Gap shirt, $59.50. Fidelity jeans, $280 through fidelitydenim.com. Brave belt, $88 through www.braveleather.com. Aldo clogs, $80.
There was a time when the Canadian tuxedo - the often dubious pairing of jeans with a denim jacket - was exclusively the domain of farmhands and Bruce Springsteen.
Recently, though, a funny thing happened on the way to the barn dance: The surfeit of chic denim working the runways has elevated the blue collar to haute status, making even the Canuck tux acceptable - within limits.
At D&G, a stampede of cowgirls and -boys sported dirty, tattered jeans with equally beat-up denim shirts, while unabashedly girly labels such as Chloe and Stella McCartney sung the blues with double denim looks evoking the prairies. Even Ralph Lauren, the master of prep, chose soot over status with a tribute to the Depression-era worker, showing denim dresses, dungarees and trousers so worn they could have come out of the Dust Bowl.
"The last year or two has been difficult," says Cristelle Basmaji, communications director for Jacob in Montreal. The retailer, known for its smart, office-friendly apparel, is giving in to denim domination with the introduction of a slouchy boyfriend jean and denim shirt of its own.
"Denim has this comfort factor: It makes you feel good in a way that's easy and not expensive. People are starting to spend more, but they're not yet back to the point where they're wearing fancy clothes."
"We're coming out of a very humbling year," agrees Jason Trotzuk, whose Vancouver-based Fidelity denim line will be expanded this spring to include a perfectly worn-in denim shirt. "What we're seeing in fashion this season is a real buildup of moments in time that we can identify with: That was me then, that was important then."
Trotzuk finds comfort in denim's resiliency, its rich history and its ability to reference diverse archetypes from farmers to punks to B-girls.
"Denim has all this resonance," he says. By wearing it, "you're taking from moments in time that give you that warm, fuzzy feeling inside."
And while the pairing of jeans with denim jackets may be derisively be referred to as the Canadian (or Mexican) tux, the look both current and historic was born in the U.S.A.
"A huge resurgence of Americana has been steadily developing," says Jackie O'Brien, owner of Jonathan + Olivia, a hip Toronto boutique. "It's the natural progression of preppy, but more relaxed."
Even so, some double denim rules do apply. You will want, for instance, to channel David Beckham, not an ex-con. To this end, O'Brien suggests "a washed-denim shirt, dark jeans rolled up with white sneakers and gold-rimmed Lacoste 101 sunglasses."
For Trotzuk, it's all about referencing different influences. He points to Chloe's denim tux as the perfect patchwork of Springsteen glamour and 1970s home-dying machine.
Above all, the designer adds, "you should never, ever wear two denims that match."
Follow that advice and you're bound to relive your glory days.
On location
Built as a department store in 1907, the grittily elegant Burroughes Building on Toronto's Queen Street West served as an ideal setting for our paean to denim.
These days, the building plays host to a wide variety of functions, from fundraisers to fashion shows. Most recently, designer Philip Sparks unveiled his fall collection in the venue. To inquire about the Burroughes Building or other Queen Street Partners projects, e-mail info@burroughesbuilding.com or info@queenstreetpartners.com.