Back in the blue: The humble jean jacket has a revival

It's an integral part of the Canadian tuxedo and a staple in closets around the country but a new generationclaimsto be bringing the jean jacket back and making it cool again.

Jean jackets, whether blue, distressed, acid wash, with velvet embellishments and even beading or rhinestone applique are flying off the racks at clothing stores and vintage shops across Calgary.

"I heard from my dad that it used to be an old trend, like in the '90s orsomething, and now it's just kind of coming back," said Grade 10 student SulekahNoh.

"They're putting them in stores, you see a lot of people wearing it, it's becoming cheap and easy."

• Did jean jackets ever go out of style? Send photos of your denim duds to calgaryphotos@cbc.ca. or tweet us @cbccalgary

Students at Western Canada High School in Calgary say all of their classmates seem to have one and they often wear them year round.

"We get cold, but we pretend it's not cold," said Lilian Munoz.

But did thedenim jacket ever truly fall out of fashion?

There was a definite point where denim as a fashion statement began its slow descent into tacky, saysCalgary fashion designer Paul Hardy.

While Britney Spears and Justin Timerberlake's infamous 2001 twin Canadian tuxedo ensembledidn'tlead to the total demise of the humble denim jacket, it was likely a contributing factor to the fabric taking a high-fashion back seat.

"From that period on, denim on denim became a bit outlawed," Hardy said.

Resurgence

Now, fashionistas are once again embracing denim and wearing the fabric in sophisticated ways.

"Jean jacket with a shirt and tie, or a bow tie it's sort of creating that juxtaposition of style and how you put it together that I think maybe seems like it's a new trend, but it's really just reinventing a classic," Hardy said.

High fashion designers are also reclaiming jean jackets. Hardy says he's seen designs fromChanel, Dior and Yves St. Laurent that sell for upwards of $2,500.

"There's certainly a denim for every demographic or price point. I think it's one of those pieces that really transcends every social hierarchy," he said.

Here's a sample of some Calgary Eyeopener listeners and their favourite denim jackets:

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With files from the Calgary Eyeopener and Danielle Nerman