We all like to have our own sense of style and identity through the clothes we wear.
But we buy clothes at popular supermarket chains, there’s a chance we will be wearing the same clothes as someone else, pointed out the “Am I the A**hole?” (AITA) subReddit.
Redditor MissAntrophyy really liked a dress that her sister-in-law had and ended up getting one of her own.
But when her sister-in-law accused her of copying her style, the Original Poster (OP) wondered if she was wrong to buy the dress she liked.
She asked the sub:
“AITA for buying the same dress as my SIL (Sister-in-Law) and copying her style?”
The OP really liked a dress that her sister-in-law (SIL) had.
“A few weeks ago, my brother’s wife/my SIL posted a TikTok, and I thought the dress she wore in the video was super cute, but then I kind of forgot about it.”
“But then, over this past weekend, I happened to see the dress in Old Navy and recognized it immediately.”
“I decided to try it on and it was the most flattering thing I’ve tried on in a long time.”
“I have a lot of body image issues, but I felt beautiful in this dress! So I bought it.”
She wanted to coordinate with her SIL for a wedding.
“We have a family wedding coming up next month and I texted SIL yesterday to ask her what she was planning on wearing.”
“She sent me a pic of a jumpsuit she’s planning on wearing, and I responded, ‘Oh, good, if you’re not going to wear this dress, then I’m going to because I love it!’ and sent a pic of the Old Navy dress.”
“She didn’t respond for a few hours but then finally replied, ‘Sigh. K.'”
“I responded with a question mark, and she replied, ‘I’m just getting really sick of everyone I know copying my style.'”
The OP found herself feeling frustrated.
“I just rolled my eyes and ignored it. But after thinking about it, I’m p**sed off.”
“SIL has always considered herself a fashionista, and to be fair, she always looks really nice and put together.”
“But her style isn’t particularly distinctive or unique. She wears the same types of clothes that I see on everyone our age (late 20s).”
“She gets most of her clothes at places like Old Navy, Target, Abercrombie, and H&M, chain stores that are everywhere.”
“Yes, I was inspired by seeing her in the dress, but I don’t see how I’m copying her style when I bought a dress at one of the biggest affordable clothing chains in the country.”
“Additionally, I wouldn’t wear it to the wedding if she’d been planning on wearing it.”
“But I’m curious what Reddit thinks.”
“AITA for copying her style?”
Fellow Redditors weighed in:
- NTA: Not the A**hole
- YTA: You’re the A**hole
- ESH: Everybody Sucks Here
- NAH: No A**holes Here
Some thought the OP handled this situation perfectly.
“OP didn’t go out of her way to track it down even, she just saw it while out shopping.”
“AND she asked SIL what she was wearing first, she didn’t send a pic of the dress and say, ‘I’m going to wear this to the wedding, I hope you aren’t wearing yours!'”
“OP did literally everything right in this situation, there is not a single detail that would possibly make her a tiny AH.” – OrindaSarnia
“Your SIL sounds petty as f**k. You even checked what she was going to wear to make sure you weren’t matching or anything.”
“Wear your dress, look darn good doing it, and enjoy the event. NTA.” – PenniesAndSense
“For real, she’s not setting up entire outfits from random junk she finds. She bought an off-the-shelf Old Navy dress.”
“That’s like complaining people are copying your cooking when all you make is packaged ramen and boxed hamburger helper.” – neohampster
“If OP had bought the dress, shoes, and accessories, it would be a different story, but one mass-produced dress is not a stolen style.”
“NTA.” – fidelises
“If the sister posts on TikTok, too, then a lot more than just her friends will be inspired by a cute top, a dress, pants.. etc. That’s… kinda how fashion works, and since she calls herself a fashionista, she should know that.”
“It’s not exactly news that we get inspired by others, magazines, and celebs. And when it’s mass-produced, what’s she gonna do? Ban the store selling more after she bought one of something?”
“Besides that, I could see it as copying if OP went out of their way finding the exact same accessories, shoes, etc., for every single outfit the woman wears. But just buying a mass-produced dress? No.”
