unlimited rentals for all users.
Gwynnie Bee is a rental service that carries size 0 to 32, and carries a variety of brands. They seem to be aimed at professional women. They have a variety of subscription services depending on how many items you want to get in each box.
