우리 “길거리 스타일” 컬럼은 개인의 패션 선택만 벤치마킁하는 것아니라, 찰라리 대표적인 길거리에서 보일 수 있는 패션 장르를 잡으려고 해요.

“Street Styles” tracks not just individual fashion choices, but tries to capture fashion that is representative of types of fashion genres visible on the Korean streets.

사실 미국인으로써 이 걸 안 좋아했는데 한국에서 살아보니까 가끔씩 괜찮은 걸 눈에 띄는 거예요. 내 생각엔 진짜 커플 티를 좋아하면 비슷한 걸로 사가지고 그냥 맞쳐서 입는 것말고 자극적으로 재밌는 걸 찾아서 자랑스럽게 입는 건 좋지? 명동에서 이 커플을 봤을 때는 지짜 물어보고 싶었죠. 친절하게 해주셔서 – 남자분이 쿨한 자세로, 여자분은 귀여운 미소로 – 진짜 고마웠어요!

When I first came to Korea, I found the idea of “couple t-shirts” absolutely abominable, but when I began to adjust to the Korean fashion scene, and as I looked around more, I would occasionally see some pretty cool and funny ones. The couple we snapped here in Myeongdong was eminently cool about posing for us in their super couple tees – the way I see it, if you’re going to do the couple tee thing, don’t hold back – go all out!

In Korea, public displays of…attachment are a bit more plentiful and playful than in the US or other places I’ve been in the West, where people don’t buy each other rings on their 100th day of having gone out, nor are there the incessant 14th-of-the-month holidays: Valentine’s Day followed by “White Day” followed by “Black Day” followed by even more “Days” related to romance than I have committed to memory. But there’s apparently a special day for every month of the year.

And in Korea, “couple rings” (like a wedding band, except you’re not married) and “couple t-shirts” are in, although only the more hardcore actually buy matching shirts, and only a few of them go so far as to buy the shirts like the ones in the picture above.

And since fashion t-shirts have gotten really taken off this summer, these more highly-evolved couple tees are no surprise at all.

And to the cynics out there, yeah – it can be a bit corny. Yet, there is something cute about the this public show of affection, especially when it’s over the top and unapologetic. And after all – isn’t there something inherently romantic about that?