11/02/2026
PSA TO MY ONLINE SHOPPING GIRLIES: WE NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE CHAT‼️
Yall, I brought visual aids. Because apparently we have reached the point in society where we need to verify that the person selling us pants is ACTUALLY WEARING THE PANTS.😭
If you shop online and follow fashion influencers, PLEASE read this before you buy another outfit from somebody’s links.
As many of you probably know, some fashion influencers have started using AI to digitally put clothing on their bodies instead of actually trying it on. Then they post those pictures, collect thousands of comments, and make money when unsuspecting followers purchase through their affiliate links.
And here’s my issue with that: If you’re making people believe you’re physically wearing something you’ve never even tried on, that’s not influencing. That’s misleading your audience for a paycheck. And that doesn’t sit right with me.
Now, as much as I’d LOVEEEE to start naming names (and trust me, the temptation is TEMPTING 🥲), I’m going to do something a little more productive.
I’m going to show y’all exactly how convincing this stuff can be, using myself as the guinea pig. Because I think some of you are about to be shook knowing you’ve supported this.
PIC 1: THE REAL DEAL
This is me. In an actual Walmart fitting room. Wearing the viral camo merry shirt.
Notice the wrinkles? The way the fabric naturally falls? The fact that the shirt isn’t perfectly positioned on my body? That’s because I’m a real human being wearing a real shirt with real wrinkles. Groundbreaking stuff, I know. 😂
PIC 2: THE AI MAKEOVER
Now this is where things get interesting and you need to pay attention. I took an entirely different mirror selfie of myself and asked AI to put that same camo merry shirt on me.
And would you LOOK AT THAT.
Suddenly I’m looking like I just walked out of a Christmas fashion catalog. The shirt is sitting beautifully, the outfit looks perfectly styled, and the whole picture is arguably more appealing than my actual fitting room photo.. EXCEPT I WAS NEVER WEARING THAT OUTFIT IN THAT PHOTO. Not one single piece of it.
And THAT is exactly why this is such a problem.
Imagine seeing that photo, thinking the outfit looks amazing on somebody with a similar body type, and purchasing it because you trust their recommendation. Meanwhile, that person might not even know how the fabric feels, whether the pants are see through, or if the shirt fits like a crop top after one wash. But they sure know how to collect that commission.🫠
PIC 3: THE CASUAL WALMART SHOPPING SPREE
Oh, you know. Just me casually strolling through Walmart with my Starbucks, pushing a cart full of Christmas decorations, looking like I have my entire life together. Very natural. Very effortless. Very Hallmark movie meets Walmart Supercenter.
EXCEPT IT’S AI.
I never pushed that cart. I never held that coffee. I never walked down that aisle wearing that outfit. AI created the entire scene. And if you see influencers posting these suspiciously perfect shopping adventures, it’s definitely AI.
PIC 4: THE PARKING LOT PAPARAZZI MOMENT
Because obviously after my imaginary shopping spree, I needed an imaginary photographer to catch me leaving Walmart with approximately 47 bags.
Just another casual Tuesday being photographed in the Walmart parking lot like I’m leaving the Met Gala.
Again, AI.
No shopping trip. No bags. No paparazzi. Just a prompt and a phone.
PIC 5: THE CART COLLAGE SPECIAL
THIS ONE, Y’ALL. 😭 You’ve probably seen these.
The outfit is perfectly arranged inside a Walmart shopping cart, and there’s a picture of the influencer standing beside it wearing the exact outfit. Sometimes they’re even in the cart with the outfit. And for some reason, there’s a BRIGHT WHITE OUTLINE AROUND THEIR ENTIRE BODY.
I don’t know who started the white outline trend, but I’d like to thank them for making these AI posts so easy to recognize. 😂
And yes, once again.. this whole photo is AI.
PIC 6: THE RECEIPTS
And finally, here’s the original mirror selfie I used to create these AI outfit pictures. That’s me wearing a Grinch dress. A grinch dress yall.Not the merry shirt. Not the red pants. Not the fuzzy slippers. AI took that photo and turned it into an entirely different outfit, complete with multiple imaginary shopping adventures.
Now imagine how easy it would be for someone to do this every single day and convince thousands of people they’re actually trying on the clothes they’re promoting.
THAT is why I’m making this post.
Listen, I’m not anti-technology. AI can be an incredible tool, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with using it for creative content when you’re transparent about it.
But there is a HUGEEEEE difference between using AI to create something and using AI to convince your followers that you’ve personally worn, tested, and loved a product when you haven’t. Especially when you’re financially benefiting from their trust.
I spend time physically trying on clothes because I want to show y’all the things that actually matter. Does it fit true to size? Is the material comfortable? Is it flattering? Is it worth the money? And as a 6 ft tall woman.. are those pants actually long enough or are we preparing for a flood?
You cannot give an honest, firsthand fit review of an outfit you’ve never actually put on your body. PERIOD.
And while AI pictures aren’t always easy to identify, here are a few things to watch for:
1) Fabric that looks suspiciously smooth or perfectly fitted and bright.
2) Hands, fingers, shoes, hair, lettering, or clothing details that look distorted.
3) Overly polished shopping scenes that look more like advertisements than candid photos.
4) Influencers posting endless “try-ons” without showing any actual video of themselves wearing or moving in the clothes.
5) No real information about sizing, fabric, fit, or comfort.
None of these things alone automatically means a picture is AI, but they’re good reasons to ask questions before spending your hard earned money.
And to my followers, I want to make one thing very very clear:
If you see me modeling an outfit and presenting it as a try on, that outfit is ON MY ACTUAL BODY.
The wrinkles are real. The awkward fitting room lighting is real. The occasional unflattering angle is real. And the struggle to find pants long enough for these giraffe legs is very much real.
I would rather show you an imperfect, authentic picture than a flawless fake one that convinces you to buy something under false pretenses. Because your trust means more to me than an affiliate commission. Always.💛
There are so many hardworking, honest creators who actually put in the time to try on, photograph, and review the products they share. Those are the people who deserve your support.
PLEASE SHARE THIS POST. Not to start a witch hunt, but to help people become more informed shoppers.
And if you’re ever unsure whether an influencer is actually wearing something, ASK THEM. Ask for a real try on video. Ask about the fit. Ask questions. If they don’t answer you or can’t answer you.. there’s your answer.
Your money deserves more than an AI generated fairy tale.
Love y’all. Shop smart, stay skeptical, and remember.. just because somebody looks fabulous pushing a Walmart cart doesn’t mean they ever left their couch.🥹🫶🏼
