Once your new relationship gets serious, it can begin to take over your entire life. What starts off as a weekly date turns into the entire weekend, then weekday evenings - and before long you're single friends can get a bit miffed you've chosen to Netflix and chill for the 208th time instead of hanging out with them.
It's hard not to become a couple who does absolutely everything together, because, well, it can be pretty fun to be 'that couple'. Although, it's rare that you'll see any couple quite as dedicated to one another as Tsuyoshi and Tomi Seki, who have taken the couple costume to the next level, by making it a part of their everyday lives.
This Japanese couple, best known to the world by their Instagram username 'Bonpon511', went viral once people took notice of their amazing coordinated outfits back in 2016.
The couple, who are both in their sixties, have been married for 38 years, and have made every day a little more special with their choice of outfits, combining similar patterns and styles to wow people online and in the streets.
It's paid off, as the couple now have over 766,000 followers to their name. And, as per an interview with The Guardian from earlier this year, this all came down to their daughter, who gave them the idea in the first place.
"[Our daughter] took photos of us and posted them on her own Instagram account," Tomi told The Guardian in May. "She received lots of comments so suggested that we start our own account."
The username comes from the nicknames they had as children (Bon and Pon) combined with their wedding anniversary (May 11), to create the adorable BonPon511. Apparently, the pair always shared a similar taste in clothes, but after they hit big on Instagram, they started properly planning out their outfits.
"Of course, we’re happy to be described as style icons in the media, but that’s not really how we see ourselves," Tomi said, referring to the fact that their eye-catching clothes are usually from low-cost supermarket Uniqlo or regular high street chains. "We wear simple, inexpensive clothes that anyone can buy."
This summer, the pair launched their own range of clothes and accessories in collaboration with a designer from Japanese department store Isetan Mitsukoshi - so it looks as if they've turned their lifestyle quirks into big money.
“But it’s not just about coordinating our clothes,” said Tsuyoshi. “We try to choose outfits that complement our surroundings.”
Tomi explained:
“Now we’re on our own and finally have the time to do all the things we didn’t have the time to do when we were raising a family and working. We want to show that retirement can be a lot of fun, especially if you find something you enjoy doing together.”
“We’re overwhelmed by the number of comments, although we’re unable to understand all of them,” Tsuyoshi said. “But we’re extremely grateful to everyone who takes the time to post.”
