Denim on denim is forever

Let's stop calling this a trend every season

Gosh, I just love denim on denim (…on denim…. as Beyonce now sings). We have Bing Crosby and Levi’s to thank for giving the look a name - the Canadian Tuxedo, which was born in 1951 after the actor was denied access to an upscale Vancouver hotel due to his denim-on-denim attire. Levi’s responded by creating a one-of-a-kind denim tuxedo for Crosby, a style story that has been shared for 70+ years.

Once a fashion faux pas, full denim looks now have decades of staying power. The textile is universally loved, and when I challenged myself to more clearly articulate exactly why this could be, I arrived at the following themes: texture, structure, and color.

Texture - the woven nature means that the fabric never looks flat.

Structure - the fact that denim is a thicker, especially rigid denim, means that it brings clear shape to a look.

Color - most often in blue, which is recognized as one of the most flattering colors across all skin tones.

When I write this now, the logical side of me claps with enthusiasm because it all makes so much sense. Why? Because texture, structure, and color are critical elements to creating visual interest in pretty much any application - art, interior design, style.

Living in LA, I also find that denim is easy to dress up or dress down, and the addition of accessories can add shape and shine.

I’ve had denim on denim on my mind because I’ve been wearing it a bunch, but also because F1 driver Lewis Hamilton is the king of mastering this type of look. After catching up on the latest season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, my observation stands because he rocks a Canadian Tuxedo like no other.

The instagram account databutmakeitfashion (which, as a lover of data, I’m completely obsessed with) - run by engineer Made Lapuerta who creates image recognition models and then analyzes trends, posted an analysis of Lewis’ style at the beginning of this year. Her conclusions were that 66% of the time he’s wearing monochromatic looks, and his outerwear of choice is a denim jacket. His monochromatic denim looks - both the more classic blue jean versions and his highly creative designer-driven spins - are true standouts.

Now please indulge me for a few images as I highlight his style….

Now back to reality….

Here are some of my favorite denim picks for that denim-on-denim lifestyle.

For a denim shacket with versatility such that you can also tuck it in:

Isabel Marant Talbot Jacket

For moodier denim looks in darker colors:

Isabel Marant Vhelynton Shirt

Agolde Camryn Shirt - currently included in the Shopbop sale

Rachel Comey Nikka Top

For a cute cropped look:

La Ligne Stevie Crop Shirt, also comes in a longer, light version

For anyone on the petite side, there’s one Closed Official XXS cropped shirt here and on sale, which I’ve tried on before and it’s awesome.

For the perfectly oversized jackets:

Acne Studios Oversized Jacket - this is my go-to that I wear non-stop. Also comes in a darker color here.

Ganni Tint Oversized Denim Jacket

For denim jackets inspired by a Parisian stroll:

La Ligne Val Jacket

Alex Mill Britt Work Jacket

Sezane Will Jacket

To denim on denim forever and always.

x jz

Images | 1 - 2 | @b.g.mckay, styled by me | 3 | Pinterest | 4 | Reddit | 5 | Highsnobiety | 6 | Fashion Sizzle | 7 | POPSUGAR | 8 | Daily Mail | 9 | Shopbop | 10 | Ssense | 11 | Shopbop | 12 | Rachel Comey | 13 | La Ligne | 14 | Acne Studios | 15 | GANNI | 16 | La Ligne | 17 | Alex Mill | 18 | Sezane

This post contains some affiliate links. Please note that all recommendations and opinions are my own.

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