Ladies, let’s take a few minutes to talk about a sacred ritual that so many of us cherish; a ritual that might involve scented candles, a long bubble bath, a bit of music or a few glasses of wine. This habitual process is known as different things to different people, but here in London we call it getting ready.

For some reason, if an event has been etched in our Facebook diaries for longer than two weeks then it’s officially an occasion that warrants a new dress. If you’re anything like me, you’ll spend hours browsing the web for the perfect outfit and when you find it, there is always a valid justification for why you should buy it. E.g. Payday is just around the corner and I didn’t buy that pair of shoes in Zara last week so technically, this dress is free. While the dress may well be the cherry on the cake, getting ready for us girls involves a lot more effort than a click of a mouse.

So the big night arrives and you’re feeling pretty good. Fast forward to around 9pm and you’re just about ready. You’re pretty sure dinosaurs have lived and gone extinct in the time it’s taken you to do your hair, your nails are polished to perfection, your legs are tanned and glowing, your jewellery is on, your makeup is flawless, your heels are ready to slip on and now for the pièce de résistance– the dress. You take it down from the hanger it’s been so gracefully hanging on, step into it and wriggle it up, slowly close the zipper and voila!

Nope. No, it doesn’t look right. It’s just all wrong. Why is it hanging like that? Is that bit supposed to go there? It’s a really weird length, isn’t it? What’s with this bra? Is that really what I look like from the back? Well it didn’t look like this on the model. I definitely can’t wear this.

30 minutes later you’ve tried on every dress you’ve ever owned – including the strapless peach cocktail dress you wore to your cousin’s wedding – and you hate everything. You have no clothes. The only thing left to do is put on the trusty LBD that you secretly loath because this will be the seventeenth time you’ve been tagged in the same dress! Sacred though it may be, I have to wonder whether our getting ready ritual is slightly ridiculous! If you think you might be a slave to the ritual (don’t worry, I won’t tell) then let me introduce you to something that can help.

Wish Want Wear is a designer dress hire company based right here in London and not only do they have the luxurious wardrobe you’ve always dreamed of, but they are willing to share! From Temperley gowns and cute Milly cocktail dresses to Missoni day dresses and jaw-dropping Mawi jewellery, their virtual wardrobe is quite literally yours for the taking! Think about it, for the same £80 you spent on that Topshop party dress two weekends ago (the one that’s at the bottom of your wardrobe) you could wear any one of these fabulous pieces:

Kitty lace jumpsuit by ALICE by Temperley, Sardinia dress by M Misson, Disco Diva dress by Parker

Last seen on these fabulous people!

Or these celeb favourites!

Bracelet-sleeve fur jacket by Meteo, Tube sun-ray crystal necklace by Mawi

Last seen on these stylistas, Olivia Palermo and Made in Chelsea’s Carly.

Initially, I was skeptical about hiring a dress.

Firstly,

What if I spill something down it? I’m not that clumsy but I can’t be held responsible for my actions after a few glasses of wine.

Secondly,

What if it doesn’t fit?

And thirdly,

What if – like Carrie Bradshaw – we like our money exactly where we can see it, hanging in our wardrobes forever?

1) WWW is just like borrowing from a best friend. But unlike your best friend who might throw a hissy fit if you spill wine all over her favourite frock, WWW understands that broken zippers and general spillages do happen and they won’t charge you for repairable damage. (Phew).

2) WWW offers their customers a range of different services to ensure that the dress does fit. Such as a free back up size, a trial service that gives you the chance to try on three dresses at once and unlimited access to WWW’s dedicated team of stylists who are on hand to tell you everything you need to know about your dream dress. In true best friend fashion, they will never leave you stranded. If neither size fits, they’ll rush you out a replacement dress in time for your event! I wonder if ASOS will ever offer that sort of VIP treatment!

3) As for the third query – it’s time to face the cold, hard facts. Dearest friend, you are never ever going to wear the strapless peach cocktail dress from your cousin’s wedding again. Ever. You may feel happier seeing it hanging in your wardrobe day after day ‘just in case’ the occasion arises, but I’m telling you now – it just won’t.

So to truly test out these queries, I hired a dress for a night out in London with the girls. I chose the Was it worth the wait Kate dress by David Meister and I loved everything about it. The dress retails at £500 so you can imagine my delight when it arrived beautifully packaged at my doorstep for just over 15% of that earth-shattering price tag – £80. Instead of freaking out and repeatedly trying on my entire wardrobe that night, I slipped into this designer dress and immediately felt amazing! I had never worn a designer dress before but it fit perfectly thanks to the advice from WWW’s in-house stylist Catherine, who happily talked me through everything from body shape to dress fabrics! She was kind enough to answer a few questions for us, too.

Q: What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever been asked as Wish Want Wear’s in-house stylist?

A: I was once asked to hold a tiny puppy for an entire appointment – that was a little weird but he was pretty cute too.

Q: Do you have a favourite piece from Wish Want Wear’s current collection?

A: That’s a really hard question to answer as I have so many favourites! At the moment I’d have to say the Chaplin jumpsuit by Tibi. I love the easy to wear and super-cool shape combined with the monochrome palette.

(Take a peek at Catherine’s favourite here)

Q: Have you dressed many celebs for red carpet events?

A: Yes we have dressed many celebrities for different events from red carpet appearances to TV shows and magazine shoots. I think our huge selection of show-stopping dresses and gowns really appeals.

Q: Do you have a style icon?

A: I LOVE Anna Dello Russo! She is the epitome of fashion to me; adventurous, glamorous, daring and fun- all the things that dressing should be.

Here are a few snaps of me in the dress I hired. I know what you’re thinking, how can you possibly send the dress back after falling head over heels in love with it? Well admittedly that is the only downside. But hey, who really wants to be tagged in the same dress twice? I love a trusty LBD as much as the next girl, but if I can wear ALICE by Temperley, Halston Heritage or Just Cavalli instead…well that’s a decision I won’t loose any sleep over!

You can hire this dress here.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I couldn’t resist picking out my favourite dresses for you. If you do fancy giving dress hire a go I highly recommend Wish Want Wear, especially for events that demand an out-of-this-world outfit.