If you’ve ever struggled to show up to an event or just go out in a coordinated outfit with your plus one, you’re in luck! My husband, Amr, and I seem to have mastered intentionally (and often, unintentionally) matching our outfits, but not in that dreaded “matchy-matchy” way. :) We’ve both outlined our tips and tricks for outfits that are coordinating, comfortable and not cringe-worthy. (I’m especially excited to get a male perspective when it comes to these fashion tips!)

I think coordinated outfits should not be too in sync. Sticking to a color scheme that both yours and your husband’s outfits incorporate is a lot more sophisticated than wearing a matching shirt or shoes. For example, instead of Amr and I both wearing white button downs for a cute spring photo-op, we’d go for white articles of clothing – but different pieces for us (like maybe a dress or skirt for me and trousers for him) instead. It’s important to incorporate the same colors but in different pieces to get a cohesive look.

I love the above example where Amr wore a shirt that matched my dress perfectly. His shoes were white while mine were cream but the collective look still looks put together.

For formal occasions I still think it’s classy to match your husband’s tie to your dress, but you can also have a little more fun! Breaking up the solid colors with a patterned dress, hijab or tie makes the whole look feel a lot more organic. I think that also applies to non-formal looks. Choosing a color from a patterned piece really elevates the collective look, like in this Eid ensemble Amr and I put together. I chose one color from his striped shirt and used it as the basis for my outfit for a coordinated look that doesn’t scream, “We tried too hard.”

Rowayda and I both have extremely different styles, and I think one thing that really makes our coordinated outfits work and not look like she just dressed me is that we respect each other’s styles. I remember last Eid ul Fitr [at the end of Ramadan], Rowayda and I both had a hard time finding Eid outfits. When I finally found a patterned shirt I loved, Rowayda didn’t worry too much about matching the geometric vibe. Instead, she found a dress with tiny stars that she loved. I’m wearing navy while she’s wearing a dark blue. I’m wearing tan shoes while she’s wearing white, but it still works because the overall looks go together so well while still being so true to our individual styles.

[Our Eid look] honestly reminds me of the first time we ever matched. It was actually our first Eid together after having gotten engaged. Rowayda had this patterned skirt she loved, and I’d recently gotten this double-breasted blazer that I was obsessed with. To make it all match, we decided to coordinate accessories (her hijab, my tie), which can be a trick to making a look more coordinated.

Coordinated outfits can be fun and fresh and don’t have to follow a strict set of rules to make it work. Keep in mind that we’ve written our opinions completely from our own perspectives, and fashion is all about breaking rules and making it your own. So, feel free to take it all with a grain of salt! We hope our tips and advice inspire you to take coordinating with your husband (or even child, sibling, entire family or best friend) to the next level!