How to Dress Up Double Denim for a Long-Weekend Road Trip

While products featured are independently selected, certain items within the “Styled By” series were provided by Gap. Cut editors chose the rest.

Ah, the road trip. Who doesn’t love cruising down an open highway en route to a special destination? Especially over a summer holiday weekend. But just because you’re sitting in a car doesn’t mean you can’t look chic. Make a statement from the moment you step out of the vehicle in this double-denim ensemble with a vintage-inspired twist.

The “Canadian tuxedo” is a denim-on-denim look typically styled with a denim button-down or jacket tucked into a pair of jeans. Here, we’ve created our own dressed-up version while keeping its rustic essence. We chose two Gap pieces: a cropped denim shirt and a pair of wide-leg jeans. You can think of the full look as a trompe l’oeil jumpsuit, but the denim colors don’t need to be perfectly matched. In fact, we prefer the slight change in tone for the two pieces, which adds some textured depth and allows the option of what you want to accentuate. To further elevate the look from a basic denim pairing to a sophisticated style, we’ve added this skinny A.P.C. leather belt for an effortlessly elegant Victoria Beckham vibe. The belt also doubles as a subtle way to break up the look. And instead of sneakers or casual slip-ons, these strappy kitten heels from Neous are a fancy, but not too fancy, final touch that are as comfortable as they are cute. So wherever you end up, whether you hit a scenic rest stop or stop for a walk around a small town, you won’t be in pain. Plus, the super-low heel is ideal for sitting in a car.

The Look

Gap High-Rise Stride Wide-Leg Jeans

You can’t go wrong with a pair of Gap jeans. These in particular are our choice for a high-rise, wide-leg style that is relaxed yet clean-cut. The denim will easily transition well into fall given the darker wash. And while the jeans — which come in short, regular, and long sizing — are fitted in the waist and hips, the legs are loose and feature an almost flared hem that isn’t quite a bell-bottom but has a bit more drama than your average straight leg. What we love most about these jeans is how much the design lengthens the legs, giving any look a sleek, lean appearance (especially when paired with heels).

$80 at Gap

Polish It Off

To take things to the next level, we sought inspiration from Old Hollywood muses like Grace Kelly, who always topped a chic look with a flowing silk headscarf and some glasses. This powder-pink scarf from the coveted Katie Holmes + A.P.C. collab is soft and understated yet still serves as a nice pop of color against the dark denim tones. It also gives a glamorous uptown-lady allure à la Audrey Hepburn in Charade. Adding some shine to the ensemble, we accessorized with these mixed-metal silver-and-gold Panconesi earrings. The artistic construction of the two-layered baubles is not only beautiful but functional with the top layer serving as the earring post and the larger bottom layer as the stopper. The gold plays off the warmth of the pink, while the thin frames of these barely there Mykita glasses complement the silver. So now you’re ready to ride.