Fashion FOMO: Why I Buy Everything in Twos

It started off rather innocently. I was at Aritzia, about 8 years ago (I lived in Ottawa back then to study and Montreal had yet to be blessed with the greatness that is Aritzia). I was perusing the new arrivals section when I saw a gorgeous trench coat, but I couldn’t decide if I wanted it in black or in the traditional trench colour. My boyfriend at the time saw how much I liked them both and decided to get one for me for my birthday so that I could have it in the two colourways.

Fast-forward to now, and this anecdotal event has morphed into a habit that I just can’t quit! It’s a force bigger than me: whenever I like something, I simply must have it in twos and, sometimes, even in threes. If I don’t, it’s guaranteed fashion FOMO for the next few weeks. Indeed, my brain keeps imagining all of the possibilities in terms of outfits; if only I had purchased the same item in the other colour! Recent offenders include, but are not limited to : my Réalisation Par dresses, my new Adam Selman X Le Specs sunnies, two Aritzia summer dresses, and countless t-shirts and suit jackets that, frankly, I’m too embarrassed to enumerate. Hi, my name is Barbara and I’m addicted to buying things in double!

Photo Credit : The Telegraph
Shea Marie and Caroline Vreeland : (almost) same dress, two outfits!

To be fair, though at first sight hard on the wallet, this little life hack has helped me save time and money in the long run. Don’t believe me? Let me explain. I’m personally not someone who likes to think for hours about what I’m going to wear the next day. I’m not a fashion editor and my job usually doesn’t require that I be wearing the latest trends. At the contrary, I need outfits that hint at trends but that are above all functional and professional-looking. So having a uniform  in an array of different colours helps me with the decision process. Also, when I buy things in twos (like T-shirts for instance), it’s much cheaper to wait for a sale or a promotion (2 for x$ anyone?) than to buy a single white tank-top in an emergency situation.

Photo Credit : The Telegraph
I bet KenGi swap jackets all the time!

All in all, I do not plan on changing this seemingly bizarre habit, as it has seen me through many an outfit conundrum. But I also won’t make a list of everything I own in both colourways, lest I truly grasp the magnitude of the issue situation.