It’s admittedly precarious to base a relationship on the nebulous terms of fashion. Whether your partner understands the pant-boot craze of 2016 undoubtedly pales in comparison to such traits as compassion, trust, and well, fidelity. Still, when you consider the year’s most compelling celebrity couples, you quickly realize that many of them really looked like they belong together. Whether shutting down red carpets, dodging infidelity rumors with courtside date nights, or showing off their growing baby bumps with pride, these duos seemed to always put a collective best foot forward.
Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West clearly didn’t need a perfectly worded statement from their publicist to let the world know they were still in sync. Their matching metallic Balmain robotic looks at this year’s Met Gala did just that. Even when they resurfaced after a monthlong hiatus from the public eye, the pair chose his-and-hers athleisure sweats to show they were nothing but a united front. And true, maybe we’ll never know what’s going on behind closed closet doors, but when one sees George and Amal Clooney suited up (she most likely in Oscar de la Renta) for, say, a UN human rights initiative, one can never suggest the couple doesn’t work as a team. Kristen Stewart and now-ex Soko’s coordinated yet haphazard assemblage of vintage tees, perfectly broken-in jeans, and leather motos had us all thinking the stylish lovebirds were borrowing from one another’s closets. And while Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston’s relationship was short-lived, their couple style was an impressive whirlwind of synchronized ensembles. Swift’s go-to crop-top-and-mini combo worked seamlessly with Hiddleston’s classic button-downs and rumpled skinny jeans. It was Americana chic at its best. Even the rather enigmatic Beyoncé and Jay Z sent clear signals with their his-and-hers tailored suiting this summer, putting all those Lemonade rumors to rest.
Matchy-matchy couple style, no matter how you cut it, helped create a sense of harmony this year—as if these partners were on the same team. So before the biggest date night of the year, let these inspiring couples show you how to double down on style in 2017. Suit up for some quality time in Balenciaga’s hourglass double-breasted wool blazer and layer Raey’s saucy cropped herringbone bustier underneath. Before you enjoy a night of political debate over dinner, loop Paul Smith’s Globe cufflinks into bae’s oxford; he’ll be totally coordinated with your Valentino Cosmic Planet earrings. And you and the Mrs. can take turns borrowing Tom Ford’s laser-cut leather silk organza dress, and give new meaning to the idea of twinning. After all, love (and good fashion) will keep you together.
