In the summer of 2008, Mr. Style unwittingly found himself at the gravitational center of the denim universe. A place where the sheer density was so great it threatened to collapse in on itself, like some supermassive blue hole. Not a historic Levi Strauss factory in San Francisco, nor a traditional selvedge mill in Okayama, Japan, but a Bruce Springsteen gig at the old Giants Stadium in Rutherford, NJ.
His friends issued an unofficial dress code for the occasion: a “jarty” – a jean party – with a strict three-denim-piece minimum. Dripping in denim with his head-to-toe twist on a Canadian tuxedo — jeans, thrifted vest, trilby hastily adorned with an indigo hatband — he was astonished to find himself underdressed among 50,000 other jarty guests where the minimum appeared to be high single digits.
Today, denim is once again at the center of the fashion universe, and dressing for a jarty is a chic, fashion-forward trend for winter 2026, no doubt inspired by the new “Bruce” biopic, starring the dapper Jeremys — Allen-White and Strong.
There are whip-lash-inducing options available, from baggy to drainpipe, hemmed to fringed, bootcut to ankle slashing, so how do you pick the winners? Thankfully, Mr. & Mrs. Style have recommendations to nail a denim look from a few New York-based designers and retailers. These stylish choices keep you a cut above the rest. But they come with a warning: expect copycats.
Williamsburg Garment Company offers minimalist, American-made denim, chain-stitched hems, and selvedge.
Bengi Jeans Co. was founded in Brooklyn by Nandy Forbes. This brand combines classic craftsmanship and a timeless take.
Glenn’s Denim, owned by Glenn (Liburd), offers tailored denim. Brooklyn Tailors offers high-quality selvedge denim from premium mills. Still Here offers hand-painted details and vintage looks.
Both Mr. & Mrs. Style can stitch matching (but not matchy-matchy) looks together at Still Here and Glenn’s Denim. When she’s in the mood to leave Mr. Style in her fashionable wake, she’ll run away to Brooklyn Denim Co., flinging herself into wide and baggy, barrel and baggy, cropped and baggy, or not baggy at all. A self-declared denim chameleon, for a special night out, she might swerve towards something high-rise like the Brooklyn Authentik boot flare from Ksubi, and team it with an upcycled denim corset.
Mr. & Mrs. Style is a fashion column by Mirella Cameron that offers tips and trends with an indie touch, highlighting innovative fashion designers and businesses.