diff --git a/spec/helpers/outfits_helper_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/outfits_helper_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/helpers/outfits_helper_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,310 @@
+require_relative '../rails_helper'
+
+RSpec.describe OutfitsHelper, type: :helper do
+  fixtures :zones, :colors, :species, :pet_types
+
+  # Use the Blue Acara's body_id throughout tests
+  let(:body_id) { pet_types(:blue_acara).body_id }
+
+  # Helper to create a test outfit with a pet type
+  # Biology assets are just setup noise - we only care about pet_type.body_id
+  def create_test_outfit
+    pet_type = pet_types(:blue_acara)
+
+    # PetState requires at least one biology asset (validation requirement)
+    bio_asset = SwfAsset.create!(
+      type: "biology",
+      remote_id: (@bio_remote_id = (@bio_remote_id || 1000) + 1),
+      url: "https://images.neopets.example/bio_#{@bio_remote_id}.swf",
+      zone: zones(:body),
+      zones_restrict: "",
+      body_id: 0
+    )
+
+    pet_state = PetState.create!(
+      pet_type: pet_type,
+      pose: "HAPPY_MASC",
+      swf_assets: [bio_asset],
+      swf_asset_ids: [bio_asset.id]
+    )
+
+    Outfit.create!(pet_state: pet_state)
+  end
+
+  # Helper to create SwfAssets for items (matches pattern from item_spec.rb)
+  def build_item_asset(zone, body_id:)
+    @item_remote_id = (@item_remote_id || 0) + 1
+    SwfAsset.create!(
+      type: "object",
+      remote_id: @item_remote_id,
+      url: "https://images.neopets.example/item_#{@item_remote_id}.swf",
+      zone: zone,
+      zones_restrict: "",
+      body_id: body_id
+    )
+  end
+
+  # Helper to create an item with zones
+  def create_item(name, zones_and_bodies)
+    item = Item.create!(
+      name: name,
+      description: "",
+      thumbnail_url: "https://images.neopets.example/#{name.parameterize}.gif",
+      rarity: "Common",
+      price: 100,
+      zones_restrict: "0" * 52
+    )
+
+    zones_and_bodies.each do |zone, body_id|
+      item.swf_assets << build_item_asset(zone, body_id: body_id)
+    end
+
+    item
+  end
+
+  describe '#outfit_items_by_zone' do
+    context 'with nil pet_type' do
+      it 'returns empty array' do
+        # Create an outfit without a pet_state (pet_type will be nil)
+        outfit = Outfit.new
+        # Allow the delegation to fail gracefully
+        allow(outfit).to receive(:pet_type).and_return(nil)
+
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+        expect(result).to eq([])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with empty outfit' do
+      it 'returns empty array' do
+        outfit = create_test_outfit
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+        expect(result).to eq([])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with single-zone items' do
+      let(:outfit) { create_test_outfit }
+      let!(:hat_item) { create_item("Blue Hat", [[zones(:hat), body_id]]) }
+      let!(:jacket_item) { create_item("Red Jacket", [[zones(:jacket), body_id]]) }
+
+      before do
+        outfit.worn_items << hat_item
+        outfit.worn_items << jacket_item
+      end
+
+      it 'groups items by zone' do
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+
+        expect(result.length).to eq(2)
+        zone_labels = result.map { |g| g[:zone_label] }
+        expect(zone_labels).to contain_exactly("Hat", "Jacket")
+      end
+
+      it 'sorts zones alphabetically' do
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+
+        zone_labels = result.map { |g| g[:zone_label] }
+        expect(zone_labels).to eq(["Hat", "Jacket"])
+      end
+
+      it 'includes items in their respective zones' do
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+
+        hat_group = result.find { |g| g[:zone_label] == "Hat" }
+        jacket_group = result.find { |g| g[:zone_label] == "Jacket" }
+
+        expect(hat_group[:items]).to eq([hat_item])
+        expect(jacket_group[:items]).to eq([jacket_item])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with multiple items in same zone' do
+      let(:outfit) { create_test_outfit }
+      let!(:hat1) { create_item("Awesome Hat", [[zones(:hat), body_id]]) }
+      let!(:hat2) { create_item("Cool Hat", [[zones(:hat), body_id]]) }
+      let!(:hat3) { create_item("Blue Hat", [[zones(:hat), body_id]]) }
+
+      before do
+        outfit.worn_items << hat1
+        outfit.worn_items << hat2
+        outfit.worn_items << hat3
+      end
+
+      it 'sorts items alphabetically within zone' do
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+
+        hat_group = result.find { |g| g[:zone_label] == "Hat" }
+        item_names = hat_group[:items].map(&:name)
+
+        expect(item_names).to eq(["Awesome Hat", "Blue Hat", "Cool Hat"])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with multi-zone item (no conflicts)' do
+      let(:outfit) { create_test_outfit }
+      let!(:bow_tie) do
+        create_item("Bow Tie", [
+          [zones(:collar), body_id],
+          [zones(:necklace), body_id],
+          [zones(:earrings), body_id]
+        ])
+      end
+
+      before do
+        outfit.worn_items << bow_tie
+      end
+
+      it 'shows item in only one zone (simplification)' do
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+
+        # Should show in Collar zone only (first alphabetically)
+        expect(result.length).to eq(1)
+        expect(result[0][:zone_label]).to eq("Collar")
+        expect(result[0][:items]).to eq([bow_tie])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with multi-zone simplification (item appears in conflict zone)' do
