Adulting Dupes

It's like the original, but cheaper.

Been seeing tiktoks about dupes for so many types of things, and while some of them are hilarious, it made me think about being a young adult and not being able to afford certain things and how we can improvise in the face of lack.

In layman's terms, a dupe is slang for trickery. For example, when someone “dupes” you for some money. However, in the world of fashion, it is the “gen-z” term for knockoff clothes. Dupes are outfits that are very similar to designer clothes but are cheaper. They are different from counterfeit/fake brands in the sense that dupes generally have qualities and similarities to the designer item, but don’t copy the trademark or logos; whereas counterfeits copy the trademark and logos and are usually poorer in quality.

Because language is so interesting, and meanings expand depending on usage, the term dupe is now starting to adopt the fashion meaning in a broader sense, which means that it now applies to an experience that is cheaper than the original but has the same effect. Bearing this in mind, here are a few of my favourite dupes:

Therapy Dupes

Going out randomly with a friend or three and watching a movie you’ve never heard of before. Bonus points if it is horror. Drawing a cold bath and sitting in it for an hour, while listening to Sleeping at Last, until your skin prunes like a dried grape. Emptying all your thoughts in a journal. Praying. Crying. Speaking to someone you love and telling them everything going on with you. Sitting behind an Okada and feeling the breeze slap your skull. Drawing, even if it’s bad. Not touching your phone (your phone is making you depressed!). Taking a walk early in the morning or late at night. Listening to True Crime podcasts. Reading a novel.

Investment Dupes

Having two bank accounts, one you don’t have a card/bank app for. Eating at home. Starting an Ajo group with friends (try to collect your money before the last quarter of the year sha, because inflation is real). Doing an online course to skill up in whatever discipline you are interested in. There are a lot of free ones on the internet.

Romantic Relationship Dupes

Watching a lot of K-dramas. Falling in love with a fictional character. My go-to fictional boyfriend is Levi Ackerman from Attack on Titans, and Kim Taehyung from BTS. Being affectionate with your friends (buy them flowers! go on friendship dates!). I promise this will make you feel good and honestly gives you half the stress that comes with actual romantic relationships.

Travel Dupes

In I Said What I Said’s theme rollout, Jola says she wants to travel around Nigeria, and FK tells her to go Ikorodu. It sounds funny, but it’s true. Not rich enough to travel? Plan trips to unexplored places, and experience new locations within your city. Enter a bus to the neighbouring state. Watch travel videos/vlogs, and create travel Pinterest boards with your friends. Dream. You’ll get there someday.

Beauty/Fashion Dupes

Eating fruits and vegetables will do wonders for your skin. Drinking plenty of water. Getting more than six hours of sleep. Washing your face before you sleep. Buying perfume oils when you don’t have the money to buy the original scents you like, because let’s be real, perfume bottles can be expensive. Thrifting! Giving cool outfits, you found on Instagram or Pinterest to a tailor to sew.

Gym/Health/Fitness Dupes

You don’t have the money for a 40K monthly gym subscription? Neither do I. Buying a skipping rope and doing sets of a hundred, or timing yourself, can go a long way in keeping you fit. Investing in a yoga mat. Watching home workout videos. Staying consistent. Taking walks at night or early in the morning. Skipping soda and drinking water instead. It’s always the little things that compound into good results.

Did I miss any? Let me know, haha!

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I had a really busy week, you guys, and I am honestly happy I could find the time to write to you. It’s giving committed relationship. It was also a good week for me. I got featured on TechCabal along with other amazing women for international women’s day and taught a branding class on IG Live for the first time. It was definitely a week of firsts. I feel like a lot is happening in rapid succession, and I am trying to stay calm and enjoy the ride.

I hope your week was great, too.

Media I Consumed this Week

Watching: Lawless Lawyer: This drama is a story about a man who returns to his hometown to kill the people who killed his mother. He is a lawyer, and he falls in love with another lawyer, with whom he executes his revenge, and I just think it’s so cool. This drama walked so Vincenzo could run. The leads have so much chemistry, and I love watching them interact. It’s quite old too (2018), and it feels grim at some point, but it’s an easy watch, and I like it.

Reading: Negotiable instruments under Banking Law, and every two minutes, I ask myself: Why did I choose this course to study? Praying my silly, goofy mood does not win because, hmmm. I am also reading this beautiful book my friend Simi just published: Notes on Content Writing and Brand Storytelling. As a content marketer, I have noticed there is a dearth of content writing materials for Nigerians/Africans, and this is super helpful if you’re trying to get into the content writing/marketing phase.

Listening: I have been in an Ice Spice mood lately. Princess Diana has me in a chokehold. I just love Ice Spice. She’s an icon, she’s a legend. She’s the best.

I will see you guys next week with a new #LightBox interview. Have a wonderful week ahead. Rooting for you!