Tip: Buying Off the Rack

Celebrities aren't the only ones searching for exclusive outfits to wear to events. Three big moments for me: Prom, Ebony Ball and my 28th Birthday Party were fashion nightmares! I had an unwanted twin at each of these events. I laugh about it now, but in the moment I remember feeling like I lost my  puppy. Of course you shouldn't let it ruin your night or kill your vibe but after putting all that effort into stunting it can be heartbreaking.  So then, reality hits and you realize that department store you shopped in had about 8 of the same dresses on the rack and they came in 4 different colors!

If you read my last tip, remember I said follow your instincts when shopping. My instinct said "There are way too many of these dresses, somebody is bound to have it." What did I do? I bought the dress anyway and didn't follow my gut because the dress was just too cute! You can probably guess what happened that evening, somebody had the exact same dress but in a different color.

Now, I'm not saying don't buy the piece, I'm just saying know your event.  Try to gauge the type of people that will be there and the amout. I should've worn that dress to dinner with a small crowd or on a date with my husband.  I should NOT have worn it to an urban nightclub in Chicago because the chances of another girl wearing the same dress was much higher.

So, how do you ensure you don't get caught up rocking the same fit?  Let's look at it this way, men are way less likely to have this happen because they typically wear outfits made up of pieces. It's highly unlikely two guys will have on the exact same tie, with the same button down shirt, blazer and pants. The more pieces you incorporate into your look the harder it is to duplicate. There's  no need to do anything drastically different. You don't need to get a fit made, spend major mula at a boutique or even shop online you should just decide to piece together an outfit when going to a large event. 

Now, I know it's much easier to just wear a dress, but building an outfit does a couple things.  it allows you to incorporate your personality and personal touch.  It also gives you the freedom to shop at popular stores and not worry so much that someone will have the same outfit, unless of course you choose the outfit on the manikin, that's a no, no!

If, at the end of the day you still have a twin, don't let it ruin your night.  Take a picture with the person, joke about it, tell them they look good and keep it moving. If you're brave and know you looked good in it, post the pic and caption it "Who Wore It Best?" Really people, at the end of the day they're just clothes we're not curing world hunger lol.

Checkout the look I pieced together for New Years 2015. "Look me in my face, I ain't got no worries!"