Turning up to a party in the same dress as another guest would be a fashion disaster for any woman. But it must be even worse if the world's media are on hand to capture the embarrassing faux pas. So we have some sympathy for poor Bar Refaeli and Victoria Silvstedt, who arrived wearing matching frocks to Roberto Cavalli's Cannes boutique opening last night.
A representative for the label confirmed today that Miss Refaeli, 25, had been loaned the dress by the Roberto Cavalli press office, while Ms Silvstedt, 36, unwittingly purchased the same one in Paris a week ago.
As world-famous models, no one could deny that both women have the body to pull off the clingy embellished number to great effect.
But in every frock-off situation, there is always one who wore it better. And Leonardo Dicaprio's former girlfriend was a hard act to follow.
The nude colour and sparkling beading looked fabulous against the Israeli-born beauty's lightly tanned limbs and blonde wavy hair.
A simple satin box clutch and nude patent courts were just the accessories to complete the look, without competing for attention with the statement dress.
But while Ms Silvstedt can certainly hold her own against a girl over ten years younger, she failed to style the sparkly minidress quite so effectively. Her handbag was too bulky and fussy for such a bold dress, while her chunky man's watch and silver hoop earrings were over-gilding an already fussy lily.
Worse still was the fact that her hair was a shade too light, and her tan a shade too dark, making an already short, tight, revealing number verge on tacky.
She redeemed herself this morning however, in a short flirty coral number that was just the thing for sunning herself at Eden Roc.
She teamed it with an oversized Hermes handbag and towering platforms, though we couldn't help but notice how much more adorable the outfit looked when she kicked of her heels to leap aboard a waiting yacht. Like another Victoria we know and love, perhaps Ms Silvstedt doesn't need to try so hard.