That couple looks exactly alike. And it’s not because of their faces or bodies – it’s because they’re wearing matching clothes.
Ah yes, the couple outfit. It’s something I’ve seen in China, though I know it also exists in other parts of the world (even the US).
My favorite take on this is the couple shirt. And of course it would be my favorite because, well, Jun and I happen to own a pair of what we like to call couple shirts.
We actually didn’t intend to buy couple shirts and, honestly, the shirt wasn’t marketed like that.
A few years ago we were shopping in Giordano and happened upon these really cute “I love China” shirts in red and yellow. I immediately dropped whatever else I was looking for in the store and made a beeline for the shirts. And once we discovered they carried it in sizes that would fit me and Jun, there was no doubt about it – we were buying one for each of us.
It’s not like the store said, “Hey couples! If you both love China, you need to buy these shirts!” There wasn’t some display with a couple wearing the shirts. Honestly, even though the shirts did have a heart on them, it wasn’t meant to symbolize two hearts together as a couple.
One of the reasons I like the shirts is they feel meaningful to us. We love China, and it’s something we can share together.
But would I wear matching shirts specifically designed for couples – like these featured on Amazon? While many of the descriptions call the shirts “cute,” I’m not sure I’d always agree. If two people are walking down the street wearing the same thing, I get that they’re a couple; but if they’re wearing shirts that say something like “king” and “queen”, it could be a little obnoxious.
So I’ve got to ask you – would you be willing to wear couple shirts? Or do you already have couple shirts of your own? Do you think they’re endearing or obnoxious? Where do you draw the line?