Outfit repeating, wearing an outfit more than once in a documentable setting, is a faux pas that dates back to… when, exactly? The first time someone showed up to a function wearing a notable outfit, only to be clocked in the exact same ensemble by judgey onlookers? Probably. The point is, we all know that finding a photo-worthy ‘fit comes at a cost: It can’t be repeated for the same audience. 

If your adolescence overlapped with the Lizzie McGuire movie, you’re likely still haunted by its most salient line: “Lizzie McGuire, you are an outfit repeater!”

Uttered by mean girl Kate Sanders, the line deftly cemented outfit-repeating as a sartorial no-no for yet another generation. And, thanks to TikTok and Instagram, this generation has far more opportunities to commit its cardinal sins, as well as a host of influencers to measure up to. The shame of getting labeled an outfit repeater — once largely reserved for celebrities who showed up in tabloids — is now applicable to everyone who posts, plus their followers. The result? We’re wearing, buying, and tossing clothes at lightning speed. 

For celebrities, influencers, and fashion industry professionals who regularly attend high-visibility events and parties, the pressure to dress to impress is a given. After all, part of their job is to look good: that means sporting the latest designer goods, which, more often than not, they’ve been lent or gifted by a brand. It makes sense that they would wear an outfit only once. But Kendall Becker, a fashion director and writer who works with trend forecasting companies, is noticing that her friends are using these VIPs as a model for their own dressing and, thus, consumption habits. “That’s what’s the most alarming to me — it has reached our philosophy for dressing for everything from workout classes to dinner dates.”

Exposed to a steady stream of shoppable content from the personalities we see on-screen, it’s no wonder we feel pressure to buy, buy, buy. Business of Fashion’s 2022 “State of Fashion” survey reports that “74 percent of consumers say that they’re now more influenced to shop via social media than before the pandemic, and 70 percent cite clothing as one of the product categories they shop for most on social media.” But according to Arielle Van-Mballa, a model and content creator, the 'fit pics and OOTDs we see on social media aren’t always as they seem. Some of her friends “will archive posts on Instagram of them wearing a certain outfit so they can repeat it” without getting called out. “As someone who cares about being sustainable, it’s a constant headache when you feel like you have to perform all the time via new outfits,” she says. “You’re trying to not only stay within budget but [also] show something new to your audience.”

Speaking of budget, social media strategist and writer Rachel Lewis points out the “major class element” at play in the struggle to maintain an evergreen wardrobe. “You have people making ‘normal people money’ trying to get the same amount of views and praise as wealthy people,” she says. “It can feel impossible to keep up and be on trend because it literally is.” This has some sartorial strivers turning to fast fashion, an industry that encourages consumers to prioritize trendiness over quality and sustainability. Others are using “buy now, pay later” platforms like Klarna, Afterpay, and Affirm, which help cash-strapped shoppers take out loans on pricey items (and sometimes drive them into debt). 

We all want to conform to some extent, but that doesn’t have to mean compromising on our values — or compromising our wallets — in the process. “We owe it to ourselves not to try to keep up in a system that makes us fail by default, but I also acknowledge that it’s hard because we want to look good. We want to be respected in our lives and at work,” Lewis says. To buy is to have financial and social capital, and young people, Gen Zers especially, aren’t typically in financially stable positions. “It’s a tricky situation…I don’t blame anyone who feels that outside pressure to compete because it’s forced upon us with every scroll, every job interview, and every interaction we have where we wonder, ‘Do I look too broke to be in this room?’” 

So, what does wearing the same thing twice really say about you? That you can’t afford to buy new clothes? Or that you believe clothes are made to be worn? Definitively and objectively, there’s nothing inherently wrong with outfit repeating. We’ll say it louder for the people in the back: Wearing the same outfit more than once is a normal part of our routines that we’ve been conditioned to cringe at. 

Luckily, there are things you can do to combat the pressure to overstuff your wardrobe. Try sorting through what you already own when you feel the urge to buy a new release. And while rental platforms and secondhand shops have been subject to criticism of their own, they offer a more affordable way to experiment with trends. 

But most importantly, don’t forget that much of the content you come across online is trying to sell you something — after all, we live in a capitalist world. At work, Becker notices the impact this never-ending stream of ads, shoppable posts, and advertorials has on her clients. “There’s a sense of urgency, and even anxiety, that has entered conversations,” she says. The retailers and brands she works with worry they’re “missing out on a selling opportunity that their competitors may be partaking in,” leading them to double down on trends that just don’t align with their customer base — for example, a more conservative brand might start introducing “hot pink, cut-outs, and sparkles, just because Gen Z TikTokers are talking about it.”  But newness always wears off. Becker recommends using trend insight as an “aid” rather than the be-all-end-all of dressing decisions.

Ultimately, outfit repeating is a testament to personal style — If we’re not re-wearing garments that truly spark joy, what’s the point of getting dressed in the first place? “I appreciate it when someone notices I’m wearing a piece they’ve seen before,” Van-Mballa says. “It shows that it’s a great garment or item that will last for years to come.” 

Plus, most people are more concerned about what they look like than what you’re wearing. To quote the iconic Lizzie McGuire clapback: “I may be an outfit repeater, but you're an outfit rememberer, which is just as pathetic!”