I duplicate items that I know are workhorses or are a size that's hard to find.

For instance, I duplicate boots and oxfords for sure when I find a shoe I love in my holy grail size of 10 N. I've also duplicated an Aritizia wool high neck sweater that instantly became a much loved and worn item. (My husband bought me the first one for my birthday when I admired it online.) I now have 8 of them. Wear the heck out of them all.

An item I so wish I had duplicated 10-fold was the Kut from the Kloth Diana skinny jean when the company used to make them in a 98% cotton, 2% Spandex mix. Alas, they no longer do, and the two pairs I have are long in the tooth, and the recently the knee ripped open on one pair. I can't stand jeans with a lot of stretch in them because they instantly bag out on me. I prefer my jeans with structure, not softness. Maybe I should write KK and beg them to reissue their Diana's in the old fabrication.

I do with shoes and jeans. Once I find a pair that fit me perfect I will stock up.

Shoes I will buy the same style but different colours. Jeans tend to be same colour, dark blue or black.

Sort of! I have quite a nice collection of modern harem and sarouel pants. I don't have any actual repeats but there are two pairs I have that I have seriously thought of repeating. Thankfully they are from labels who participate in a more slow fashion movement so I believe they will the two styles will be around for a long time.

I do wish I had thought to purchase a second pair of my skirted leggings. I finally found 'my' pair by Australian made label Motto. They are an absolute staple item in my wardrobe. They are wearing well and the quality means they will have longevity. I am currently gently 'lobbying' the designer to repeat the design lol. Wish me luck.

Multiple buyer. Ilestnef my lesson long ago. My limit is 3

Donna F - I have a peanut sized head (with very big thoughts of course!!) but hats are very hard to find. I can understand why stock up is a must especially rain hats which are a real hewi. Congrats on finding something that works at all!!

binkle - yes I've donated my share of things with tags but I've also bowed down and kissed the ground when I had a back up to some items. It's a tough call. If you feel confident that there will be a next iteration and that you are usually happy with it, that is of course the best financial decision.

Kate - you are delurked's poster child for 8 is better!! Now you are a girl after my own heart!! I feel your pain of the KFTH jeans. When Lucky Brand changed the fabric on the Lola skinnies, I could have cried. Yes I have duplicates but I've already been through 2 pr and I'm babying the third. They won't last forever. Why Lucky brand, Why?!!!

juecav - yes two of the hardest to fit items. Shoes and jeans. Pays to stock up!!

Deborah - I feel you pain on this. Thank god Nordstrom has the EF skirted leggings on replenishment. In fact they have the BE nude quad palate on replenishment too. Why do brands stop producing such popular items and thank god for the replenishment agreements. I would definitely lobby motto. You never know and it can't hurt.

Ledonna - that's a great plan and three is usually my lucky number unless it's stocking up. Then I go with delurk's .....8!!

Absolutely, because I tend to like what I like regardless of trends, although I try to be discerning about which items to stock up on, as I've had to pass on a few duplicates I never needed. Shoes especially, because they inevitably get scuffed, and I like knowing that I have a second pair in the wings for beloved pairs. Really perfect workhorse dresses, too - the ones I wear on a near-weekly basis - and my three pairs of most-worn earrings. I consider the second pairs to be insurance policies on my favorite items.

Penny - we are two peas in the cautionary and prepared pod. Building redundancy into the system. And a work of caution my beloved coach Annabelle needs repair. The leather loop which holds the metal loop to which the strap attaches just ripped through last night. I will be bringing it to coach for repair but color me happy that I bought a back up for....just in case.....!!

I search for low prices, but pretty much always buy with an eye towards "forever". Angie's comment that she isn't looking for that kind of shoe anymore because it's now time for the fall fashion season threw me, because price is far more important than season to me--I prefer classics that I can wear for years, so the season will come around again. But then I'm not a fashion consultant.
I was pleased to get a very, very slightly used Coach purse for $25, but then disappointed in Coach when I wore out the strap within a year and learned they no longer repair their products free of charge. For my birthday this year, my mom took it and several pairs of boots to the shoe repair in my hometown. They all look beautiful now, imho.

fashiontern - coach only repairs free of charge if it's a defect or within one year of purchase. My bag is well loved. I will bring it back to coach because I trust their craftsmanship and they will have leather closest for replacement but I'm sure it will be expensive to repair. But I will enjoy if for many more years to come. I think it's awesome you have your pieces repaired too. I'd much rather resole or repair if I love a piece. Everyone cares about different things. Being fiscally savvy and careful is a good thing. Angie's job as fashion consultant requires her to look current at all times. I also remember reading that she places some of her loved pieces with people who will give them a second life and a good home. I also know she keeps special pieces for a long time. Any time we make well thought out decisions they are right for us. and BTW awesome price on the coach!! Well worth the repair cost!!

Gryffin, I had zero intent of throwing any shade on Angie, which is why I pointed out that her requirements are different from mine.

Fashiontern - I never thought you did. I was simply paying both of you a compliment.

I have stocked up. When it's the same item, in the same color, this hasn't worked well for me in the past. Miraculously that becomes the item where the original never seems to wear out and need replacing! But when I duplicate in 2 different colors and use both at the same time, that seems to work for me.

I've been trying to think of examples where I've done this, but all I keep thinking of are household things, not clothes, like vacuum cleaner bags, kitchen sponges, potholders, where I've squirreled away spares.

When I went grey a few years ago, grey didn't seem to be very popular. So whenever I found something in a "good" grey, I would buy it. Consequently, I have quite a few pairs of grey boots. They're not all the same, but they're all grey.

I do not stock up, EVER!
I never feel like I'm not going to find a replacement...maybe because I have conventional style, or maybe I just have a lot of faith in the future
I actually think the quality of a lot of things is going UP on the low end.

