When Holly Lattanzi married Jacob DiCesare in Heinz Chapel last year, her heart belonged to her new husband, but her earrings belonged to someone else.

"Everyone wears costumey jewelry and cheap jewelry, and I didn't want to. Then I thought about borrowing. If celebrities do it, why can't I?" she said.

Mrs. DiCesare, a lawyer from Shadyside, discovered Adorn, a New York company that rents expensive pieces for not just weddings but other special occasions.

"We think celebrities shouldn't be the only ones to have all the fun," said Laura Carrington, vice president and chief stylist for Adorn Ventures. "It's the average person's one day where they feel they're on the red carpet, where all the attention is focused on them."

Some jewelry stores already lend or rent pieces for local special occasions. What makes Adorn (www.adornbrides.com) different is that it is based on what many in the business refer to as the "Netflix" model. You go online, browse through the inventory and, after signing up for what is often a free membership, rent jewelry that will be shipped directly to your home.

Mrs. DiCesare rented an $8,000 pair of diamond-and-pearl drop earrings for less than $400. After she and her new husband left on their honeymoon, family members returned the earrings, in a pre-paid mailer, via Federal Express.

The Netflix model is burgeoning online. You can rent luxury items ranging from $24,000 diamond necklaces to $1,500 vintage Chanel handbags to $6,000 couture "runway" dresses -- all delivered to your door.

In an economy rocked by recession, the allure of luxury for less is really taking off. The typical customer isn't wealthy, but she -- and it is more likely a she -- has designer tastes.

"In this market, there are definitely advantages [to renting]," said Mike Smith, CEO of Seattle-based Avelle, which has rebranded itself from its original 2004 incarnation as Bag, Borrow or Steal.

The company received a commercial boost when the producers of the "Sex and the City" movie called to ask if they could write it into the script. In it, Jennifer Hudson's character explains to her employer the joys of renting luxury goods.

"We were not a product placement, they came to us," Mr. Smith said. "It was fabulous, one of those things that doesn't come along very often."

The typical Avelle client, he said, is between 25 and 40 years old, has an annual income more than $100,000 and has a college degree. She is likely to be married and have children.

"But the big commonality is, she LOVES fashion," he said.

Handbags are still Avelle's mainstay, but the company has expanded its merchandise to include watches, jewelry and luggage.

Avelle (www.bagborroworsteal.com) is run by former businessmen and women from online operations of Nordstrom, Blue Nile and Lands End. The 4,000-plus styles of handbags can be negotiated through Web site features that filter items by designer, price, color, size and an on-site "matchmaker" feature that virtually walks the consumer through, asking questions.

As with many online rental programs, clients can purchase an item at discount if they choose.

A woman in Sewickley who requested anonymity (she doesn't want her husband to know) is obsessed with handbag design. Having saved up to buy a Louis Vuitton back in college, she heard about Avelle through the "Sex and the City" movie and was delighted with the selection.

"I'm not a huge shopper like I used to be, but this helps indulge me a little bit, and I know I can send it back," said the woman, who rents between eight and 10 designer bags a year from Avelle at a cost of between $300 and $600 a month.

The client said she and her husband attend a number of black-tie functions, which makes her the target audience for the most-buzzed new online company, Rent The Runway (www.renttherunway.com/pittsburghgazette).

Recent Harvard Business School grads Jennifer Fleiss and Jennifer Hyman were profiled last week in The New York Times after the official launch. Membership is limited: Ms. Fleiss said there are about 45,000 signed up with at least that many on the waiting list.

Although there are online companies that rent evening wear, including Wear Today, Gone Tomorrow (www.WearTodayGoneTomorrow.com), Rent The Runway has designers creating couture specifically for its customers.

"Designers are excited about this. The typical line at Bloomingdale's or Bergdorf [Goodman] is that you don't see so many designer pieces, they just buy the little black dress," Ms. Fleiss said.

Chicago designer Peter Soronen created a knockout sequined gown for Michelle Obama to wear at the White House Governors Ball last February. For Rent The Runway, he designed a cocktail-length version that would retail for $1,430, but can be yours to rent for $200.

Clients can order a dress in two sizes at no extra charge, just to be sure it will fit. Orders arrive with a "fit kit" including double-sided tape, and there is online help. For anyone wondering if that corseted dress might not work out, a second style can be ordered for an additional $25.

Renting clothing can be tricky due to size and the delicate nature of the wares. Insurance is offered for $5 at Rent The Runway, and the rental price for Adorn includes insurance. Destroy the dress or lose the bracelet, however, and you're responsible for the replacement cost.

Summer Uppencamp, who married Ryan Kays on Sept. 26 in their home state of Indiana, rented $11,250 earrings from Adorn that cost her less than $250.

"They were beautiful," said Mrs. Kays, who now lives in Coraopolis. "Although I think my parents and my husband were much more nervous that I was going to lose them."

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