Wear Jeans with Sneakers

Sneakers and jeans are highly versatile wardrobe items, but pairing them with each other can be confusing! A great pair of skinny jeans may look awesome with vintage low tops, but awkward with retro high tops. To keep your overall look stylish and polished, there are a few basic rules to follow when it comes to wearing jeans with sneakers. Take into account the height of the shoe and the fit of the jeans. Beyond that, aim for coordinating the two to create specific looks.

Steps

Wearing Jeans with High Top Sneakers

1. Go with slim fit jeans. Slim fit jeans with a straight leg work best with high tops. Avoid super skinny jean styles and aim for a more tailored look. The jeans should provide a slim but comfortable fit. If you’re having a tough time finding the right fit, getting your jeans tailored is always an option.
   • Avoid skinny fits with bulky high tops, which makes for an unflattering and drastic contrast.
2. Wear jeans that graze the top of your shoes. Try to find a pair of jeans that fall just at the top of your sneakers without covering up your shoes. You don’t want it to look like your pant legs are tucked into the high tops, so make sure the ankle isn’t too tapered. Avoid baggy jean styles, which will bunch up uncomfortably around your ankles and high tops.
3. Roll up the cuffs to expose your shoes. It can be tough to find jeans that are exactly the right length. Luckily, rolled cuffs are a trendy look! Avoid jeans that have to be rolled numerous times and aim for a pair that you can roll two or three times. Roll the cuffs about one or two inches above the high tops, or roll them so they graze the high point of your sneakers.
   • If you find that your jeans are covering your sneakers, give them a single or double cuff.
   • Avoid pin rolling with high tops. Pin rolling is a popular denim look with low cut sneakers, but it doesn’t work well with high tops.
4. Avoid boot cut denim. Just as the name suggests, boot cut jeans are made to wear with boots! The wider cut at the bottom will swallow up your high top shoes, covering them almost completely and making showing them off impossible. The flared bottom will also more than likely graze the ground, causing your jeans to become frayed and ripped. The result is a sloppy overall look.

Pairing Jeans with Low Tops

1. Choose skinny jeans or a straight-legged style. For a polished look, pair your low top sneakers with a skinny fit or a straight-legged cut. Other options will either engulf your shoes and obscure them completely, or create a frumpy look. Try to find a pair that allows your ankle bones to peek through between the bottom hems and the top of your shoes.
2. Cuff the legs to show off your ankle bones. Finding a pair of jeans that fall exactly at your ankle bone is no easy feat! If you can’t find a pair like this, cuff them so that your ankles are exposed. Your look will be streamlined and the focus will be on your shoes, so make sure your sneakers are ones that you want to show off.
   • For a tight-to-the-ankle look, try pin rolling. Do this by folding in the inseam of your jeans until they’re hugging your ankles, and then cuff them two or three times.
3. Wear ankle socks or no socks at all. Low tops and jeans work best when the actual ankle is exposed, which means avoiding visible socks. Skip socks altogether and wear your sneakers on your bare feet. If this is uncomfortable for you, opt for low-riding ankle socks that don’t show when you’re wearing your sneakers.
   • No matter the weather – warm or cold – low tops with visible socks should generally be avoided.
4. Create a retro look by wearing flares with low tops. This look, first popularized in the ‘70s, is making a comeback. Make sure the flares fit you well through the hips and waist, only flaring out once they hit the calf area. For the ultimate retro throwback look, pair vintage (or vintage-style) sneakers with flares and a graphic tee.
   • If you’re going for a more feminine look, skip the graphic tee and choose a loose-fitting off-the-shoulder top.

Choosing Coordinating Styles

1. Choose solid neutrals for a classic look. Try wearing white jeans with a pair of black Converse sneakers for a streamlined take on a retro style. For a summery vibe, go for head-to-toe white. Dark wash denim – without any faded or distressed areas – looks polished with white sneakers.
2. Wear slip-on sneakers in a fun print with straight legged denim. For a lighthearted, casual look, pair slip-ons in fun prints – like leopard or polka-dots, with a basic pair of straight legged blue jeans. Spice up an outfit of all solids with a pair featuring a bright pattern or eye-catching color.
   • Don’t forget to cuff the ends of your straight legged denim to show off your ankles and shoes!
3. Spice up skinny jeans and a white tee with metallic sneakers. A white t-shirt paired with denim jeans is a timeless look. To give your outfit a little extra kick, throw in a pair of low top vintage-style sneakers that feature an interesting trait, like metallic leather or a colorful stripe.
   • Thread colorful laces into the shoes to give your overall look another unique boost.
4. Try black or navy jeans with colorful high top sneakers. Go for a slim-cut pair of jeans in a dark color, like black or navy, with straight legs. Wear them with a bright pair of oversized vintage-style high tops. For instance, deep navy jeans would look great with vintage high tops that are mostly navy, but with bright red accents.
   • Don’t forget to cuff the legs so the jeans graze the top of your high tops!

Sources and Citations

See also

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• Look Good in Jeans (Women)
• Wear Distressed Jeans
• Scotchgard Shoes
• Unfade Jeans
• Pintuck Jeans
• Taper Jeans
• Fix Painful Shoes
• Find Your Shoe Size
• Pick the Right Shoes

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