Houston startup outfits the fashionably fabulous more affordably

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Whether you're looking for the prefect prom dress or the right frock for a fete, getting dressed up for any fancy event can be a big production.

"Nobody wants to go broke and look fabulous while doing it," Zhanna Babchuk said, surrounded by the glittering dresses of Lola Bella Boutique in the River Oaks shopping center.

Fed up with wasting so much money on designer dresses, shoes and accessories only to don them for one night, Babchuk had an idea -- a rental service not unlike what she was already doing with friends in an effort to save some money.

"We just ended up borrowing dresses from friends, exchanging between girlfriends and at some point, I had this idea -- why not make money by doing it?" she said.

Babchuk ditched her full-time banking job in New York City and moved to Houston with her husband, who works in the oil industry.

"Houston is very fashionable, diverse -- I love that part," said Babchuk.

A combination of the words "posh" and "share," it was here in Houston in February 2016 that she started Poshare. Based as an online website, women can rent formal, cocktail and party gowns starting at just $20.

"If you are looking to rent a dress, you can normally rent four to five dresses for the price of buying one," she said of the economically savvy concept.

There are other rental apps and websites on the market, but instead of dresses worn dozens of times over and sent around the country, Poshare receives much of its inventory from local stores, like Lola Rose, right from the racks.

Babchuk said the company is also expanding to bridesmaid dresses that can be ordered three to 12 months in advance. Users can even make alterations to dresses.

As a "curated business community," Babchuk hopes to partner with more local shops to expand their rental selection, proving to even well-heeled Houstonians you don't need to own in order to be fashion-forward.

Poshare is offering a promotional discount exclusively to ABC13 viewers! Use discount code "ABC 13" to get 10 percent off any order on Poshare.com, no minimums or exceptions.

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