Well..

You could try turning the tables on her a bit....I haven't had a friend do this to me, (but most of my mates are guys so..haha, no big shocker there!), but maybe diverting her attention to making her own choices instead of yours could be achieved that way.

I mean, on the one hand its a compliment. On the other hand, I can see how its annoying. I have someone that has "latched onto" some of my digital designs and now seems to be imitating my style (and outright copying it) on DeviantArt which is making me furious but I don't know how to approach her about it diplomatically....(its so obvious that I just fear if I say one thing, I'll end up saying everything!).

Maybe next time you see each other, plan to wear something you already have worn so that she's not going to immediately zone in on something "new" of yours, and try to turn the tables...maybe something like..

"Oh you know..I was thinking..you'd look awesome in the new (insert trend here)...forget what I'm wearing, let's find something for YOU"

..and just totally steer the car in the other direction, so to speak. If she is looking to you for style guidance, well..give it! Its a compliment! But give it in such a way that she stops being lazy about it, she should find her own look, and not emulate yours. But to learn to do that may take a gentle nudge (or two, or twelve.)

...not so obvious perhaps but you get what I mean. I hope that helps in some way!

I can see how it's annoying, but at least for me, I'm not shallow enough to care if someone has the same sweater I do. I guess I don't see the big deal.

If you really don't want to tell her, say "I got this in New York last time I was there," or "I don't know - it was a gift," or "Old Navy, but it was the last medium, they went fast."

I can understand why you would be annoyed if she is copying all your outfits exactly, one after another. When you go shopping, encourage her to buy things that you don't have. Tell her that certain things look great on her, and you wish they looked that nice on you. Compliment her a lot, point out all the differences between the two of you. ("Wow, this shirt is so cute! You should try them on! I love it but I think it'd look better on you." Let her get a little ego boost here and there so she's more likely to go explore her own style.

Or, if she truly is a sweet friend like you say, you could hint her the truth. "Mmm, I think I got this at Off The Wall. By the way, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. I think it's really sweet that you always ask where I get my stuff. It's nice to know that someone appreciates me. But do you think you could ease up just a little bit on asking about everything I wear? I don't even remember half the time, but I'm starting to feel like you care more about my clothes than you do about me!"

Protect your heart until you find someone who can do it better than you.

Tell her you have started buying consignment clothing online, or you are buying clothes from an online department store. Either that, or say that your mom, or friend bought it for you when they were on a trip somewhere. Or you could say you forgot where you got it. If she ever finds the item and calls you on it, just say oh I didn't want to tell because I don't like it when you dress like my twin, it makes me uncomfortable. If she is not dumb, she should get the hint!

you could take this as a compliment and see that your friend admires your sense of style.
offer to take your friend shopping and help her pick out her own clothes.

I had an issue like that, though I get a lot of my clothes at Goodwill seeing I A) don't have a lot of money and B) don't really want to drive to go to the mall 1 1/2 hours away.

Being asked where you got your Dooney and Burke purse, then being insulted by her when you say Goodwill isn't fun. I happen to like to thift shop, but if you ask, geez.

Anyway, try talking to her nicely about it, offer to go shopping and show her what you look for style wise as some suggestions. I know I have asked people what they look for to get a certain "vibe" to their look, if that makes sense. Then she can make a wardrobe all her own while still feeling like she is getting what she wants too.

imitation is the best form of flattery

If you don't find it flattering then you should just be honest and tell her you're not okay with her copying every outfit selection.

You don't have to sugar-coat it.

I like to tell people like that, I got while on a trip.

I got my things while on a trip*

Ahh oh no! My 56 year old coworker does that (I'm 23). We show up to work sometimes in the same outfits! Of course, she and I are built differently, have different personalities, and there's a huge age difference so we wear our respective outfits completely differently.

I don't think that your shallow at all and I can totally understand why you wouldn't be flattered. I guess it can be considered flattery but really it's just totally ANNOYING.

Ugh, I don't even know what you can do. Even if you do some of these things people have suggested, she'll still try and copy your style. Sounds like you need to be totally straightforward...maybe not, I don't know this girl so I don't know how she would react but I would maybe consider telling straight up you don't like that she copies you. Maybe? I don't know, think about it.

Anyways just sayin' I can relate and your definitely not shallow!

people have their insecurities and maybe this is one of hers.
maybe she admires what you personify and is just trying to fit in.
try compliment her on her taste and she may get the confidence to explore her own style soon enough!

If it's that annoying to you, I'd just say "gosh that would look awful on you". That should shut her up.

If this is your biggest problem... you don't have problems.

Seriously, get over yourself. Someone wants to be like you. It's a compliment. If you don't take it as a compliment, you clearly don't consider this person a friend and you should cut her loose so she can find someone worthy of her admiration.