“OP’s look will be different based on how she makes it fit her style with pieces of jewelry, shoes, etc. You can’t monopolize a piece of clothing. NTA.” – Dangerous-WinterElf
“Plot twist: At the wedding, everybody will wear the same dress, except for SIL.”
“NTA. Liking the same dress as someone else is not the same as ‘copying their style.’ Especially after you respectfully asked her what she would wear.” – recoveringfromreddit
“NTA. It’s one piece of clothing. Heck, when my SIL and I go out and we find something cute that we both like, we both buy it and wear it.”
“It’s not like you went and found every item she’s ever had and bought all the accessories to look identical.”
“SMH (shaking my head), people need to get over themselves.” – Rinzlerin
Others pointed out that the dress was from Old Navy, not a boutique.
“Copying her style, which she bought at Old Navy?”
“Good God, what next, eating French fries from McDonald’s, just like her? DRINKING WATER, LIKE SHE DOES EVERY DAY?”
“The Devil Wears Old Navy. NTA. SIL needs to get over herself.” – Jonny-Pasadena
“Your SIL needs to have all of her clothes custom made instead of shopping at mass retailers if she thinks everyone is copying ‘her style.'”
“Wear the dress and go out and find yourself some awesome accessories.”
“In fact, go to the Old Navy website and see if the dress is available in a different fabric, often they are, and get yourself another one if you truly love it.” – WisdomOfPearl
“LOL (laughing out loud). Girl, it’s Old Navy, it’s not that serious.”
“NTA.” – BroadElderberry
“So many people are wearing the same things from Old Navy. It’s not like it’s from a tiny boutique or handmade.” – JLAOM
“It’s a nice dress but also so generic. I could understand if it was a really distinctive print or something but it’s a dress style a lot of people wear.” – EntrepreneurMany3709
“NTA… It’s a mass-produced dress from Old Navy, not a bridal gown on her wedding day.” – RoyallyOakie
“Man, I was hanging out with a friend and his girlfriend last week and she said she really liked my style and wanted to know where I got my clothes.”
“What I did next will shock SIL!”
“I sent the links to everything I bought in the last two months! She asked if she could wear some of the same patterns and I immediately said h**l yeah, go for it!”
“SIL would faint at my audacity.” – almostinfinity
“NTA. If you’re wearing mass-produced clothing and are surprised to see others in the same clothes, you’re not the sharpest crayon in the box. You’re not copying her style.”
“It’s not even her style, it’s f**king Old Navy’s style.” – DerpDevilDD
“This is like her rolling her eyes if you order a Coca-Cola at lunch.”
“‘Sigh, I’m just getting really sick of everyone I know copying my beverage style…'” – CanadianJediCouncil
“NTA.”
“I am sorry, but buying something from Old Navy shouldn’t be considered copying someone’s style. Old Navy is just too mainstream for that.”
“And copying out item outfit should be taken as a compliment. When you start copying everything, that’s an issue.” – GreekAmericanDom
“NTA.”
“Based on what you wrote, this is the first time this has happened and your intent wasn’t to ‘copy’ her but to get a dress that you liked (that she had) which also happened to flatter you.”
“If she’s going to buy from such huge chain stores, she should expect that other people will have the same stuff as her.”
“I would however recommend that you make a concerted effort to not make a habit of doing this. Try to find stuff you’ve never seen her in, and wear that. Check out many different places.”
“You don’t want her to start describing you as the SIL who always copies her. If there are not many instances of it, then that narrative will be hard to perpetuate.”
“Is there any way for you to personalize it a bit more? A shawl or light jacket you could put over the top of it to individualize it a little more from what she had posted?” – jammy913
Though the subReddit could understand not wanting everyone else to wear the same clothes, they pointed out the sister-in-law could expect it to happen from time to time after shopping at a popular retailer.
As long as the OP didn’t frequently have the same clothes, having a dress in common in their closets was hardly a call for accusing someone of copying their fashion choices.