Are you hooked on Wordle yet? According to the New York Times, over 300,000 people play the online game daily. I confess to being one of them. I also play Hurdle and Canuckle every day. If you’re not Canadian, you might not be familiar with Canuckle. Created by an Ottawa resident, it’s basically Wordle with a Canadian twist. Every word is related to Canada in some way. Yesterday’s word even gave me an idea for today’s fashion post!

What’s so Canadian about denim, you ask? Each day, the Canuckle solution comes with a fun fact that explains the Canadian connection. Yesterday’s explanation said, “The Canadian tuxedo is an outfit consisting of a denim jacket or jean shirt worn with denim jeans, or denim-on-denim.”

The term originated in 1951 when American singer and actor, Bing Crosby, was almost denied entry into a posh Vancouver hotel because he was dressed completely in denim. Hotel management eventually recognized who their famous guest was and made an exception to their dress code allowing him to enter. When Levi Strauss & Co. heard the story, their designers immediately produced a custom made denim tuxedo jacket for Crosby.

In 2014, Levi’s reproduced Bing’s famous outfit with a limited run of 200 Canadian Tuxedo jackets.

Fifty years after the Bing Crosby incident, celebrity couple, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, created a stir when they attended the 2001 American Music Awards wearing a matching Canadian tuxedo or double denim look. I would agree with those who thought the look was a little over the top!

But what about ordinary mortals like you and I? Would we, could we, should we wear denim-on-denim? Here are a few ways to style the Canadian tuxedo in case you decide to give it a try.

• Instead of going full dark or light wash, mix things up with different denim shades. Go darker on top and lighter on the bottom or vice versa.
• Swap the jeans for a denim skirt.
• Add some contrast with a white or brightly coloured top under your denim jacket.
• Keep accessories to a minimum and definitely don’t add denim accessories.
• Stay away from cowboy boots and cowboy hats. You’re not trying to look like a cowboy caricature. For footwear, try a pair of white sneakers, ballet flats, strappy sandals, or even statement heels.
• Cropped jean jackets are on trend this year. To give your double denim an up-to-date look, you could even cut off a longer jacket and fray the bottom edge for a DIY distressed look.

And now, here’s my take on the Canadian tuxedo using pieces that have been in my wardrobe for a long time… dark wash jeans, a lighter denim jacket, white sneakers, and since stripes are on trend for spring this year, a black and white striped tee.

Comfy, casual, and very Canadian!