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ories with each other [11]. This deep desire to feel loved and to feel a sense of belonging and togetherness is one of the most basic human emotional needs, so why should something that allows for or encourages that be vilified to such a great extent?
of a shared private culture within romantic relationships is necessary in that it “validates one’s social identities and worldviews”, and it is “what makes our significant others significant” [13]. Couples’ wear participants achieve this through dressing alike.
As Park points out, couples’ wear seems to have fulfilled these basic desires because “wearing the looks gave [interviewees] a sense of belonging, and the feeling of belonging to a relationship was not negative or suffocating in any way, but rather comforting” [12]. Couples’ dress brought these partners closer, confirming their unity. They are affiliated with one another and create an intimate community that provides a counterpoint to the rest of society. Blumstein and Kollock describe how the construction
While couples’ wear practices are not for everyone, those who are willing to participate in it may experience a type of close connection that only dressing together can bring. Disclosing who you want to be that day and how the body feels in clothing’s textures and shapes brings the ritual of moulding identity from a private to mutual affair and may be one of the most personal experiences to share with someone, reinforcing feelings of belonging, togetherness, and love. That possibility for profound human connection is surely something to celebrate.