Kitsch, Kitscher, VIRGINIAN

I grew up in a small mining town in the Free State.  Life was good.  You knew everyone (well at least in my case the English speaking people) because we generally all went to the same school during the week , went to the same Church on Sunday and our parents belonged to either the Rotary Club, local running club or met up at the Country Club (sometimes all three).   

Now I must admit the town I knew 30 years ago is VASTLY different to the town I visited 3 years ago, nevertheless, I am pretty proud to call myself “Virginian” . 

Now the Husband on the other hand, (he from the fashion-forward, happening, bustling metropolis that is East London), calls everything with a Kitschometer reading of 2 or more (out of 100), “Virginian”.  Painted garden gnomes – Virginian.  Crotched Side table doilies – Virginian.  Rooms painted in any colour other than white – Virginian.  Socks and Sandals – most definitely Virginian.  Couples who dress the same – Virginian…….. and this is where it gets tricky. 

For all my loyalty and Virginian pride, nothing can ever justify dressing like your spouse.  In this case, I would most definitely agree with The Husband - There can be nothing more “Virginian” than couples wearing matching clothes.  

For those who know me, I am no Faith Popcorn.  I’ll pick up on a trend 2 years after it has come and gone.  I’m happy to wear my red dress, favourite black slip on (practical) shoes and carry my brown every day handbag.  Fashion and I are not the best of friends.  However, even I know that there will never be a time, occasion, event or situation when it is necessary to match your outfit to your spouses.  EVER!

I think my aversion to the whole “matching outfit” thing stems from my childhood – doesn’t everything!!  While looking through old photos, I realised that my sister and I wore matching clothes from about the age of 2 weeks until about 12! Every now and then my mother would be daring and buy one of us a different colour – but the outfit would still be the same!  She assures me this was what “everyone” did.  But funnily enough in party photos it’s only my sister and I that are dressed the same! 

My sister and I in 1978

Even though my mom says that “everyone” dressed their kids like this, I have a sneaky suspicion that she dressed us the same because she dressed the same as her friends!! She assures me the picture below is not what it seems – her and her friend happened to buy these on a sale and for fun took a pic together…. Ja ja - whatever!!

My mom (in blue) and her friend in 1979 - same outfit, different colour!

Anyway, where I am going with all this is that I have very vivid memories of couples dressing the same when I was growing up – I didn’t like it 30 years ago and I funnily enough like it even less now!  A favourite in Virginia was matching tracksuits!  I mean a tracksuit is not the most flattering item of clothing at the best of times and then wearing one that would be considered “unisex”, just makes it that much more unappealing. 

Which brings me to yet another gripe I have about dressing like your spouse.  In order to look the same, you need to wear a style and colour that suits both parties.  Since no self-respecting guy would wear pale pinks, yellows and lime greens, it generally means that the matching outfit comes in unflattering red, navy blue, dark green and khaki. Finding a style that suits both male and female, once again, means that the fairer sex in the matching pair will get the short end of the stick.  Bulky “parachute material” tracksuits and loose fitting golf-shirts seem to the order of the day with co-ordinating couples. 

Why I raise this topic is that recently when we were on our Cruise, there was a couple that dressed the same EVERYDAY – EVERYDAY!!!!!!  We were on the boat for 5 days – that’s 5 matching outfits!  Unfortunately I didn’t see them at the Captain’s dinner, I wish I had because I don’t know how they pulled off matching formal wear – but I digress……

I would bump into the couple in question every morning at the lift – I guess we were all early risers.  I never got tired of staring at their outfits – I was fascinated!  It never occurred to me though to take a photo!  It was only on the last day when I once again saw them out on the deck that I thought “This would make an excellent blog post!!” – so I frantically tried to take a sneaky pic.  Unfortunately on this particular day the wife was being rebellious and was wearing a little (unflattering) unisex (NAVY) vest thing over her shirt – BUT you can still see what I mean.  

 Exactly the same, just a little bit different!

… and wouldn’t you know it,  the matching GOLF SHIRTS were navy, red and white (and were worn with ta da...... Khaki shorts!!) VIRGINIAN!!