Why is it such a social sin for women to be seen in the same outfit more than once?

[Mr. Bung]

It's more as far as dresses or anything really nice they wear is concerned. Men can wear the same formal outfit more than once but it's like a fashion sin for a woman to do the same thing.

 

[BONE_Buddy]

Along the same lines there is an old adage about how two women showing up to the same even dressed the same would start a feud, but two men in the same situation would become best friends.

 

[Aunt Carol]

Wearing different outfits to every event only applies to a certain social class and/or a certain formality of occasion.

If a working class woman has a couple of nice outfits, she's going to wear one or the other when she's a wedding guest or goes to a graduation every year or so, and not worry too much about it. She'd say to her sister on the phone that "oh, I'm probably just going to wear my blue dress" and her sister would know what dress that is.

This does not apply to someone who goes to clubs and makes that a priority of her life/disposable income.

 

[Pony! Hugger of People]

I remember talking to my ex about this and she got so mad when I pointed out that it was only other women that gave a shit, that it wasn't men she was worried about impressing or talking shit, it was other women.

It's also pretty cultural I think, and generally more an issue in upper middle and upper class ciecles