Dress Drama: Handling a Copycat
Talking about the prom dress of your dreams with your BFFs adds to the excitement of prom dress shopping. When youve finally decided which dress will be THE dress for you, it is hard to keep your decision to yourself.
Lets take this situation. You and your inner circle has been busy exchanging dress ideas before shopping. To be safe, you have just sent to almost every girl you know a
"This is my dress do not buy it" email which includes a link to the dress that is being shipped to you from PromGirl.com. The next week at school you get a text from one of your pals reading: OMG check out the dress I got for prom : ) ! You open the link to her dress and, to your horror, it looks strikingly similar to yours
Before you beat yourself up over not trade marking the color blue and the sweetheart neckline, take a deep breath. It is not the end of the world if one of your friends has a dress similar to yours. Maybe you have a similar fashion sense, or are following the same fashion trend. The important thing to note is that she didnt get the
exact same dress.
If this happens to you, here are some ways to combat your copycat:
Accessorize: There is no way you and your frenemy will end up being prom twins if you have better bling than she does. If you get the right accessories, you can completely change the look of a dress. Plan how your shoes, purse, and jewelry will go with your dress an give it a complete and unique look. You can even plan to wear a shawl or sequin bolero over you dress. This gives you an opportunity for a grand reveal of your outfit once you get to the dance.
Hair and Makeup: The right hairstyle and makeup is another way to really change the look of your dress. Consider adding a special touch to your hair, like glitter spray or a fresh flower to really make your look stand out and further distinguish yourself. It might be smart to sit down with your friend and plan out how you both are going to build looks around your dresses. This will insure that you will both have different styles for prom thus stopping World War III before it starts!
What if you really cant deal? Hopefully a similar dress wont be the reason to take separate limos or stay on opposite sides of the venue, but if an agreement cant be worked out, there are still options! Consider a simple alteration of the dress like adding a ribbon bow around the waist, adding on some beading for accent or even chopping your long dress short. Be creative! There are many things that you can do yourself that will help you look better and stand apart from your copycat!
Here is an example how the same dress can look drastically different with very little effort. Jwoww from Jersey Shore (left) is going for a much different look with her soft, side-swept curls and chunky jewelry than Michelle Trachtenberg (right) who has a more casual look. Both celebrities are wearing the same dress, yet both look different. Follow their lead in dealing with your copycat.
