Fashion Dictionary: Style Biter

Style biter (also known as style cheat): (noun) One who appropriates someone else's personal style and attempts to claim it as their own. Often this person lacks originality and self-esteem. In extreme cases can assume personality traits of Single White Female. Word family: Frenemy.

According to Mrs Press: To cheat is low stuff indeed (just ask Sandra Bullock), and to style cheat no less so. To be on the receiving end is to suffer greatly at the hand of another, to skate perilously close to losing your identity, confidence and self esteem; to wonder “why me?” on a torturous loop; to doubt one’s uniqueness, value, nay one’s very sartorial soul. In short, to be the victim of a style cheat sucks, big time.

I had that outfit down, I made it my own, now my former BFF has gone and stolen it…where do I go now? What’s the point? What is the meaning of my fashion life?
Yep. It’s existential crisis time.

Indeed some of those who have been cheated on never recover. Look at Rachel Zoe – face frozen like a Mint Magnum while all around her slebs half her age knock off her trademark look: maxi dress, tan twig arms, lollypop head and LA balayage. And, to add insult to injury, they are her former clients.

So that’s the cheatee covered, but what drives the cheator? They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Not so! Imitation is the laziest form of getting the job done. I refer you to the attack of the Chloé clones on last month’s Australian fashion week catwalks. Oh and that asymmetric black Lanvin ruffle dress which made more than one appearance too. Slap hands so-called creative people. Go your own way.

In conversation. Hints and tips for daily use:
“That bitch totally style cheated me! I was wearing earmuffs as shoulder pads while she was still combing her hair trying to remember where the tumble drier was.”

“How hot are my new pink hair tips? I style cheated Abbey Lee from Aussie Vogue.”

“(Ex-)girfriend! You are one style cheatin’ harpy! I ain’t never gonna loan you my new Georgina Goodman boots from this day forth. You cannot be trusted not to crib my look from the toes up. Grrrr.”




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Sure, every now and again you may buy a similar item as a friend (if your friends, you probably have some similar tastes), but once they step in to the realm of looking like you, being mistaken for you (ack!), or referred to as your "twin": Houston, we have a problem.

Facebook is the detective (read, stalking) tool of the Style Biter. It's a strange phenomena and once it goes from being annoying to uncomfortable, it's probably time to reduce their access to you, your Facebook page, wardrobe, and hairdresser.