I use the term ‘gown’ loosely here since some of these items could be more accurately described as maxi dresses. But I’m throwing them all in one edit anyways. From left to right, top to bottom:

Orange halter gown, pictured at Columbia University in NYC: Solace London

Solace. London. One of my absolute favorite cutting-edge brands, with the most eclectic designs. When I was looking for a gown to wear to this grad event I knew I wanted something that no one else in the room would be wearing, which would be tough to find on RTR. I went ahead with this one, with a plunging neckline and a black/white feather print that looks more like a 70s-style retro pattern. Orange isn’t always the most popular color because it’s associated with tacky traffic cones, but this dress made it look cool.

Baby blue off-shoulder maxi dress, pictured at Le Coucou in NYC: Yumi Kim

Another Yumi Kim favorite of mine! Nobody does florals better than Yumi Kim and the delicate pink and white floral print on this one went well with the wispy material of the gown. Cheeky little leg slit means the dress moves with you, following you, giving you an aura of effortless breeziness. (Running out of brain energy to come up with better turns of phrase here…)

Black gown, pictured at the New York Public Library in NYC: Likely

Honestly was just happy I had an event fancy enough to wear a gown to, since RTR first became known for its gowns, after all. Didn’t want to go too overboard at this event so stuck with a classic black staple, with unique touches – a form-fitting mermaid silhouette, plunging neckline, and a cheeky little cutout. (Bonus: my friend’s gown is Aidan Mattox)

Prairie gown, pictured at 228 Peace Park in Taipei, Taiwan: Free People

This bright red and blue maxi dress from Free People is gorgeous, with a skirt than blooms outward, but it’s definitely heavier than it looks! I call it a prairie gown because of the style – long sleeved with a boho-blouse neckline, and a floral print. Classic Free People.

Floral maxi dress, pictured at Canopy Court in Atlanta, Georgia: Dodo Bar Or

I rented this because it reminded me of Murakami, and that’s probably what it was intended to do, anyway. Bright pop art on a dress – what more could you ask for? Neon colors, splashed across the dress as if it was a canvas. Material was quite heavy but well worth it.

White hearts dress, pictured at Ponce City Market in Atlanta, Georgia: Hutch

This is far from a gown, in my opinion, but I’m including it here anyways. I loved this rental so much because of the tiny colorful hearts covering the silky dress (naturally, I had to pair it with heart earrings). The little details, including the low neckline, buttons down the front of the dress, and ruffled hem, made it such a cute item to wear.