Chinos, joggers and cargo pants have all made their respective plays for pride of place in our rotations, but jeans are still the go-to, go-anywhere pants for most men’s outings. For all but the most formal of offices and life events, denim is a no-brainer. You can’t go wrong. Can you? Well today I m going to explain to you that YES, you actually can go wrong.
One of the most problematic areas is selecting footwear with an entirely wrong DNA of jeans. Wear them with too-smart shoes, and you’ll look like you’re going to a bad nightclub. Wear them with flip-flops, and you’ll look confused, at best. Those are just two ends of a broad jeans and shoes failing world. Don’t worry, matching shoes with jeans is not really so complicated. You just have to follow the correct directions. This is my simple guide, to what pairs go with what Jeans.
• What Shoes To Wear With Jeans •
Derbies With Jeans
The function of jeans has shifted since they were invented, or at least patented, in 1873. These days, the closest that many of us get to manual labour is hammering a keyboard. But wherever they sit on the broad denim formality spectrum, jeans are fundamentally still workwear: practical, utilitarian, not smart. So even though you might wear leather shoes to work, there’s a strong risk of incongruity between, say, a sleek, polished Oxford and rugged selvedge.
You could perhaps pull off Oxfords with smart jeans: slim, black and worn with no turn-ups which break up the streamline and have a casual looking effect, as they do on tailoring. But Derbies, which generally feature a chunkier profile, are a better bet for counterbalancing denim.
Black Derbies in particular though are still towards the smart end of the even broader shoe formality spectrum, so it could look a bit muddled with mid-blue jeans, you will almost be safer going to the stonewashed, distressed extreme to dial up the subculture overtones.
White Sneakers With Jeans
Unless you try really hard, it’s almost impossible to put a go wrong with white sneakers. Sleek, low-profile styles go with pretty much any variety of jeans except for those ugly bootcut ones. If you are really committed to your Jeans, then that is when you can become a cropper. Take them to your tailor and make sure they have the perfect cut. I highly suggest, Ankle length and slim or skinny fitted.
Sometimes the combination of long, thin high-tops and skinny or tapered jeans can make big feet look kinda clownish.With white trainers, the main consideration assuming that you want to incorporate them into more formal fit, keeping them clean is a must. (The same applies to all shoes, but it’s less noticeable with non-white pairs that didn’t start out that colour.)
Loafers With Jeans
There’s nothing quite like a quality pair of loafers and what they can add to a man’s wardrobe. The loafer is versatile enough to be worn in a variety of settings and occasions, but also more comfortable than a lot of other footwear. So here we have another style that looks amazing with almost anything, including denim.
An adaptable staple shoe, that has even found a new fanbase among sneakerheads and streetwear fans. The loafers low vamp (that’s the upper section that covers the front of the foot) combined with a wide leg opening can make your feet look weird and huge. So go for jeans that are tapered and cropped or pin-rolled.
Chelsea Boots With Jeans
Some main points of the now established principles of the Chelsea Boots silhouette:
A. Chunky is more casual than sleek
B. Colour tan is more casual than brown
C. Suede texture is more casual than leather
It’s worth pointing out that black leather Chelsea boots with a sleek profile can skew almost as formal as Oxfords, and therefore risk pairing with straight-legged indigo denim. Take it to the next level with some black or grey distressed skinny jeans, and suddenly you’re in a cool band.
The main focal point with Chelsea boots is the heel. If it’s stacked up to the max, then that vertiginous preciousness will only really harmonise with the kind of tight denim, also it helps you hit those higher notes *Small tip for the shorter Authentics out there. On the other foot, a crepe sole takes some of the bulky edge off, making them more tonally appropriate with distressed jeans.
High-Tops With Jeans
High-tops with jeans is perhaps one of the most classic casual ensembles in the book. Cool without being pretentious, it’s a foolproof option for coffee or a weekend stroll. Choose a classic high-top style like a black or white Chuck Taylor and pair them with a timeless denim. In this case, you can’t go past a pair of blue wash Levis. Top it all off with a plain, crew-neck tee-shirt in white or black.
Assuming you don’t want to buy shorter jeans just for days when you might hit the b-ball court, or hem an existing pair professionally, or with a pair of scissors if you’re into that frayed look, simply roll them to just above the top of your sneaks. Never more than twice, though, otherwise the result in thickness will kill your vibe altogether.
Dad Trainers With Jeans
The unlikely resurgence of dad trainers has been in conjunction with a similar shift in denim, which their chunkiness complements. So why break them away from their normality? To complete the dad’s in latest fashion look, try and vision the type of jeans you grew up watching your old man wash the car in. That’s straighter, wider and with a higher-rise, preferably in a stonewash Daddy cool colorway.
Dad style or dadcore whatever you call it, is a trend that makes looking normal cool. So, what is dad fashion exactly? It’s all about embracing normalcy, comfort and utility and our latest styles hit all the marks. Think oversized denim, crewneck cuts, windbreakers, fanny packs and bulky white sneakers. Rooted in familiar simplicity, this understated movement lets you wear the clothes and not the other way around.
If there’s any staple of a wardrobe you just have to get right, it’s your jeans. Good denim is a casual must-have, the central staple of your bottoms. The best jeans for men can easily make you stand out in a crowd. The right pair of jeans is absolutely essential to any look, whether you’re going for something relaxed, or for something more formal.
The right pair of jeans accents any outfit and, frankly, needs to complement whatever you’re wearing on top. If it’s an oxford, a decently tight pair of dark jeans makes it business-casual. If it’s a graphic tee, jeans with an accent, a little acid wash, maybe some distressing to give you a bit of a rebel vibe. Whatever the case may be, a good pair of jeans is everything when it comes to what you wear.
