EDMONTON - A typical winter day for many Edmontonians begins with checking the Long John Index Service of Canada on Twitter.

See the dreaded “Polar Bear Alert”? No need to worry — you can stay warm without forsaking style, even in what can only be described as the least sexy article of clothing ever invented, the long john.

“No jean is thick enough for a real Canadian winter,” says Dylan Rhys Howard, local filmmaker at Truthful Work Film. “When I didn’t wear long johns I was cold all the time, and now that I wear them I’m not afraid of winter anymore.”

For a brief moment in the ’90s, the long john flourished as the go-to layering piece of the grunge movement (along with the plaid flannel shirt, of course). In the last year, there has been a resurgence of trends from that era, with updates built on their foundation. Normcore, for instance, a turn toward basic and plain dressing that combines the words “normal” and “hardcore,” embraces the long john trend for being both stylish and functional.

Talk to anyone who wears long johns, and they’re likely to emphasize the improvement to their quality of life since hopping on the bandwagon.

“I started wearing slightly baggier pants with long johns underneath,” says Howard. “It changed my life. I’m almost never cold in my daily life during winter now, unless I’m on a shoot and standing around in -30 the whole day.”

For guys, solid neutral colours in either waffle or a thermal-type legging are easy picks.

“Mine are like leggings, basically. They’re not the waffle-y ones that maybe you could rock as PJs around the house,” says Howard.

If a classic waffled long john is too vanilla for your taste, there’s always the option of a patterned legging.

Morinville-based sisters Chelsea Dewald and Jenny Rota are the designers behind Hot Dame, a company locally designing and manufacturing patterned leggings.

“Everywhere we go in Edmonton, ladies of all ages are wearing leggings,” says Rota. “They are an essential part of a woman’s wardrobe now. Whether you’re hanging out at home, dressing professional for work, or going out for the night, leggings can be a part of any outfit.”

While they are meant to be statement pieces in their own right, layering these leggings underneath distressed denim with knee rips cheekily reveals the pattern below, while still providing an insulating layer — a styling technique adopted from grunge.

“We plan on releasing fleece-lined leggings next fall,” says Dewald.

Though they can be worn beneath pants or shorts, both long johns and leggings can hold their own in any winter ensemble.

“These (leggings) are a great layering piece with tunics, sweaters or dresses,” says Rota. “We like to pair them with tall boots, ankle booties or leg warmers.”

For the ladies, colour and pattern options are endless.

“We love to support other artists by using photographs, digital images and paintings for our prints,” says Dewald. “We can essentially print anything onto our clothing.”

Hot Dame designs feature anything from geometric patterns and city skylines, to Canadian wildlife. With such a diverse selection of breathable leggings, there is something for everyone.

On a final note, while this trend is finding solid ground in the fashion world, Howard suggests that perhaps it’s the perfect time for a renaming.

“I sort of hate calling them long johns and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in this,” she says. “I prefer the term ‘thermals,’ but I guess that’s not specific enough. Maybe after this article comes out, we can crowd source something better.”

Any suggestions?

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ABOUT THIS CONTENT: This story was produced by the Edmonton Journal’s editorial department as a result of Simons’ interest in this topic. Simons was not given the opportunity to put restrictions on the content or review it prior to publication.