Every season has its 'It' item.
For example, the summer of 2017 gave us that striped cotton shirt/dress that everyone paraded on Instagram, and even Queen Bey herself wore one to date night.
Here's a quick reminder and an excuse to look at Beyoncé:
Anyway, Winter '17 then ushered in a big moment for sock boots, while in 2018, everyone wore puffer jackets in all cuts and hues, completing their getups with the ever-so-polarising dad sneakers.
And now, knee-deep in Winter '19, we're seeing the staying power of animal print and knitwear in all their variations.
READ MORE: We've gone full Flintsone with these highly coveted head-to-toe animal print looks
So speaking of knitwear, there's a particular outfit that has caught everyone's attention on social media lately - a flattering geometrical print two-piece that many have assumed to be yet another aspirational Maxhosa piece. We've seen it on award-winning beauty influencer Mihlali Ndamase, PR and Communications mogul Farah Fortune, the often 'best-dressed in any room' Tshepi Vundla, as well as any other fashion enthusiast you may follow on Instagram.
Of course, the first assumption would be that this knit number is from the same retailer, much like that Fashion Never snakeskin ensemble that had IG ablaze earlier this year.
READ MORE: Why is everyone suddenly wearing this same outfit?
But the catch here is that our three style muses have all bought their outfits at different stores or boutiques... at three very different prices, and that's not necessarily a bad thing actually. In the same breath, this is not a "who wore it better" dig at women who so happen to own the same items of clothing.
Instead, it merely proves that where - or for how much - you buy your clothes doesn't affect how they'll look on you quite contrary to the old mindset that expensive clothes make one standout more.
I mean, in the (literally polluted) world of fast fashion, if the exact same garment is sold for R200 at one place and R2000 at another, a lot of us are more likely to go for the option that makes financial sense, unless of course, you're loyal to a particular brand. Both are totally okay.
However, let me make a disclaimer: this excludes fake fashion items such as that R75 Louis Vuitton jersey spotted at a Pick n Pay store in Paarl recently, for example.
So if you're keen on twinning with one of your faves, here are your options:
Mihlali - @slay_tique (online boutique)
Price tag: R799 for the set
Tshepi - @mmsmemoirs (online boutique)
Price tag: R650 for the set
Farah - 66 Small Street, Joburg
Price tag: R320
Lol I got it from Small Street. R320
— Farah C. Fortune (@fcfortune) June 29, 2019
I guess what this also shows is that by simply sharing info about where you bought your trendy clothing item from, you might just save a life - or in this case, a bank balance.
What's your approach to buying trends that are available at multiple retail outlets, but at different prices?
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