Dress for Less with Borrowed Duds

The thrill of wearing someone else's clothes comes early—who hasn't played dress-up with mom's evening gowns or high heels as soon as we could walk? And the fun of shopping someone else's closet rarely goes away as we get older; if anything, it's more fun to borrow your best friend's designer shoes or your sister's perfect night-out shirt once you're finally old enough to appreciate them. (This is part of what makes clothing swap parties such an easy green move: you're getting new stuff that has no production footprint.)

Of course, if your best friend's paycheck doesn't leave any room for her to buy the latest Louboutin's, or your sister's style is totally different from yours, then try a product service system (PSS) that lets you sport jewelry, clothes, or bags without a major investment. Here are three of our favorites:

- Bag, Borrow, or Steal: This site is one of the most popular bag rental companies around. For a relatively small monthly membership fee, you can borrow the newest designer carryalls, clutches, and totes-plus there's a buying option if you just can't bring yourself to give it back.

- Borrowed Bling: Take a page from the starlets who walk the red carpet dripping with borrowed diamonds and rent your jewels instead—you can show off new gems at every event (without those ever-present Harry Winston bodyguards).

- Ilus: This NYC boutique offers three-day rentals on gowns from designers including Badgley Mischka and Nicole Miller. One note on renting dresses: you can't have them altered, so uber-important occasions might require a purchase (we suggest looking for something vintage).

Love green gadgets, fashion, and news? Get the latest from Planet Green's dynamic duo Suchin Pak and Daniel Sieberg on the G Word.