This week, I’ll give you tips to style your jeans, no matter the fit or style.
Jeans are a staple in everyone’s closet. Or, almost everyone. They’re comfortable (again, for almost everyone), versatile, and can be found in any and every price range, fit, and color.
While they were considered purely casual for a long time, now they are as ubiquitous to most social events as a white button-down.
But how do we style them constantly without getting stuck in a creative rut?
Today, I’m here to help you out with all of my favorite styling tricks for different types of jeans.
Table of Contents
How to Style Jeans: Tips, Tricks, & Hacks.
Jeans are the easiest thing to style, yet they can be tricky. Here are my tips and tricks to make the task of styling your favorite pair easy:
- Fit is king – The fit of your jeans will dictate what sort of items look the best with them. Pay attention to how skinny they are, how oversized, and if they’re flared or tapered. All these details will give you hints as to what to style them with so you look your best.
- Shades of neutral – Denim washes vary. You can have the lightest blues to the darkest-almost-black blues. But you can also find all shades of black, white, and every color of the rainbow. Before styling them, look at yours and decide: Are they saturated, faded, or bright? This will inform your styling.
- Making experiments easy – Patterned jeans have become increasingly popular. If you want an easy way to experiment with your style, a patterned pair in your favorite wash might be the easiest way to go.
- Cookie cutter? Never – Jeans with cutouts and rips are a simple-yet-cool way to add edge to a simple outfit.
How to Style Jeans: A Fashion Guide
For this fashion guide, I wanted to exemplify two sides of the styling spectrum.
So, for each pair of jeans, I created two different looks: one more classic and another eclectic. This is to show the versatility of jeans, no matter your style.
Easy, Outfits #1 and #2 – Fitted Jeans
Let’s start with a classic pair: fitted, medium-wash blue jeans. This fit is one of the most versatile out there. They’re not skinny or loose, being the perfect middle ground.
For the first outfit, the more classic one, I paired my jeans with a white button-up shirt and tucked it in. Since it is still February, I wore a pair of white socks before putting on red Mary Jane flats. Finally, I accessorized the look with a black belt and threw on a classic trench coat.
For the second outfit, I started with the same jeans and white button-up combo. I layered a red and white babydoll dress on top. Then I switched my white socks for red socks and the red Mary Janes for a blue velvet pair.
As you can see, with fitted jeans, you can wear almost any type of shoe and top. Since the fit is so balanced, you can get away with more fitted tops if that’s what you want or even something more oversized.
The key here is to balance the look with your shoes: if the top is too heavy or big, balance it with heavier or chunkier shoes; if the top is tighter or fitted, smaller, sleeker styles will work better.
Easy Outfits #3 and #4 – Straight fit, loose Jeans
The next pair are straight-fit jeans. They’re like the younger sibling of fitted jeans. They’re a bit loose all through the leg and more comfortable. Because of this, they need more balance when you style them.
For the first outfit, I wore my loose-fit jeans with a simple white T-shirt and tucked it in. Then, I put on a dark grey cardigan, only buttoning the first button, and added a black belt. Finally, I chose a slick pair of black booties to avoid the hem of the jeans scrunching up and make the outfit less casual.
For the second look, I switched the white t-shirt for a heart-patterned white button-up shirt. Then, I layered on a red and white striped vest. For shoes, I changed the black booties for a red velvet pair, again, to avoid the hem scrunching up on my ankles. Finally, I threw on a red leather coat.
For both these looks, the jeans were accompanied by items that weren’t too fitted or oversized, like the jeans themselves. I chose the shoes because I like how booties help elongate the jeans. If I wanted to wear flat shoes, I would probably hem them or fold them to avoid the scrunching.
For this type of jean, the styling is easy as long as you consider that they lean more casual than other styles. If you want to dress them up, you can pair them with more formal items, like button-ups, loafers, and booties. If you choose the casual route, sneakers and T-shirts are great.
For all of your looks with loose, straight-leg jeans, don’t go too fitted or too oversized. Try to stay in the middle to create more cohesive looks.
Medium Outfits #5 and #6 – White, wide-leg Jeans
Now, let’s hit two birds with one stone: white jeans and wide-leg jeans.
White jeans are a great alternative to blue jeans: they’re neutral, durable, and comfortable. The color also brings freshness to an outfit, and they tend to look less casual than blue jeans.
