Dressing for Canada Day: Cottage vs City Style
Whether you're spending this Canada Day at the cottage or in the city, here’s what to wear.
From laid-back lakefront looks to sharp urban ensembles, dressing for Canada Day doesn’t mean choosing between comfort and style.
We’ve curated versatile menswear essentials that transition effortlessly from dockside barbecues to rooftop fireworks. Here's how to celebrate in style — wherever the festivities take you.
For those of us who enjoy the energy of downtown, cities provide endless opportunities to have fun while doing so in style.
And what’s more, long weekends and statutory holidays (especially during the summer months) mean fewer people and less fighting for space at your favourite bars and restaurants — because who doesn’t want VIP treatment during this nationwide event?
Summer in the city is all about lightweight fabrics like linen, crisp cotton, and silk-blended compositions.
While we still want to retain some sense of formality when dressing for downtown (who knows who you might run in to) pants, polos, casual shirts, and even unstructured tailoring made from lightweight, breathable fabrics balance form and function for a sophisticated-yet-comfortable look.
Down below, sneakers or their dressier cousin, white-soled loafers, are a great way to traverse sidewalks, subway lines, and high-traffic areas without sacrificing style or comfort.
Whether your outfit skews more formal or more casual, any combination of the aforementioned items is ideal for restaurant reservations, patio drinks, or backyard bashes.
There are few more quintessentially “Canadian” ways to spend our national day than at the cottage.
No matter if you’ve got one of your own, you’re staying with friends or family, or you’ve rented one for the week or weekend, trading an urban area for cottage country’s naturally beautiful rural backdrops provides a stunning and serene setting for Canada Day celebrations.
Cottage style is all about keeping things cool and casual while also being prepared for outdoor activities like swimming, waterskiing, ball-sports, and BBQing.
Shorts, t-shirts, polos, swimwear, and sandals will be your most-worn items at the cottage, though accessories play an important role too.
Sunglasses (especially essential when light bounces brightly off the lake at peak hours) and ballcaps are must-have accessories, alongside your beach towel, of course.
No matter where you find yourself celebrating Canada Day this year, it's always recommended to include red and white into what you’re wearing.
Proud and patriotic, wearing red and white on today of all days is the secret to the perfect festive outfit.
