Shoes can make or break an outfit, either enhancing your appearance to create a more attractive look, or hurting your appearance with clashing and/or mismatching elements. One of the great things about denim jeans, however, is the freedom of footwear it offers. You can wear open-toed shoes, high-heels, boots, sneakers and more, all with little effort. This level of versatility is unmatched when compared to other pants, which is probably why jeans are the preferred choice of pants by so many men and women. But if you really want to create an attractive and cohesive look with your jeans, you should take a few moments to choose the right type.
Color Coordinating
One of the first things to consider when choosing shoes to wear with jeans is the color. In other words, how will the color of your shoes affect the rest of your outfit? If you plan on wearing traditional indigo blue jeans with a brown belt, for instance, it’s best to avoid wearing black shoes. Going back to the basics of fashion 101, brown and black clash and therefore should be avoided. A better solution is to wear brown shoes with a brown belt. You can also wear shows in a similar color as your jeans. Rather than wearing indigo colored shoes, consider a slightly lighter shade of blue. This creates a somewhat contrasting color that ultimately improves your appearance with a touch of style.
Comfort Matters
Don’t underestimate the importance of choosing comfortable jeans, especially when wearing them with jeans. Some people are fixed on choosing style over comfort, only to realize just how much of a mistake this is later down the road. If your shoes are uncomfortable, you’ll have a difficult time wearing them for long periods at a time. Perhaps they’ll rub against your heel, causing painful blisters. Or maybe your shoes will squeeze your toes together, which is equally bad. The bottom line is that you need to place an emphasis on comfort when choosing shoes to wear with jeans. Because unless your shoes are comfortable, you won’t be a happy camper in your stylish new jeans.
Sandals and Flip-Flops
Are sandals or flip-flops ever acceptable when wearing jeans? Absolutely! In fact, they are the perfect choice for summer evenings and nights when the weather is cool yet still appropriate for such footwear. The key thing to remember, however, is that you should wear sandals, flip-flops and similar styles of footwear with the right jeans. Normally, straight leg or skinny leg jeans work best with such footwear. As you may already know, skinny leg and straight leg jeans are characterized with a narrow leg that doesn’t taper open at the bottom. Rather, it remains straight, or even narrows, towards the end. This allows for a cleaner and more sophisticated appearance when wearing sandals and flip-flops. Of course, you can still experiment with other styles of jeans, but skinny leg and straight leg generally work best when wearing sandals or flip-flops.
What About High-Heels?
Another fun choice of footwear that’s perfect for jeans is high-heels. Some women assume that high-heels are only suitable for formal occasions, so they avoid wearing them with jeans. But you have to remember that even jeans can create a formal appearance. It’s all in the variety and how you wear them. We’ve talked about this before on our blog, but it’s worth mentioning again that darker colored jeans create a more formal appearance than lighter colors. Therefore, you should choose (and wear) a dark indigo colored pair of jeans for formal occasions, along with the appropriate cut. When paired with matching high-heels, this creates a brilliant look that’s sure to turn heads.
Keep Your Shoes Clean
There’s no faster way to ruin your appearance than by wearing a pair of grungy, dirty shoes. Whether you are trying to achieve a formal or casual appearance, make sure your shoes are clean. It only takes a few minutes to clean your shoes, but doing so can make a world of difference in your appearance. You can easily clean most shoes and footwear by wiping them down with a moist washcloth and small amount of dish detergent. Some people actually clean their shoes in the washing machine, but this isn’t recommended due to the physical stress created by washing machines. Depending on just worn your shoes are, cleaning them in the washing machine may cause permanent, irreversible damage — and that’s never a good thing!
Sneakers and Tennis Shoes
Another great choice of footwear for jeans is sneakers and tennis shoes. They are comfortable, versatile, and available in many different styles. The only real downside is their lack of formality. If you are trying to achieve a formal appearance, you may want to avoid sneakers or tennis shoes. But for all other occasions, feel free to wear them. Just remember to choose a pair that matches the rest of your outfit. Your sneakers or tennis shoes don’t have to necessarily feature the same color or design as your jeans, but they should flow together in a cohesive manner. Creating a fashionable appearance is all about the “big picture,” so take a step back to view your outfit from afar to determine whether or not it works.
Boots with Boot Cut Jeans
Of course, you really can’t go wrong when wearing boots with boot cut jeans. Whether they are traditional denim or stretch denim, all boot cut jeans are characterized by a larger opening around the ankle. This wide opening is designed specifically for boots, allowing the wearer to place the bottom of his or her jeans over the top of their boots. This is in stark contrast to many other denim cuts, which often feature a smaller opening around the ankle. So, if you plan on wearing boots (or similar footwear that extends up around the ankle), choose boot cut jeans.
These are just a few tips on choosing the right shoes for jeans. What are your favorite shoes to wear with jeans?
