Fashion

5 Patriotic and Chic Style Picks for Canada Day

Oh Canada! Celebrate July 1st in style with our top style picks for chic red and white separates and heritage Northwest apparel

By Taraneh GJerven /

Credit: Hudson Bay Co.

Women’s Chuck Taylors Dainty Ox $55 at The Bay

Wearable red and white separates and vintage-inspired Northwest apparel that show off our fine Canadian roots

Canada Day is a style challenge. You need an outfit that’s pancake breakfast, parade, picnic and party ready. You also want to display patriotism without donning a red body stocking.

According to my sartorial research, there are two ways to sport Canada Day style. The first is straight up, uncompromising red and white. When it comes to wearing patriotic colours, the trick is to pick the right statement pieces that – unlike a bodystocking – you would don on normal occasion.

The second Canada Day style option is heritage chic. A lot of the good looking Vancouverites prowling Gastown, Main and Commercial these days are sporting a pared down, functional look that I call heritage chic. Think oxford shirts, twill shorts, parkas or field jackets and simple canvas or leather shoes.

Heritage chic appeals to both genders because it’s about simple, timeless garments. It’s Canada Day appropriate because it’s a look that’s 100% inspired by the character of the land we live in. Don a simple piece by a Canadian designer, and you’ve got underplayed patriotism.  

Top 5 Picks for Canada Day Style

Women’s Chuck Taylors Dainty Ox

The fire-engine red Chuck Taylors Dainty Ox (pictured above, $55, The Bay) is the latest twist on a timeless classic. The slimmed-down silhouette is at its best when paired with sleek matchstick trousers or a summer dress. For a patriotic colour scheme and a local brand, try Native’s Verona’s in Torch Red ($60, Gravity Pope).

Lifetime Collective Beaches Oversize Cotton Button Up

Roomy and 100% cotton, Beaches is perfect over a suit at a sandy picnic or paired with red twill shorts as daywear. This shining example of heritage chic ($88, Lifetimecollective.com) by Vancouver-based design collective Lifetime screams: “I’m a Northwest kinda girl.”

J.Crew Striped Derby Dress

If frocks are your summer staple, the sultry and sweet J.Crew derby dress ($160, Jcrew.com) has a little flirt, a little class and a lot of bold red stripes.

Urban Ears Plattan Headphones in Tomato

Tune into the soundtrack for the July 1 Burrard Inlet Fireworks show with these visually-arresting and oh-so-patriotic Urban Ears headphones ($70, Moule, J2 and Walrus). The full size makes for rich sound.

Best of all, they fold down to the size of your fist so you can tote them around all day without hassle and whip them out in time for the big kaboom.

Hudson Bay Diana F+ Lomogrophy Camera

Capture the celebration ($105, The Bay) and your outfit with The Hudson Bay’s brightly striped Diana F+ lomography camera, a playful homage to the cult camera of the 1960s. The multiple-exposure feature is 10x the fun of Instagram.