Denim, pals. An essential! In the Horny Rich, and Lazy guidebook, denim is one of the essential building blocks. And from the dawn of time, we have all wondered…. to do, or not to do the Canadian Tuxedo. That! Is the question.
And it’s been answered, again, and again. And I’ve touched on this pretty much every week, so in a nutshell my response is this - if you want to! Why not!
Figuring out how to do it in a way that works for you, and doesn’t feel too J.Crew in the early 00’s (honestly though, those were some good looks), is the point of the question. Anyone can do anything, but doing it in a way that feels like you and not like a costume is the hard part.
And man, denim is just….so Lauren Hutton, so Volvo Station Wagon in Vermont, so…essential! Classic! Everything I love about personal style. I could have an entire podcast series about people’s favorite go-to denim, where they found it, the best pair of jeans they ever had, what they look for in jeans — it’s very rich terrain. Lush!
So if the thought goes, one good thing is merely good, two good things could be GREAT. Thus, double denim. Double thumbs up from me.
I am #blessed enough to have inherited a vintage denim jacket from my folks. My mom claims it was my dad’s, but my dad is like, 6’3”, so I don’t see how it’s possible. It’s a 70s Wrangler jacket, nicely fitted, not too cropped, vivid blue, and super soft. It’s a dream. It makes double denim very easy for me, because I love it so much. And while I won’t give you mine, I will link to some that are similar here, here, here, and here, and I will also say - this works for me because it feels essential to me. But your essential piece in this equation could be a chambray shirt, or oversized jacket, or whateverthefuck you want. Live, my babies!
AND also!! We have a guest editor this week - my pal Marjon Carlos, writer extraordinaire, haver of best style, host of Your Favorite Auntie show, writer of Notes from Auntie’s Desk newsletter (one of the only newsletters I read), and the coolest woman ever is here with her favorite denim on denim look + picks. Ta-da! A joy.
EASY PEASY
Easy, right? So this is almost too easy - the blue of my Wrangler jacket is almost identical to the blue of my Wrangler jeans. These are my all time favorite jeans, I’ve gone on and on about them before, so I’ll spare you. But because neither of them are intentionally whiskered or distressed, together they give me a very 70s Volvo Station Wagon in Vermont feeling. Kind of like a very fancy farmer - the kind of woman who never wore sunscreen, has extremely charming wrinkles, a long gray braid, and wears the same gardening clogs every day no matter what. Kind of ideal, right?
1. Ok! So denim jackets. This one is from Madewell and is quite a bit more oversized than mine, but I think for different bodytypes or personal style, oversized would be nice! I’d wear these with matching light wash jeans. Madewell, $138
2. This guy feels pretty close to mine. Very classic. Gap, $68
3. I also really love this from J.Crew. It’s neither oversized nor fitted, the kind of thing you always wish you could find at a vintage store. J.Crew, $138
4. The jeans! The only jeans. My favorites ever. Wrangler, $55
5. Ok but the Wranglers are specific. I don’t have hips or a butt, so they’re great for me, but if you don’t want something so literally straight, I’d suggest trying these from Tove. Tove, $290
6. And these! Amazing raw denim classic straight legs jeans from APC are on sale for $76!!!!! Go! APC, $74
7. The actual shirt I’m wearing is this one from LMND, and it’s great! The brand is based in Australia, and I believe everything ships from Australia, so if you’re goign to place an order, snag a few things. I also love this one from Alex Mill, $175
8. I love the gray of this button up from Citizens of Humanity. They also have a really great navy option with tonal buttons, which is THE DREAM OF ALL DREAMS. Citizens of Humanity, $228
9. I’m wearing a cutie pie pair of Row sandals that go with everything, so here’s another pair of cutie pie Row sandals to wear with everything. The Row, $890
10. Gardening clogs! Ugh, the chicest. Wear them with all your denim forever. Barbour, $70
11. And a very sweet little woven leather pair for a kind of 70s California feeling. Sezane, $245
12. And this is the little bag I’m carrying - it’s like two scarves tied together, and I love it so much. Mark Cross, $990
SLIGHTLY FANCIER
Here’s a similar formula, but made dressier. I love the idea of the jacket being worn more as a shirt, underneath another jacket. Especially one in a really pretty material - like this silk Prada car coat I got on TheRealReal a while ago. It feels vintage and current somehow at the same time, especially with these little 80s inspired almond toe heels, and a sparkly bag + red lip. A nice little mishmash of eras, all grounded by double denim.
