There are two thigh-tingling romances at the heart of Amazon Prime’s hit spy caper Mr. and Mrs. Smith. One is between John and Jane, our will-they-won’t-they protagonists. The other is between Donald Glover and his bootcut jeans.
Or perhaps, more accurately, between Glover (the show's creator and star), his jeans, and any man with an Amazon Prime account plus a keen eye for denim that can withstand the rigours of international espionage — or at least a brisk walk to the coffee shop.
It’s been more than a month since the show was released and social media is still foaming over Glover’s wardrobe – a carefully curated homage to the leading men of the thrillers of the seventies, such as Robert Redford (Three Days of the Condor) and Al Pacino (Serpico), according to costume designer Madeleine Weeks. Think blue bootcut jeans topped by fitted tanks, tees or roll-necks in mostly navy, black, grey and ivory.
Levi's Levi's Men's 527 Slim Boot Cut Jeans, Explorer
That smouldering retro influence is best reflected in Glover’s tailored vintage Levi’s 517s, which Weeks said she’d bought from eBay and Etsy before – with help from Levi's – re-tailoring to Glover’s body.
“I’d say a lot of things that Donald wore, even his T-shirts, everything was really, really carefully considered,” Weeks told Women’s Wear Daily. “The jeans were a little tight and maybe a little short, so you saw that cream-coloured cotton sock, and then we went with a heavier lace-up shoe.”
Glover’s bootcut look is also, of course, an ode to the recent renaissance of Western fashion, both on the runway and through style icons like Glover and Pharrell Williams, that remind us to spruce our wardrobes with cowboy-approved accessories and ready-to-wear items.
All of this is to say that Amazon’s Spring Sale couldn’t come at a better time for those of us looking to saddle up with Glover on the bootcut bandwagon.
![robert redford during on the set of three days of the condor in 1975 at ward's island in new york city, new york, united states photo by ron galellaron galella collection via getty images](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-107000077-1610562645.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.728xh;0,0.149xh&resize=980:* "On the Set of "Three Days of the Condor" - January 23, 1975")
While the exact Levi's 517 cut isn't included in this year’s spring sale, the very similar 527 is, with a 26% knocked off the original £85 price tag.
These are what Levi's describes as “The Modern Bootcut” – a contemporary variation of the classic 517s, featuring a trimmer silhouette and a subtler boot cut. This design shift lends the jeans greater adaptability, making them suitable for both boots and sneakers, all while maintaining the original’s boot-friendly comfort.
Levi's Levi's Men's 514™ Straight Jeans, Stonewash
And for those not quite ready to go full seventies movie spy just yet, the Levi's 514 is also in the sale at a pretty reasonable £49 a pair. It's of a much straighter cut than the 517 or 527, but one that nonetheless holds the loose-fitted look in the lower leg and can be worn over boots of any kind.
Unsure how to style the bootcut look? Here’s our style editor, Carmen Bellot, with some advice: “[Bootcut] jeans prove that Western style isn't as daunting as it may seem. With a silhouette that skims loosely over your legs, it’s best to keep the fit of your top half on the tighter side for a contemporary outfit. And to avoid looking like a cowboy caricature, keep the look monochrome so it’s better suited to the Big Smoke.”
