It's truly unfair to be walking around town and see someone in the exact same outfit as you from J Crew. You had tried SO hard to make it unique with the bold earring choice and coral wedges- but trying hard never appears to be good enough. Susie Q shows up in the exact same outfit and does it better. Experiencing the initial shock is the hardest part of the wardrobe challenge. You must do your best to avoid placing your hand over your mouth, rolling your eyes or giving Susie Q the once over to see if you did the outfit better than her. It's like those magazine articles about celebrities, "who did it best"- except instead of readers it's the audience around you and instead of celebrities it's average you and Susie Q. You awkwardly play it off like it's just so cool that you're matching today- and oh! Great minds think alike Susie!
bull.
You're both so angry that this happened and you could literally pull the bubble necklace right off Susie so that you would win the competition.
Don't pretend you don't feel this way. And sure, if it's your best friend you may be excited that you both think alike and just how perfect you are as BFFs. Any other time you would rather run.
Especially at prom. Having the same dress as another girl at prom is the 2nd worst wardrobe matching malfunction that there is.
I like to refer to this horribly awkward situation as WWMM.
First, let me preface this by saying I don't actually believe people from age 30 to 49 are "old"- just to clarify and save myself from endless rants about how I supposedly called you old- I did NOT.
Having the same, exact, outfit as someone older than about the age of 30 falls under WWMM. This goes past the stage of awkward chit chat about where you got your dress and just how much you LOVE J Crew to the point of running away and considering eating dinner at a different restaurant just so no one spots you and your matching friend. This is just awkward because you reconsider your choice of outfit wondering if you should have waited 10 years to wear it. This isn't meant to be offensive though- let's be honest, people my age don't want to see a 40 year old in a short shorts (not that all people my age should be in short shorts...). There is appropriate dress for different ages and if you're out of your category- on either end- it's questionable.
Here are a few examples of this occurring in my oh so awkward life.
Exhibit A:
2 years ago when I was dating my ex, I bought a red dress. His mom, sister and I enjoyed shopping together and we spotted a great sale at Macy's and found great church dresses for 20 bucks or so. His mom and I got the same dress, but I had gotten mine shortened (since it went down to about knee length) so it was something I would wear more. I showed up to his graduation Sunday and first saw his grandmother- Memom. Memom chuckled, unsure of what to say and gave me a hug. I wondered why she was chuckling but just figured it was "good ole memom" being sweet as always. I glanced over toward the rest of the family and noticed his mother-wearing- oh yes- the red dress. I was mortified, unsure of what to do, and overall did not handle it well. I avoided sitting near her the rest of the service, but of course we just had to get a picture together.
Once again a church story- who's surprised? I show up to church in a new J Crew dress I bought for work and who's wearing the same dress? A lady in probably about her 50s. Score. Once again- had to get a pic. Never fails.
Exhibit C:
Wearing the same bathing suit as your aunt to a water park. No- this didn't happen yet and will be avoided. C actually inspired this post. Tonight, as my aunt was unpacking I noticed a bathing suit in her bag. My mom had shipped the same one to me from North Carolina today so that I had an water park appropriate suit (instead of a strapless one). Hers was a one piece and mine was a bikini- but still- exact same. Thankfully, this crisis will be avoided thanks to my (s/o) Aunt Jennifer who will be letting me borrow one of her suits. So much for my mom shipping mine.
BUT WAIT- 2 days later I realize there's no way I'm fitting in my aunts bathing suit so this happens:
Oh- and the older people get so excited. They think to themselves- YES. I am wearing an age appropriate dress that a younger girl thought to buy. Me on the other hand- I'm running for the bathroom in order to asses how bad the situation is and what I can do to deawkwardtize it.
The best thing to do in this situation (I've learned from a lot of experience)- Play it cool. Let the older party have their shining moment and be excited about the WWMM. Nothing is more awkward then you getting embarrassed about it, therefore making them feel old. Joke- maybe tell them that they wear it better- whatever makes you feel most comfortable!
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