Sometimes in the world of fashion, it can be hard to not flat out copy someone’s clothes. In fact, at times, I see the likes of @matthewgraber, @thedressedchest, and @ejsamson and I say to myself immediately…Self! You are gonna copy the mess outta that outfit! But whenever possible, it’s always better to be inspired by another’s fashion sense than to simply copy it, like this:

For instance, if you were a superhero who started as a scrawny weakling, who volunteered for an experimental government program that gave you super strength, speed and agility, plus you had an awesome shield and you were way into America…then you’d be Captain America. Now if you were the Fighting American you would have still started as a scrawny weakling, who volunteered for an experimental government program that gave you super strength, speed and agility, plus you would still have an awesome shield and you would also be way into America. But you’d be a copycat…and not a very popular one.

Besides, what looks good on you may not look so good on me. So be inspired!

First, figure out why you like that particular outfit. Is it the shirt, the tie, the blazer, the pocket square, the lapel pin, the color scheme? What is it that made you take notice? If it’s a specific item, then buy it! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with buying that exact item. That’s why they make more than one…so lots of people can have them. Then you can take that item an incorporate it into a combo that’s all your own, like so:

If it’s something like the color scheme, why not try recreating the outfit with similar colors that you already have? Don’t go out and buy a bunch of new things to create an exact replica of the picture. Instead, use what you have, perhaps going a shade lighter or darker in certain areas.

You may be delightfully surprised at the outcome…or feel angry at me for having wasted your time. In either case, we did something together. And isn’t that what’s important…togetherness!