A fashion icon or a “working man” projection?

Since being sworn in last July, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has grappled with homelessness and an incessant immigration crisis. 

But lately, the thing that’s been generating talk has been his signature look.

Throughout Denver’s cold winter months, Johnston has become known for the light brown, wool-lined corduroy jacket he’s worn at numerous events, including in the National Western Stock Show parade, while touring Denver homeless encampments, while marching in the Martin Luther King Jr. Marade and at the grand opening of a Denver micro-community.

Most recently, Denver’s mayor took his signature look on the road to Washington, D.C., where he wore the brown jacket while meeting with President Joe Biden.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Johnston tweeted to The Denver Gazette Editor Luige Del Puerto, who had predicted Denver’s mayor would wear the jacket at his next big event.

Others have noticed, too.

Johnston was asked about it when he joined the City Cast Denver podcast on Wednesday.

“It is Wrangler,” Johnston told host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi. Davies had guessed the jacket was either Wrangler or Ralph Lauren.

“You heard it here first,” Davies joked.

The mayor also clarified that the jacket didn’t have a fur lining but was actually lined with wool.

“I do not own any fur products that I’m aware of,” Johnston said. “I think I might have when I was 15 and I went to Russia and they gave me some sort of hat in exchange that I still have in the basement in my closet.”

It’s not uncommon for politicians to sport a specific look — within Colorado and beyond.

Gov. Jared Polis often wears tennis shoes. In fact, Polis’ signature pair of blue shoes was seen regularly on the campaign trail when he first ran for office and through his inaugural ball — aptly dubbed the Blue Sneaker Inaugural Ball Celebration. Blue shoes also took the center stage in his 2022 reelection ad.  

Meanwhile, former Denver Public Schools board member Auon’tai Anderson often wore a hat backward at meetings. 

Outside Colorado, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania prefers a hoodie and shorts.

“Hey @MikeJohnstonCO, what brand is this jacket? It looks warm,” Josh Bly, the communications director for the Colorado Senate Republicans, wrote on X. 

“It’s his ‘working man’ one of you guys outfit,” another X user responded.

Johnston once compared his outfit to a jacket that pop superstar Taylor Swift wore on the cover of Time magazine, asking his Twitter followers who wore it better.

“That was the first time my daughter thought I might be cool was when I was like, at least also Taylor Swift wears a similarly-themed jacket — then she stopped being embarrassed,” Johnston said.

For Denverites who want to add the mayor’s signature look to their wardrobe, the jacket, officially known as the sherpa lined corduroy trucker jacket in acorn, appears to sell for $90 on Wrangler’s website.