They say that couples who share similar interests stay together.
For some of Hollywood’s most stylish couples, it takes getting dressed up together.
Zendaya and Tom Holland were spotted together at last month’s Emmys, adding another stellar appearance to the power couple’s increasingly impressive red-carpet haul.
And while they don’t always pull off matching looks, they have developed an easy sartorial chemistry that suggests dressing well together is less about wearing the same thing and more about knowing how to complement each other.
It’s a differentiator because matchy-matchy dressing has long been considered a relationship barometer.
When couples dress alike, their outfits can become the focus of speculation about how the relationship is going.
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a story by the new York Times Last year saw the same phenomenon, which saw how coordinated red-carpet looks have been interpreted as everything from a romantic statement to an attempt to project relationship stability.
Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, who wore matching bright orange dresses to a movie premiere, were examined in the piece.
History is full of other examples. Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake’s all-denim ensemble at the 2001 American Music Awards became one of the most enduring examples of couple dressing in pop culture.
The couple broke up after a little more than a year, giving the tabloids plenty of material for retrospective analysis.
But it is not necessary that matching clothes are important.
For example, Zendaya has become one of the most-seen celebrities on the red carpet, with stylist Law Roach helping her carefully transform her appearances into fashion moments.
Holland’s style is more understated, but her increasingly confident tailoring and willingness to engage with fashion make the pair an interesting study in how one partner’s sartorial confidence can potentially influence the other.
Aside from the particularly memorable orange twinning, Chalamet and Jenner offer a more intentionally fashion-forward example.
He leans toward unconventional tailoring, while she oscillates between vintage references, sculptural gowns and body-conscious silhouettes. When they coordinate, it feels intentional rather than mandatory.
Then there’s David and Victoria Beckham, who have had decades to hone their art.
Their early matching looks, from coordinated leather to head-to-toe color, have become part of fashion folklore.
These days, however, his approach is much more nuanced.
David’s sharp tailoring and Victoria’s sleek, often minimalist dressing share a muted palette and polished sensibility, creating a visual connection without making them look as if they just walked out of the house in matching outfits.
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco take a loose approach.
Gomez leans toward sophisticated Hollywood glamour, while Blanco is more laid-back and sometimes eccentric.
Their differences are part of the broader appeal, with their forms linked to formality, color or simply the specific mood of the occasion.
Read more: Pop stars show off bold red carpet fashion at the MTV Video Music Awards
Emily Blunt and John Krasinski similarly understand that complementing doesn’t mean competing.
When Blunt wears an elaborate gown, Krasinski generally keeps his look sophisticated and restrained. The balance allows both organizations to register without turning the red carpet into a competition.
Meanwhile, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are more comfortable adopting glamor as a shared language.
Their appearance can range between finely tailored Western wear and Indian fashion, with colour, texture and occasion intertwining each other.
Maybe that’s the real trick to dressing well as a couple – matching the mood, not necessarily the clothes.
Too much coordination can make two people look as if they were styled by the same mood board.
Very little can make them look as if they arrived at completely different events.
The sweet spot is somewhere in the middle.
Think two distinct wardrobes, a shared visual rhythm – and sometimes, one exceptionally stylish partner brings the other along for the ride.