I may have done it in the past, but now I can't afford to do so. And I am not very worried about the future. I think there will always be some possibilities for me. Besides, my preferences may be (at least slowly) changing,

Lisa - isn't that amazing if it's identical it lasts. I know it's a totally waste but is it horrible that that is kind of thrilling, from one who duplicates!! But I'm glad your system of duplicating different colors is working out for you!
Jaileen - please don't get me started on household duplication!! I build "redundancy" into the system. Actually "good" grays are extremely difficult to find. Since I limit my palate to black, gray with hints of white I really understand this. Clear not muddy grays are a hewi. I can't blame you for stocking up on that!!
smittie - I so admire your ability to trust that the future will work out exactly as it's supposed to. I guess my aesthetic is so well defined and not mainstream that fuels my duplication. I really applaud your willingness to see and be open to the new. Kudos!!
The Cat - duplication is expensive and makes no sense if your style is evolving. In fact, being financially astute and buying only what you need now makes much more sense when you are still refining your style.

All very interesting. I duplicate similar but not identical styles, my "essentials" via Angie's definition. So have 3 black winter layering Ts. Wearing one right now on a road trip day, full long sleeves to be warmer. Another two are 3/4 sleeved, one has very thin merino in it and another not. They all have a scoop neck which suits me and probably not many people could tell the difference. I do wear them all many times. And yet, with 2 very similar black cropped summer pants, I ended up wearing one much more than the other. The favoured one then died so I wore the other which then also died. I have bought only one new pair but have duplicated it in navy, will see of that works better for our summer at the end of 2017.

Jenni - we are not quite twins I have the jcrew Jackie cotton crew neck sweater in black and a few similiar. Crew necks suit me best. But I wear almost the same base layer visually. Like you swapping sleeve length and fabric content. I think it creates great cohesion. I'm a jacket girl so that is where the unique part of my outfit comes in. Do you have something that creates variety and uniqueness in yours or do you prefer a more uniform style?

I will duplicate an item in different colors, usually after I've worn the first one enough that it becomes a workhorse. I bought a second color of Marc Fisher booties earlier this year and wore them equally as much as the original color, which was surprising.

An interesting story: years ago I bought a cotton (machine wash/dry!) drawstring-waist A-line skirt from Anthro in magenta. I wore it so much that a year later I saw a blogger selling the same skirt in kelly green and I immediately snapped it up. But I still tended to gravitate towards the magenta one. Then for a little while I stopped wearing either style much, and I considered donating the green skirt as a failed duplication experiment.

But THIS summer, I'm back to wearing high-waisted skirts and I've been wearing the green skirt as much, if not MORE often, than the magenta! And Anthro definitely doesn't make clothing of this quality any more: cotton with cotton lining, machine washable and dryable, yet still looks new after several years.

KL - I see why those boots are work horses. Very elegant with the pointy toe and metal toe insert. Really remind me of my aquatalias and great low heel!! Super skirts. This is why I never purge beloved pieces for years. you never know when you will fall back in love and quality and craftsmanship is a hewi. Amazing pieces and super colors. Enjoy them!!

As Kate said, it's worth stocking up when manufacturing will likely go downhill.

I did this with my made-in-France normcore sandals, and noticed decline in leather quality while they were still made there (components made elsewhere). Production is now in another EU country, but uppers feel like bonded leather and don't seem like they'll stand up to refurbishment. So I wish I'd bought more than two pairs the first time.

Price is at least $20 lower than it used to be, but I'd rather pay much more than the old price for the old quality. I understand the business motivations, but what about the impact on landfill? Do we really need that much variety in our fashion lives, that sustainability is no matter? Is it a lack of empowerment on a bigger scale? How many people who "need variety" in their closets are exercising variety in their selection of assets, financial instruments for improving their own security or expanding capacity to finance projects that interest them? Yes, yes, I know people who do both. But they don't exhibit the kind of churn that so many people seem to experience in the name of creativity or getting bored or needing to keep it fresh and so on.

For my own side, I'm trying to think of things I've duplicated but needn't have.

minimalist - that's always so sad and frustrating when they change a beloved product (I'm looking at you Gap formerly all cotton hipsters and the pullover bralette where again changed cut and fabric). You just wish you bought so many more to carry you through the forseeable forever. I agree, I personally am not a fan of poor quality fast fashion. I am in a total buy less buy better mode. Not having a Nordie's card actually helped me sit back, get info and make a plan for one purchase of quality, which if it works out, will be a crossover work and smart casual piece. The power pause at work. But, like you, I don't need a lot of variety, just enough that people don't start wondering if I only have one main outfit, since I do love to repeat my favorites!!

Oh, I so commiserate with you over your Lola skinnys, gryffin. Since I'm in a letter-writing mood (just got a load off my chest in a 3-page letter to Comcast and my phone's been ringing all week), maybe I'll send a note to KK, make my heartfelt plea for 98% cotton, and inquire about back stock. On a happier note I look forward to adding a ninth, and possibly a tenth, Aritzia sweater to my collection of woolly darlings depending on the palette of new colors they add this fall.

Gryffin: back from my road trip so sorry a bit delayed to answer your question. Tunics or long jerseys provide the interest to my style with my underlying black basics. I took a photo of today's one for you. This is ( IMO) an attractive lacy knit piece, I wore co-ordinating shoe colour and earrings.
What beautiful skirts, KL!

Kate - so glad the aritzia sweaters are perfect. When an item is that perfect and you know you would be in the pit of despair if it became unwearable then you are super smart to stock up IMHO!! Kudos!!

Jenni - thank you so much for the photos. Gorgeous tunic and shoes. I prefer texture and pattern to color. That's exactly what I do, shades on the gray scale and pattern for variety. Just lovely and so uber elegant!!