Bonjour mes amies, apologies for being a hideously bad blogger, I've had an important exam every day this week so in a rare moment of sensible-thinking, I figured if I stood any chance of getting the grades I needed, it probably wouldn't be the wisest decision to spend an hour writing a post and an extra 1hr 30 mins replying to everyone's lovely comments. Looking back, it was probably the right decision, but I sure did miss you guys.
Anyways, I have a few days of freedom before mes examens start again so I thought I should make the most of this rare gift of breathing space and do a blog post. Seasoned English Rose readers will know that I contribute regularly to my embarrassingly awesome friend Barbara's Zine 'BFR Mag' and that every issue we do a debate about a current trend or item of fashion. So far we've done Uggs and Clogs but we both decided it was time to branch out of footwear (although we do love it) and do Double Denim. We totally surf on the same wavelength so one look was all it took to telepathically communicate that she was for and I was against, but the million dollar question is what side are you on darlings?
For - Barbara Ryan
Double chocolate. Double beds. Double glazing. Double decker buses. Stunt doubles. Double cream. All things which are double are brilliant and doubledenim is not an exception. And if you are a bit backwards in terms of fashion you are probably shouting "what is this girl on about? Doubledenim is as bad as Gareth Gate's hair!". But little do you know how wrong you are. FYI, here at BFRmag we define double denim as denim on the bottom half and the top half. Denim shirt and denim visor, do not classify as double denim.
It is a very conscious decision to undertake the doubledenim look, however once you master the art of it you will soon be able to move onto TRIPLE denim, hell yeah! And this look is gonna be all over s/s 2010 like syphillis at a school disco.
Now, it is easy when working this trend to look like you're wearing a denim suit, which is cool … so long as it's from Saville Row, yeah? So in order to avoid the car crash doubledenim look there are several ways to rock it. At D+G they chose to break up the denim by mixing up textures: distressed dark denim cutoffs with fringed faded denim shirts, the perfect I just threw this together look. However if you want a "young" and "rad" spin on DD, take hints from Jeremy Scott and House of Holland who styled their denim 90's style, which is pure denim, no mixing it up with other fabrics - this is h.a.r.d.c.o.r.e. (With a nod to the “Americana” trend) But if you are not ready to plunge in to this look you could try DD, Mulberry style keeping your denim twinsuit well tailored and in one shade. Simple? And if you just want to nod to the trend, try some Chloe denim patchwork, carrot shaped jeans.
And if you are still thinking "WTF! Doubledenim is sooo wrong!!!" you clearly don't appreciate the heritage of denim, which originated in Nimes, France during the Middle Ages. Denim offers durability and comfort; it is the ultimate workers uniform. Surely then, double denim must provide the ultimate in comfort? Yes, it does! And so what if it’s a tad wrong? All good things are just a little bit wrong: watching Jeremy Kyle when you should be studying, eating the odd bit of McDonalds, dancing with 14 year olds at parties - who cares! Man, everyone has a piece of denim in their wardrobe whether it’s from Primark or Levis or Acne, it’s what’s holding us all together globally – our wardrobe staple for Saturday mornings running errands around town.
Denim is the one garment that you can style out for your whole life (c’mon you can’t rock spandex from cradle to grave effortlessly??), so play tribute to it with double denim! Soooo … I double dare you to give it a try!
Against - Yours Truly
Three words; Britney and Justin.
Need we be reminded of the horrific display of trailer park trash that was an adolescent Britney Spears (sane-ish, actually making good music, pre K-fed and shaved head days) and Justin (curly blonde hair, still in N*Sync, pre-William Rast designer, heartthrob days), sashaying down the red carpet not only in hideous matching outfits but worse, both clad head-to-toe in denim. It's taken me almost a decade to recover from the sight of Justin in a denim tuxedo and hat and Britney in a denim dress, bag and shoes and if anyone knows the answer to "what the hell were they thinking?" please do let me know because I still can't work it out.
There is a reason for old phrases and ‘double trouble’ is no different; doubling up is just that – trouble. My issue is not with denim itself, far from it, I can’t imagine my life without it; it's the double deed that I can't stand. My Grandma, being the wise woman she is, has taught me many life lessons but the two that immediately spring to mind are “less is more” and “you really can have too much of a good thing”. Okay, so she was probably talking about other things, but her words of wisdom apply equally as well to denim as to life.
You see my friend, fashion trends are like drugs; seen as ‘cool’ by some but really should be avoided at all costs as they are highly addictive, affect different people in different ways, and unfortunately have their casualties and victims. Fashion overdoses and ‘death by fashion’ are growing epidemics that are sweeping the streets of Britain faster than you can say ‘credit crunch’.
So what if D&G, Mulberry and Henry Holland are doing it? Not to sound like your mum (I like to think of myself more as your fashionable fairy godmother) but if they jumped off a cliff would you do it to? I really hope the answer is no, but if it is, put down the ‘zine and get some help immediately.
Stay strong! Don’t be a sheep or a slave to fashion; be your own person and don’t give into peer pressure. In the words of the legendary 80’s campaign: just say no. We’ve all seen people down the street taking fashion trends to the wrong extreme; such as those unfortunates who take ‘matching’ way too far and wear a whole outfit, complete with accessories, in the one block colour. We’ve all pitied them for not having someone to tell them they shouldn’t leave the house looking like that. Well as your fashionable fairy godmother, allow me to be that person for you.
Double denim is no different to matching or any other fashion trend for that matter; it’s the rule, not the exception.
Don’t do it. You will be cruelly mocked by your stylish counterparts, shunned to the sidelines of the fashion world (and society for that matter) and may as well wear a (denim) sign around your neck that reads 'unsophisticated and tacky'.
And if you are still stubborn and absolutely must double up, promise me you’ll at least make the denim match, yeah? It’s only polite, and there is simply nothing worse than indigo on the bottom and stone wash on the top or vice versa. I’m feeling sick just thinking about it. If you're going to be unstylish, you may as well be stylishy unstylish, if you know what I mean? Or better still, just don't do it at all...
So will you guys be doubling up this summer?
Stay safe and chic mes chéries,
English Rose x
Images: Google
