By VIVY YUSOF
alltherage@thestar.com.my

I AM with him. She is with me. Yes, yes. We get it, you’re a couple. The words on your t-shirts could not have been bigger, don’t you worry.

We’ve all giggled at couples like these before; usually spotted at shopping malls, happily walking hand in hand with identical t-shirts. I believe that eight out of 10 times, the male-half of the equation is always seen carrying his partner’s handbag like a true hero.

If there is anything that screams lack of identity, it is embracing fashion that is identical with your other half. “Have you no individuality?” I would signal to them with my eyes. The only time I thought I would ever be caught dead wearing the same thing as my partner is at a stadium and even that is because there will be other twins there too.

Growing up, I told myself to never be two things. One, a drug addict. Two, one of those couples with matching clothes.

A few years back, my then-boyfriend picked me up for a movie date. In the car, I realised that both of us were wearing colour coordinated outfits; blue polo tees and white bottoms. I did not think anything of it, because well, puppy love is blind.

While walking in the mall, I stopped to tie my hair and asked him nicely to hold on to my handbag for a second. As any good boyfriend would, he did it with a smile. I said thank you as I pulled out my hair band.

A group of girls walked past us and started whispering to one another while pointing their fingers at us. One of them gave her friend the gag gesture and they laughed.

For two good seconds, the world seemed to stop. Reality hit me. I was that female half of the nauseating couple! I was that “joke” which I used to laugh at all the time! What had just happened?

Horrified, I looked at him but got no reciprocal horrified response. Instead, he was looking at me lovingly, short of saying “Oh, I love how you tie your hair. Do it again.” (Seriously, what is it with puppy love?)

He was oblivious to the group of girls and I started to wonder why I was affected by them. In fact, it actually felt good to dress identical to someone. It was as if the two of us were in an exclusive club and no one else could join (unless of course you were wearing the same thing too). It felt special and somewhat cute to be in our own little world.

Fast forward to present, I still see a lot of couples looking all loved up with their matching outfits despite the looks they get from others. I am an adult now (despite what my dad would tell you) and I still think this wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve phenomenon is adorable.

It is this unabashed declaration of a couple’s love to one another that is just so sweet. Envy might be the real reason that propels others to point and giggle. We can laugh all we want, but matching outfits such as robes are even popular wedding gifts now. I’m not talking about colour coordination. Please, that’s amateur love! I’m talking full on identical outfits.

Let me take you back to the infamous black leather outfits that David and Victoria Beckham squeezed in to announce their love. I mean, their marriage has lasted more than a decade. Just saying.

I read an article about an elderly couple in Nebraska who have been married for 65 years. For 35 of those years, they wear matching outfits every single day. For every day of their married life, Mel Schwanke’s tie will always match his wife Joey’s dress. Extreme? Perhaps. But a love story to tell? Definitely.

I am so inspired that I am now looking at my leopard print dress and a pair of scissors, dangerously debating whether my husband would look good in leopard print.

Whether or not it will strengthen a relationship, no, I’m not so sure. Whether or not people will point and stare, yes, I’m very sure. But no one can deny that a matching outfit can bring a couple closer together. Just him, her and their identical lime green “I Heart You” sweaters.