My husband and I have three Rivendells. Yes they are beautiful bikes.
My husband's both fit him perfectly, but my Rambouillet definitely does not fit me as comfortably as my tig-welded steel custom Luna bike. Some women have fit/reach issues on 'unisex' Rivendells (I find the term 'unisex' is usually secret code for 'designed for men, but might work for some women too'').

If you have dreams about Rivendells but can't afford them, may I suggest you find another steel lugged bike, either older or new, and accessorize it in a retro manner.
'Full retro nerd mode' usually means fenders, no more than 9 speed setup, full spoke-age, non-clipless (cages or platforms), real leather saddle (as opposed to plastic, foam, and gel), and down tube shifters (or at least bar-end). Depends on your goals and preferences.