The Canadian Tuxedo. or, A Fashion Disaster Waiting to Happen

You've all seen it before. It is probably one of the most terrifying ensembles you will ever encounter. And it can happen to anyone. At any time.  I'm talking about the Canadian Tuxedo. Yup, that atrocious denim on denim look. And perpetrators always do the same look: lightblue distressed denim jacket/button-down with lightblue distressed jeans. Horrible. Disgusting. It must be avoided at all costs.

But I sincerely believe you can rock this look IF styled carefully and correctly.

Rule #1: Thou shalt not wear the same wash above and below. This is probably the easiest part to deal with. My personal choice would to sport a really dark wash, raw denim, selvedge-y kind of jean on the bottom. The darker the better. Black jeans could work here. And as always, avoid colored jeans like the plague. On top, rock it out with a really distressed lightblue jacket, the more broken and contrasting to both wash and color of the pant in the better.

Rule #2: Thou shalt be cautious of fit. Denim on denim is already a risky enough look. If done incorrectly it SCREAMS old fashioned and out of date. So what we need to do as a sort of insurance plan is to make sure that the fit of the look is completely modern and up-to-date. That means straight leg jeans, the skinnier the better. And as for the jacket, I think that you would be better off with one that is slightly cropped and doesn't go down too low. Make sure it fits close to the body without being to tight. A floating denim shell over your torso is the last thing you want.

Rule #3: Thine top is thine salvation. No matter which way you do it, denim on denim is going to be a bit of a blank canvas look. For a top, I would pick a graphic tee shirt. Or something with paillette detailing. Any sort of print which is going to be peaking out from beneath the jacket without overpowering the look will work here. But make sure the color palette of the shirt blends well with both the washes of your jeans and your jacket.

Rule #4: Thou shalt not forget the details. As always, the details are going to make the look. I would definately roll up the jacket sleeves. Maybe even do that thing where you pop the back of the collar just a bit. And make sure you accessorize correctly to complete the look. I think a cool leather cuff or bracelet would complement this denim ensemble. A cool natural-looking necklace in turquoise or some other stone would go nicley with the rustic element of a denim ensemble. And ladies, wear your hair down, sexy and au naturale.


Here are some looks that I would style. And yes, I stole the picutures so.. ignore some of the prestyled looks!
First up, for the ladies....

Jeans by Naked&Famous. Jacket by 7forAllMankind. Racerback sequin top by Parker.

And for the gents:

Jeans by Naked&Famous. Jacket by Levi's. TShirt by Local Celebrity. Cuff from Abercrombie&Fitch (I know, I know, the dreaded, tacky, overdone A&F. But you CAN'T deny that they consistently produce really affordable, go-to leather accessories.)