SarahD8, I should have just agreed with your comment! I'm totally with you. Some things I buy new (Boden and the Nordstrom tees mostly) but so much I get from ebay. And although I'm picky with color combinations, I love both color and variety so I thrive with plenty of options. Sometimes finding the "glue" colors is the trickiest part.

"I own several examples of the same sweater in multiple colors, and I've purchased about half a dozen of J Crew's pintuck popover over the years. It is a surprisingly feasible strategy if you shop secondhand *online*. I think the reason I'm drawn to this strategy is that I have a high affinity for color and pattern mixing, but a low affinity for proportion play."

Very interesting comments, everyone -- thank you! Ginger, what I'm noticing is that duplication seems to work best for those, like you, who know their own style very well, have a strong sense of what cuts they prefer, and also love colour and get variety that way or via scarves and accessories (as Zaoebi and SarahDB also mentioned.

SarahDB, you are right — on first glance the word “refresh” and the word “duplicate” don’t seem to go together, which is sort of why I started the discussion. But on reflection, they are not so discordant. Because the “refresh” part had mainly to do with a major shift in silhouette and proportion. I went from wearing mostly slim straight bottoms (with some wide leg crops) to pretty much all wider, looser bottoms, some of them full length. That in turn required different shapes in the top — few slightly oversized, slightly shorter sweaters and toppers and looser shirts.

I still wear jeans (but a different cut); I still wear knits (some exactly the same, I.e. classic tailored to fluid fit, some slightly oversize). And I still follow the same basic outfit formulas, I guess.

Jaime, you probably have some duplicate jeans, or at least the style is a dupe, right? BFs?

Ket, what colours did you get in the dress?

Julie, wow, you are vying with me for the title of Queen Blue! LOVE all those blues and I want to duplicated your duplicates!

Oh that makes sense re: the relationship between refresh and duplication, Suz. Maybe you figured out the essentials for your new style direction, and then set about duplicating them so that your wardrobe as a whole would support that direction?

And Ginger, you are confirming that even though our styles/outfit formulas are quite distinct, we have a similar approach to our wardrobes and personal style in many ways. I feel in good company with you!

Yes, that's it, exactly, Sarah. I think I just didn't have the essentials before for my new style direction. Now I have enough that I can get busy making outfits and mixing them with older items.

This wonderful thread has really made me examine all the possibilities of duplication! For example, I keep looking for the perfect orange sweater. Right now I have two orange cable sweaters, and two orange hoodies in my closet. If that is not duplication I don't know what is. I also must admit that I have four pairs of Eddie Bauer shorts in different colors. Because that's all I wear in the summer, and one pair would obviously not do. The Babadook is in the house!

Oh Suz... get ready to hear me sing at the top of my lungs! I got a muted plum/orchid and gorgeous muted yet sensational wine red. The colors ended up looking pretty much like the stock photos, if not better. (When does that ever happen?!) I am sharing photos of them soon, hopefully today! So stay tuned. I didn't do any outfit photos with the dresses. But the colors are sensational, and I think you will heartily approve

My wardrobe has many duplicate basics, of course, but I have also developed a system for footwear.

I buy two of the same pair (same or different colors) that I'm hopeful about and wear one pair for a few days. If it doesn't make the mark for walking, standing, stability, comfort etc. I return the other, which has usually never come out of its box.

My feet are *so* fussy and problematic that this strategy seems essential.

I also duplicate crossbody bags - same style, different colors. Since I often wear one all day, it's important that they be extremely lightweight. Thanks to Angie and other forum folks who recommended Kipling!

Late here, but had to chime in. I definitely duplicate, in terms of the same item in different colors/fabrication (not necessarily the exact same item). I have multiple versions of the same cut of Nili Lotan pant, for example, because pants are hard for me to fit and I love the cut of them. And I just bought a trench coat in a warm olive (a total HEWI for me that I'd been looking for for years) and loved it so much that I duplicated it in a gray/brown check once it went on further sale. So I guess for me, HEWIs are especially likely to get duplicated, which makes intuitive sense: Once I finally land on something I really want and can use, I want to maximize! But I do need to be careful not to go wild with duplication, or I'll split wears too much.

Items that are important components of this seasons uniform get duplicated exactly and either are worn immediately or held in reserve.

Exception, I have five different colors of the same lightweight down jacket, bought within approximately seven years.

Intended to be timely in my answer but got hung up trying to collect items from BR, ON, etc to add, without success. (Anyone else having trouble?)

You know I'm a duplicator/triplicator/more. I talked about this recently in a comment to one of my own WIW posts. If I find something I like, I immediately order more colors.
I realize that I am totally a uniform dresser. That's ok. But I do not have to have so many duplicates, of so many things. As I mentioned, it goes back to the days when it was hard to find clothes and shoes that fit, so I jumped on anything that worked.

Some of the things I duplicate:
Active wear -- e.g. Lululemon Align Joggers in navy, black, olive. Old Navy jacket in navy, bone, eggplant. ETC ETC ETC ETC
Inexpensive fun finds - the Old Navy faux suede motos from years ago that I have in 5 colors. The Old Navy cross back rib knit dresses that I have in 4 colors. Bought at great discounts, and worn more in some years than others.
Shoes - Clark sandals? 2 colors Comfortiva sandals? 3 colors.

I have gotten smart about duplicating some items second hand, when I know exactly what I want but this does occasionally backfire when the materials have slightly changed, and the fit is different. I have had more success than fails lately, and get great use out of my Northface and Patagonia gear bought on eBay for example.

I said in that earlier post, it's a bit of a compulsion. I need to work on this.....

Laurie -- so interesting. It seems as if most of your dupes are (at least in theory) practical. But I guess at a certain point we are splitting wears so much it becomes a question of whether we are using the clothes.

Phoebe, I am currently wishing I had done what you did with the down jackets. I want some to layer under coats and the current versions are less fitted, and/or not in the colours I like. Grr!

Jonesy, I want some of those Nili Lotan pants! Seeing them on you and Janet (albeit you are both a lot taller than I am) -- I just love the style and don't blame you for duping!

April, the strategy of duping bags seems really smart to me...but then, I just did exactly the same thing with several crossbodys for exactly the same reason!

Ket, so glad you got those dresses! Yay!

Roberta, I will be thinking of the Babadook every time I seek to duplicate from now on!