Vanderbilt’s Rent the Runway team is extremely active on campus. In fact, if you’re in a sorority or ANY campus organization that requires you to dress up for events, you’ve probably heard of RTR. Before college, one of my best friends got a dress from Rent the Runway for homecoming, and I remember thinking that she was the coolest, trendiest person ever. But here at college, RTR is a staple for sorority girls- after all, we can’t buy a new dress for EVERY single date party or we’d be broke! Cornelia Buchanan, the person behind Vanderbilt’s RTR team, has just launched a new initiative called the It Girl Closet and it sounds like the perfect deal for every socially active girl on campus. Read on to find out more about Cornelia, a gorgeous girl with a go-getter attitude, and the It Girl Closet!
What is Rent the Runway?
Rent the Runway is a great company that rents designer dresses to women for 90% off retail price. Through renttherunway.com, girls can choose from thousands of dresses to find the perfect look for any event!
What exactly do you do for Rent the Runway?
I am the co-manager of the Vanderbilt Rent the Runway team, and I am also in charge of the It Girl Closet!
What is the It Girl closet and what are the benefits of it?
The Closet, newly unveiled by Rent the Runway on Vandy’s campus, allows girls to rent a dress directly from me–this means they don’t have to wait for their dress to arrive in the mail! The brand new It Girl Closet brings a trunk of Rent the Runway dresses to Vanderbilt’s campus every month. Girls can rent dresses for $30 a piece, or gain unlimited access to designer dresses for a monthly subscription. The cost of a subscription is only $80, which is such a great deal! (The cost breaks down to $10 a dress when girls rent 8 times). Best of all, this program is catered entirely to the girls. Girls are able to try on all the dresses, potentially wear ALL the styles, and not have to pay hundreds of dollars for this incredible wardrobe.
Which dress from the It Girl closet is your favorite is your favorite?
My personal favorite is the “Portrait of Elegance Shift” by Trina Turk. This red lace dress is so functional! Girls can make it casual with a blazer and cable-knit tights or a leather jacket and combat boots. To dress it up, all girls have to do is lose the jacket and add a pair of pumps!
Why did you want to get involved with Rent the Runway?
I adore fashion, but let’s face it–designer clothes are expensive, and it can be difficult to build a diverse wardrobe of high-quality clothing. Because Rent the Runway offers such great discounts on beautiful dresses, I knew that I wanted to be involved with this company and share it with other girls on Vanderbilt’s campus.
What is your go-to look/outfit for a night out?
I tend to gravitate towards black skirts with statement tops and fun heels! I also love the Hérve Legér dresses that Rent the Runway offers.
What other activities are you involved with on campus?
I ride for the Vanderbilt Equestrian team, serve on the board of Manna Project International, and am involved in various activities within my sorority, Kappa Delta.
Why should girls join the It Girl Closet/how do they do so?
Girls should definitely subscribe to the It Girl Closet so that they can have access to all the fabulous designer dresses for such a low price! There are so many perks to the Closet–the dresses change every month, girls aren’t responsible for dry-cleaning (I take care of that), subscribers’ sizes are guaranteed, and the dresses are casual enough for class and tailgates! To sign up, girls only have to get in touch with me or fill out this google doc!