BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A pair of twins from here have won a national “Most Alike” contest for their second time.
Thirteen years after receiving the gold medal in the “Most Alike” contest, the pair recently swept their age category in the Twins Day Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio.
Faith Williamson and Faye Spier, now 37 and Twin Cities residents, won in 1985, which got them on the show “Late Night” with David Letterman, who proudly announced to his audience that he could tell them apart and proved it because of an “oreo” freckle near Faith’s mouth.
Faith heard about that “oreo” on New York’s Fifth Avenue where people recognized them the next day, and in encounters with family and friends for two months afterward.
Sometimes, even their husbands have trouble telling them apart.
“They have to look closely to tell us apart and they can’t from the back,” Faith says.
The twins never dressed alike. Parents Emma and Francis Fitzgerald saw to that. But for each contest, Faye and Faith don identical clothing, makeup, jewelry and nail polish and fix their often similar hairstyles the same.
“There’s nothing scientific about it,” Faith says about the contest. “You’re judged on your appearance only.”
In 1985, Faye and Faith beat out 1,000 sets of twins in the 21-40 age category. This month they bested 2,642 sets of twins in the 36-45 age category, a near record for the annual contest that groups contestants by age and gender.
“I thought it was incredible,” Faye said. “We’ve gone through so many changes, had kids, and I can’t believe how much we look alike after all these years. And we don’t necessarily see ourselves as identical.”
Each went off on her own. Faye attended Bismarck State College and the University of Mary and was owner-manager of Party Decorator in Bismarck for several years. Faith graduated in business management from the University of North Dakota.
However, both have remained in sales-related fields. Faye says that’s typical of twins, who often have the same or similar careers. They found that out at the contests, where most of the fun is meeting new people and reacquainting with twins they met before.
Faye recently became a stay-at-home mom with her 2-year-old daughter and 14-month son. Faith has a 4-year-old son.
“It’s so fun,” Faye says. “Faith and I grew up together and now we’re living here and raising our children together. We think our relationship has never been closer. And that’s why this contest meant so much. We have a very special relationship. We’re the best of friends besides being sisters.”