+      let(:outfit) { create_test_outfit }
+      let!(:multi_zone_item) do
+        create_item("Fancy Outfit", [
+          [zones(:jacket), body_id],
+          [zones(:collar), body_id]
+        ])
+      end
+      let!(:collar_item) { create_item("Simple Collar", [[zones(:collar), body_id]]) }
+
+      before do
+        outfit.worn_items << multi_zone_item
+        outfit.worn_items << collar_item
+      end
+
+      it 'keeps conflict zone and hides redundant single-item zone' do
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+
+        zone_labels = result.map { |g| g[:zone_label] }
+
+        # Should show Collar (has conflict with 2 items)
+        # Should NOT show Jacket (redundant - item already in Collar)
+        expect(zone_labels).to eq(["Collar"])
+
+        collar_group = result.find { |g| g[:zone_label] == "Collar" }
+        item_names = collar_group[:items].map(&:name).sort
+        expect(item_names).to eq(["Fancy Outfit", "Simple Collar"])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with zone label disambiguation' do
+      let(:outfit) { create_test_outfit }
+
+      # Create additional zones with duplicate labels for this test
+      let!(:markings_zone_a) do
+        Zone.create!(label: "Markings", depth: 100, plain_label: "markings_a", type_id: 2)
+      end
+      let!(:markings_zone_b) do
+        Zone.create!(label: "Markings", depth: 101, plain_label: "markings_b", type_id: 2)
+      end
+
+      let!(:item_zone_a) { create_item("Tattoo A", [[markings_zone_a, body_id]]) }
+      let!(:item_zone_b) { create_item("Tattoo B", [[markings_zone_b, body_id]]) }
+      let!(:item_zone_a_b) { create_item("Tattoo C", [[markings_zone_a, body_id]]) }
+
+      before do
+        outfit.worn_items << item_zone_a
+        outfit.worn_items << item_zone_b
+        outfit.worn_items << item_zone_a_b
+      end
+
+      it 'adds zone IDs to duplicate labels' do
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+
+        zone_labels = result.map { |g| g[:zone_label] }
+
+        # Both should have IDs appended since they share the label "Markings"
+        expect(zone_labels).to contain_exactly(
+          "Markings (##{markings_zone_a.id})",
+          "Markings (##{markings_zone_b.id})"
+        )
+      end
+
+      it 'groups items correctly by zone despite same label' do
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+
+        zone_a_group = result.find { |g| g[:zone_label] == "Markings (##{markings_zone_a.id})" }
+        zone_b_group = result.find { |g| g[:zone_label] == "Markings (##{markings_zone_b.id})" }
+
+        expect(zone_a_group[:items].map(&:name).sort).to eq(["Tattoo A", "Tattoo C"])
+        expect(zone_b_group[:items].map(&:name)).to eq(["Tattoo B"])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with incompatible items' do
+      let(:outfit) { create_test_outfit }
+      let!(:compatible_item) { create_item("Fits Pet", [[zones(:hat), body_id]]) }
+      let!(:incompatible_item) { create_item("Wrong Body", [[zones(:jacket), 999]]) }
+
+      before do
+        outfit.worn_items << compatible_item
+        outfit.worn_items << incompatible_item
+      end
+
+      it 'separates incompatible items into their own section' do
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+
+        zone_labels = result.map { |g| g[:zone_label] }
+        expect(zone_labels).to contain_exactly("Hat", "Incompatible")
+
+        incompatible_group = result.find { |g| g[:zone_label] == "Incompatible" }
+        expect(incompatible_group[:items]).to eq([incompatible_item])
+      end
+
+      it 'sorts incompatible items alphabetically' do
+        outfit.worn_items << create_item("Alpha Item", [[zones(:jacket), 999]])
+        outfit.worn_items << create_item("Zulu Item", [[zones(:jacket), 999]])
+
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+        incompatible_group = result.find { |g| g[:zone_label] == "Incompatible" }
+
+        item_names = incompatible_group[:items].map(&:name)
+        expect(item_names).to eq(["Alpha Item", "Wrong Body", "Zulu Item"])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with complex multi-zone scenario' do
+      let(:outfit) { create_test_outfit }
+      let!(:bg1) { create_item("Forest Background", [[zones(:background), 0]]) }
+      let!(:bg2) { create_item("Beach Background", [[zones(:background), 0]]) }
+      let!(:multi_item) do
+        create_item("Wings and Hat", [
+          [zones(:wings), 0],
+          [zones(:hat), 0]
+        ])
+      end
+      let!(:hat_item) { create_item("Simple Hat", [[zones(:hat), 0]]) }
+
+      before do
+        outfit.worn_items << bg1
+        outfit.worn_items << bg2
+        outfit.worn_items << multi_item
+        outfit.worn_items << hat_item
+      end
+
+      it 'correctly applies all sorting and grouping rules' do
+        result = helper.outfit_items_by_zone(outfit)
+
+        # Background: has conflict (2 items)
+        # Hat: has conflict (2 items, including multi-zone item)
+        # Wings: should be hidden (multi-zone item already in Hat conflict)
+        zone_labels = result.map { |g| g[:zone_label] }
+        expect(zone_labels).to eq(["Background", "Hat"])
+
+        bg_group = result.find { |g| g[:zone_label] == "Background" }
+        expect(bg_group[:items].map(&:name)).to eq(["Beach Background", "Forest Background"])
+
+        hat_group = result.find { |g| g[:zone_label] == "Hat" }
+        expect(hat_group[:items].map(&:name)).to eq(["Simple Hat", "Wings and Hat"])
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end