I want to start off by saying I know this post will get a lot of heat in the blogging world but I’ve been wanting to write it for the past year now! It’s something I’m passionate about and I want my followers to understand why. Now don’t hold this against me if you own one of the fake belts. No hard feelings on my end. To each his/her own right?
So what’s the difference between a dupe and a fake? I’ll break it down for y’all.
A dupe is exactly what the name itself says…a duplicate. Dupes are an exact duplicate of its high end counterpart sans the actual brand name. I have no issue with dupes at all. I actually love a good dupe. As long as the item DOES NOT BRAND itself with the expensive logos/names then I consider it (among other bloggers) a dupe. I know it sounds like I’m repeating myself and that’s because I am. Those Gucci “dupes” you see everyone wearing? Those are fakes/knockoffs, my dears. If the famous GG wasn’t on the belt then it would be a dupe. I’ve seen some cute belts similar to the Gucci belts but instead of the GG–it has two circles. This is a super cute one I may snag up. I have come across Valentino and Chloe dupes too and all without the famous logos! They look great too! I directed a friend of mine to these Valentino dupes last year but I still haven’t managed to grab them myself. They sell out quickly but the reviews are phenomenal. I highly recommend these if you are looking for a pair. I’m currently watching for the restock and it’s been forever. I’m hoping they do it soon.
Okay so what’s considered a fake? Fakes/knockoffs/replicas…whatever you call them is when a item intends to be something it’s not. It’s simply the fake of any high-end item with the exact logos on the items. The quality is greatly reduced which is why companies can sell them for a fraction of the price. My Gucci belt cost $650 (yes–I know that’s a steep price for a belt but I’ve been getting my use out of it and hey–it’s my money LOL) but the “Gucci” knockoffs on Amazon cost $14!!! I can easily spot fakes even if I don’t let on I know.
I’ve actually had a conversation about the difference between dupes and fakes with a friend last week. To reiterate, I believe as long as there is no branding on a bag claiming that it actually is made by high end brands/designers–then it is a dupe and not considered a fake. Why pretend that something is designer when in reality it’s not? Furthermore–why pretend to be someone you’re not?
Would I knowingly purchase a fake Louis Vuitton or anything else for that matter? No, I would not. If you prefer to buy used…I highly recommend a site like Poshmark for anything over $500 as they authenticate the item FO FREE! There are also other reputable sites such as The RealReal, Rebag, StockX, and The FashionPhile.
Would I wear Valentino dupes? Yes, I would!! As long as the label doesn’t claim to be Valentino. Just look at these below.
Our generation–especially in the blogging sphere–we tend to gravitate towards whatever everyone else has or whatever is considered “on trend.” Trends to me are absolute nonsense (more on that in a future post). If I ever buy a dupe–I’m going to let y’all know!! I have no reason to hide it whatsoever. Also-please don’t take this post as bragging–I save my money for expensive purchases like this!! Ask my friends…I have a purse fund, travel fund, etc! I can’t just splurge whenever I want. A GIRL GOTS BILLS ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S ONLY ME, MYSELF, and MY FURBAE-DOLCE. ❤️
*Shoutout to my friend, Kenneth! The Gucci and Chanel pictures are straight from Rodeo Drive. Thankful for friends who support me 💋!
Rowda Baker | The Style Initiative 