I imagine if you are a big, fancy star headed off to a red carpet event in your designer duds, one of the worst things that can happen to you is someone shows up with the same outfit! Gasp!

It’s probably even worse if that someone is a person you would NEVER, EVER run up to and sequel “Twinzies!”  Like if Gwyneth Paltrow found herself in the same dress as someone like Kim Kardashian. Can you imagine the serious “conscious uncoupling”  Gwyennie would have?

But Gwyneth, I know exactly how you must worry you won’t win the “Who Wore It Better”, but my fashion faux paus didn’t happen on the red carpet. Nope, mine happened somewhere a lot less chic but  probably has the same amount of tantrums.

Because spring brings lots and lots of rain showers, I often find myself looking like a drowned rat after a morning of school pickups and drop offs. So during my last trip to Target, I decided “Amanda, no more of this nonsense. Get yourself a hooded raincoat.”  And really, who am I to pass up a chance to do a little Target shopping?

But after searching the women’s section high and low, it was clear  the only raincoat Target thinks women need is some fashionable wrap coat without a hood. Hey, Target, now is not the time to get all fashion forward  and trendy on me. I even searched the men’s section–no luck. It wasn’t until I happened upon the little boys section that I found a raincoat that actually had a hood.

“Hmmmm, the colors are cute, blue and black, with a fun orange lining. Uh-huh, the price is right, under 20 bucks. Hey look at that, the large fits and is cute. OK, I toss it in the cart with the 45 other things I didn’t plan on purchasing today.”

I was really loving my new raincoat and wore it proudly. When I ran into my favorite gal pal at preschool drop-off I was thrilled when she chimed “I love that coat!”

“Targeé” I responded in my best French accent, “Got it in the little boys section. Can you stand it?”

With an extra bounce in my step, I put my hood up and sauntered out the door to my car. But right there in the parking lot is where I saw my coat rounding the corner and walking straight towards me. It wasn’t another mom wearing my favorite new coat. It wasn’t even another Dad. No friends, it was a little boy. A little boy that’s in my son’s class.

Blue and black raincoat with a fun orange lining. One large and one small staring each other down.

He broke first, “Hey Aaron’s Mommy, your coat looks like mine.”

“Yes…yes it does…”

I squinted and waited for the flashing light of the paparazzi’s camera. Oh wait, no one’s taking our picture and I’m pretty sure in this “Who Wore It Better” showdown, the vote always goes to the kid, right?

I should have been embarrassed or said something witty in response to the four year old mocking the fact we were coat doppelgangers, but then I realized by the end of the day one of us will probably have macaroni and cheese spilled down the front of that coat, a few Mickey Mouse stickers stuck right above our butt, and traces of today’s art project on the elbow, and that would probably be me.

Whatever kid, you enjoy your coat and I’ll enjoy mine. At least I know your mom has good taste.