Going to all girls school, I had this happen to me so many times! It gets really annoying and people don't understand unless they have experienced it. As someone already mentioned, you can wear the same outfit when you meet her. If that's not an option, try to help her find her own style by going shopping with her and suggesting her things that would look good on her. Or when she asks you those questions again, just subtly express that you're kind of fed up with her questions. Hopefully, she will get the idea. Introducing her guys with distinctive styles might be a good idea as well. Once she takes an interest on some guy with a distinctive style, she will start copying his style instead of yours to catch his attention. Try to feel better because people who copy other people's styles will never look as good as the people they copy from.

man I hate it if someone did it to me ...
but then again it could be flattering the first or the second time it happened ... not every time... ughh

If she is nice and sweet like you said, she may not even be aware how annoying she is. She may just be really trying to fit in with you. I really think the best thing is for you to talk to her about it. Just tell her how you feel. If she is copying your style with harmless intentions, she shouldn't be offended if you let her know you don't appreciate it. If she does get upset, then that may be a friend you don't need. Real friends should be able to tell each other how they feel without harming the relationship. Good luck

It sounds like she really admires you! I'd be kind of annoyed too, but you said she's really sweet and that she's your friend, so here's what I'd do: next time she interrogates you about your outfit, ask her on a shopping date, and play up the fun you'll have picking out stuff together, and say something to the effect of, "And that way, we'll KNOW we won't end up at the same party wearing the SAME outfit, eek!" You know, keep it light & funny but she should get the point, and she'll probably appreciate spending time with you and having your fashion advice!

queenlizzie, that's harsh. this is supposed to be an open place where we can talk about the big stuff as well as the petty and minor annoyances/situations that we face everyday. i didn't see "this is my biggest problem" written up there, it shouldn't be frowned upon to ask for advice on the little problems.

imitation is the most annoying form of flattery, in my opinion -- depending on what degree it's taken to. someone trying to be your carbon copy is not cute AT ALL, and unless they are 12 they should have their social graces checked immediately. don't be too blunt as to where you hurt her feelings but don't be afraid to confront her head on, honesty is best.

"imitation is the most annoying form of flattery"

That is EXACTLY what I was going to say, mack2600! It'd be one thing to say, "I really love your style, do you think you could give me some advice or take me shopping with you sometime?" But to flat out harass someone over where she got her shirt is just... ugh! Don't do it!

Next time she asks about a particular piece, why don't you say something like, "Well, I got it at [store name]. I love how unique their pieces are. Whenever I go there I always know I'll find something that I know no one else will have. It's great!" If she's got any consideration for you, or listens to your words at all, she'll get the hint. So annoying.

I agree that you should steer her to other choices. Go shopping with her and pick out stuff that's different from your clothes, and like others have said, tell her how good that stuff looks on her. Just distract her and push her toward her own style. And whenever she asks about your clothes again, I would just start always telling her you forgot, if she hears that over and over again, maybe she will finally get the hint.

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because people who mind don't matter and people who matter don't mind."

C'mon, it's not that difficult to lie about this. You could say you won a giveaway, it was a present, got it at GW, got it on Ebay and it was the last one;), found it in your closet after being there for a while. Lying about this is easy. And no, i'm not flattered at someone else's lack of style.

ask her if she knows of any cute one of a kind boutiques, and that you love to find clothes that are unique. she might get the picture, or since she sounds fairly impressionable it might click in her brain that individuality is cool, at least to you, and therefore it might become cool to her.

i have a problem like that with a friend of mine. my husband, then my fiance, bought me a watch that was lost. it was very special, and he frantically called around the country to find a replacement. my friend knew about the whole ordeal, and once i received my replacement, she asked if i would mind if she tried to find one for herself. i was shocked. i said i didn't mind, but i really do, and still dont wear that watch because it reminds me of feeling hurt, as silly as that might sound to some. she also does this about life decisions, which is weird! i got accepted to a university and then a semester later she suddenly decided she was going to apply. i decided i wanted to study abroad, and then she complained she never got to go anywhere and then all of a sudden decided she had to go. she was complaining about how her job search was going, and asked me what i was going to do next, and i said grad school at "x" university, and next thing i know, she's taking her gre for the same program. I know that these are fairly typical decisions that a college student faces, but it was like every move i made first, she had to follow suit. oh! and i got married last november and in december, she had a "shot gun" civil ceremony with her bf of less than a year!!

we hardly talk anymore, because i decided i needed someone with more inspirational and individual characteristics.

OMG! I'm very late so I think nobody would read this but whatever... I'm also dealing the same situation as you but it's only not with multiple girls! How annoying is that? Once, I was so pissed that I said everything that went through my mind to a girl that keep asking me like every freaken day. So yeah, we didn't spoke since that event. =/

but it's with multiple girls**