As we head into the summer party season, seven ways to avoid the nightmare of wearing what she’s wearing

If you buy the same favorite fashion items as your friends and you’ll all be at the same weddings, baptisms and big birthday parties this summer, we all know what’s coming.

It’s bad enough that you might end up wandering around a posh country garden in exactly the same dress as a fellow guest. Much worse can be the chatter between some of your less friendly friends about who uses it better.

If the very possibility of this makes you want to decline all invitations (and having a sense of humor about it is out of the question), then some fashion damage limitation is what you need.

So here are the eight most effective ways to avoid wearing what she’s wearing and, if all else fails, the tips and tricks to make sure you’re the one who comes out on top!

Use the unexpected

Wearing white to a wedding is a way to almost guarantee that you won’t run into any other guests. Who else would be brave enough? Opt for softer off-white shades of ecru, café au lait or caramel and you’ll be sailing just on the right side of acceptable.

Likewise, an elegant jewel-colored tuxedo jacket for a formal dinner greatly reduces your chances of matching with another guest.

Do it like this last season

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a new dress for your big summer party. In fact, this may be the time to pull something considerably older from the back of the closet: a favorite that perhaps deserves another outing.

Or to avoid a fashion double dip altogether, find a vintage fashion website. The Collectibles has a stellar selection of Chanel, Miu Miu, Valentino and Roberto Cavalli that you can be sure no one else will wear, although maybe they wish they had. Budget a little tighter? Head to your local thrift boutique or Vinted.

Be stylish, not trendy.

That huge bow on your shoulder; the floral bouquet at the collar or the billowing flower appliqués running down each sleeve of the jacket (see Nadine Merabi) make joyful statements. The problem is that you won’t be the only one who thinks this way.

If they can be easily removed (if necessary), you may think it’s worth the risk. If not, show off your style with accessories. You’ll get a lot more fashion mileage out of this Rixo bag than you will out of that feathered dress.

The separated will save you

You may only be half-wrong if someone else has copied your look.

If you’re both wearing a pink pantsuit, simply taking off the jacket could save the day, especially if you haven’t made an obvious choice with what to wear underneath (it would be the white t-shirt or the matching t-shirt). vest).

Opt for a sleeveless shirt with contrasting colored stripes or Aspiga’s Ilana Frill organic cotton chiffon top that can be worn on or off the shoulder. High Street is full of raised separations.

If he’s Insta famous, avoid him!

Remember that year when Zara’s polka dot dress was so ubiquitous that it spawned its own Instagram account? It was a lesson in avoiding the obvious and it’s happening again.

You’ll probably want to stray away from M&S’s dress of the season: a square-necked white cotton midi dress, which sold 45 units every hour on its launch Saturday. It’s fine for a backyard barbecue, but too risky for any big summer party.

Opt for more classic pieces: a halter-neck dress with a tiered skirt (like Wyse London’s Bethany Dress in Midnight) or a flattering fit and flare or shirt dress (Lexy London has tons)—styles that won’t necessarily make a fashion statement. . turned on, but will still be usable more than six weeks after purchase.

Buy block color (but not yellow)

Fashion is fickle. Yellow was the most popular color at the Chelsea Flower Show this year and, as a result, the hue will inevitably seep into wardrobes.

Stay away and opt for other block colors. You only need to look at the fashion barometer up to 2022 to see that raspberry, cerulean blue and tangerine orange were filling the runways and are just as beautiful now as they were then.

Remember, a standout print will be much harder to hide if two of you wear it. With a base of one core color, you can style your outfit to look completely different. If you have the white embroidered Romina maxi dress from Sezane, for example, take off the plain belt it comes with and add something of your own that’s colorful and more structured.

Take a neutral wide-leg pant and a jacket or linen tailoring and dress it up with transformative pieces like Sezane’s High Clarisse Bow Mules in orange satin.

These accessories will take away the look of your double and leave you victorious when it comes to style.

And if all else fails, put your party coat back on…

If you have ignored all the advice given here and now find yourself in the intolerable position of being outdressed by someone who has the same style as you, there is only one thing to do: hide your clothes and pretend none of this is happening.

A light party coat will do this for you instantly. Add a different layer without sinking into fabric or getting too hot. Beautifully solved problem.