1. Here’s another great denim jacket, this time more fitted and dark, like mine. Agolde, $248
2. Another satin jacket! I love how clean and streamlined this one is. So chic. Lafayette148, $1,139
3. I also love this maroon one from Tory Burch. I love everything Tory Burch. Tory Burch, $999
4. And this one! Like a very mensy tuxy overcoat, from Phillip Lim’s excellent online sample sale. 3.1 Phillip Lim, $243
5. These are the jeans I’m wearing here, but these obviously don’t have the rips. The fit is excellent, I love that they’re a little wider than what I ususally wear (hard to tell in this picture) but I really like dressing them up a bit. ReDone, $275
6. A super wide pair! Would be so chic with this. Agolde, $210
7. I haven’t looked at Rag & Bone denim in a long time, but these are VERY cute! Rag & Bone, $255
8. This is the bag I’m wearing here, a nice little crystal foldover guy from Stine Goya. So cute. Stine Goya, $183
9. If a little sparkly party clutch isn’t your vibe, how about this gorgeous Bottega baby? I’m honestly not such a huge Bottega bag gal, but I am obsessed with this one. Bottega Veneta, $2,650
10. This is the little red lip I have on. I love how smooth it is, super light, not too pigmented or obvious, and moisturizing. A near perfect lip tint. Bobbi Brown (in Papaya), $28
11. What a dream this little beaded Bode bag is. I love this as an evening clutch with a satin overcoat. There’s something so chic about a casual bag like this going back to heels, red lips, satin, and denim. Bode, $440
12. An excellent 90s inspired heel. I love Aeyde shoes so much, never too much, always crisp and beautiful and not insanely expensive. Aeyde, $335
13. Ugggggg I love these Toteme heels SO MUCH!!!!! What could be better! Ever!!! The most minimal beautiful, go with everything shoe ever. Toteme, $545
14. Ok actually, this is the most perfect shoe ever. The Row’s almond toe pump….jeez what a gorgeous perfect pump. The Row, $920
MARJON’S TAKE: HOT HOT HOT
AND NOW!!!! Introducing Marjon Carlos! You might know her as Your Favorite Auntie (thanks to her incredible IG talkshow) or from her brilliant newsletter Notes From Auntie’s Desk (subscribe subscribe subscribe! It’s one of the only newsletters I actually read). Her taste is perfect her sense of humor devastating her take on life flawless and I fucking love her. Our taste is similar but our personal style is very different, BUT Marjon is also from Texas, so she knows how to rock a double denim look. Here’s what she has to say, along with some of her tips:
When Laurel texted me this week to ask if I would write an ode to double denim, I wrote back, “Is the reason I love the combo because I’m Texan?”
“Probably,” she replied. We grew up about four hours apart–me in Dallas, she in Austin–and we know all too well that the double dungaree is a solid choice that cuts a sharp silhouette. It ofc has country roots and is divisive, running the risk of being costume-y. But when done right…is an effortless showing of polish, efficiency, and timelessness. All you need is minimal accessories–a great shoe, bold jewelry, a crisp white layer–and you’re out the door. In Texas, we literally have denim and diamond parties, where you just throw on priceless baubles with durable denim, and you’re still cutting a figure.
“And although our home state’s cowboys and cowgirls established the lewk, it was a British jazz chanteuse by the name of Folsade “Sade” Adu that perfected it (Ed note: see above). She canonized the perfectly rumpled but pulled-together denim duo of a chambray blouse and stone washed denim. With just a slick back pony and a red lip, she managed to bring the ensemble from its bucolic roots to the city, and we’ve seen so many dupes ever since. It begs the question, Who can best the singer? IMO, only Rihanna who really updated it for our era. When she sashayed out of her apartment building in a Tom Ford tailored mini and cropped button down, hair blowing in the wind, it was really a cultural reset. I loved she brought a lot of denim into her own line, Fenty (RIP!), and she continues to play with it so well. Loose, form-fitting, rare, borrowed-from-ASAP-Rocky…she looks good in all of it.”
What I love about Marjon’s picks is that she went for matching sets. Very, very polished, very intentional - words I would use to describe her personal style as well (also sexy, womanly, intuitive with color….I could go on. She has THE BEST style). Denim sets are a thing and denim midi skirts, very prim and A-line, are also a thing but neither she nor I chose one. Which I think again speaks to this idea of staying close to what you know and love and what you know works for you, rather than chasing a trend.
ANYWAY! About her picks:
1. This Alaïa set makes me nuts, it’s so chic. Alaïa had a ton of really beautiful denim options in the spring collection, but these pieces are two of the best. They run SUPER SMALL, however! Buyer, take note. Alaïa top, $1,520 and jeans, $1,180
2. I love this Magda Butrym set - the fishtail on the back of the skirt is so cool and sexy, and it begs to be worn with its matching top! Magda Butrym, top, $690, and skirt, $890
3. My love of Cos is well documented, so leave it to them to make the perfect denim suit. Not too denimy, not too costumey, just crisp, clean, gorgeous, no distressing, no frills. Cos blazer, $190 and trousers, $120
4. And then Mara Hoffman! I love her as a person, I love her collections, I love that everything is sustainable and lots of things come in extended sizing, I love this set. So much. Mara Hoffman top, $295 and jeans, $395
5. Prettiest gold sculptural earrings! Ring Concierge, $998
6. I love Marjon’s white heels with her denim look, and these would be a nice substitute. Clean and crisp and sleek! Bottega Veneta, $990
7. And finally, Marjon’s cutie pie little JW Anderson Bumper bag. A very squeezable little bag, with just the right amount of color and quirk. JW Anderson, $790
There we are! Go out there and wear your denim and dance or roll around on the ground, or garden, or drive with your foot sticking out of the window, or whatever you want because life is short and the world is weird and you deserve to feel really, really good.
I love you,
Your Friend,
Laurel (& Marjon)