Wide-leg jeans are one of the most comfortable styles out there and one of the easiest to elevate.
For the first look, I paired my white, wide-leg jeans with a yellow button-up shirt. After tucking it in, I added a brown belt. Then, I wore a beige Houndstooth work jacket. Finally, for shoes, I chose a pair of white booties to elongate my legs even more.
For the second look, I changed the yellow button-up for a yellow Peter Pan collar blouse. Instead of a brown belt, I wore a silver belt and matched it with a pair of silver boots. Finally, I accessorized with a silver bag.
Wide-leg jeans need more balance than other styles. You have to avoid very slim shoes or tops that are too cropped since they will make your feet and torso look tiny and like your jeans are swallowing you. If the jeans are wide-leg but also capri, slimmer shoes can work, but then the booties have to be super slick, or the flats or sneakers have to be really slim. Anything wider will look disproportionate to the jeans.
Finally, white jeans are neutral so that you can wear them with almost every color. But I’d recommend pastels and bright colors the most since they create a smooth contrast that’s easy on the eyes.
Medium Outfits #7 and #8 – Barrel Jeans
Barrel jeans have been everywhere since last year. I know they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but I love them.
Barrel jeans are extremely tapered, with slim ankles and a baggy, curved mid-leg. They’re not easy to style but they’ve quickly become my favorites because they’re so comfortable.
For the first look, I went with something simple. I paired my medium-wash barrel jeans with a black t-shirt. Then, I wore a leopard print cardigan buttoned up. I tucked everything in and then added a black belt. Finally, for shoes, I put on a pair of white sneakers that are a bit chunkier than my usual sneakers.
For my second look, I switched the black tee for a white, long-sleeved one. Then, I layered with a blue vest. Again, I tucked everything in. Moving on to accessories, I wore a pink beanie. To finish the look, I added a pair of pink sneakers with a bit of a platform.
When styling barrel jeans, I recommend fitted tops or more structured ones. If you don’t feel like wearing something like that, tucking your top in, adding a belt, or just doing a French tuck will help balance the width of the jeans.
I think Barrel jeans, more than any other style, need you to consider the heaviness of your shoes. Chunkier pairs look more cohesive, but slimmer shoes can create an interesting contrast.
Difficult Outfits #9 and #10 – Patterned Jeans
Patterned jeans have become increasingly popular. Today’s patterend jeans range from simple stripes of different denim washes to brightly colored, more complex patterns.
What I like about patterned jeans is that they can add edge or an interesting detail to an otherwise simple look.
For my first look, I wanted to go for a monochromatic outfit. I chose a pair of heart-patterned jeans featuring two different washes and paired them with a navy blue turtleneck. Then, I put on a blue belt to cinch my waist and a pair of blue velvet Mary Janes. Finally, I threw on a navy blue coat.
For the second outfit, I wore a pair of lilac floral jeans. First, I paired them with a white T-shirt. Then, I layered on a green vest that matched the pattern on the jeans. I added lilac socks and a pair of lilac floral sneakers to continue the lilac theme.
Both pairs of jeans are the statement items in their respective outfits. While I wore them with colorful items and layers, both pairs would look amazing with just a white T-shirt and sneakers. They’re perfect for when you want a simple look but want to add *something* to stand out.
Difficult Outfits #11 and #12 – Cutout Jeans
Finally, ripped and cut-out jeans follow the same path patterned jeans do. They add an interesting detail or an edgy vibe to otherwise simple outfits.
Personally, I don’t wear or like ripped jeans, so my examples will be just with cutout jeans.
For the first outfit, I wore jeans with cutouts on the thighs and bejeweled details. Then, I wore an oversized white button-up shirt. For shoes, I chose a pair of sleek black booties. As you can see, the otherwise simple combo of white button-up and black jeans is now a more interesting look just because of the cutouts.
For my second look, I went for a pair of blue jeans with a butterfly cutout. Underneath the jeans, I layered on a pair of hot pink tights. For my top, I chose a silver sequined top and layered it under a hot pink shirt. Finally, for shoes, I put on a pair of hot pink sling-back heels.
Cut-out jeans can be great allies when you just want to switch up your style or experiment but don’t know where to start. Since they’re just jeans, you can swap your favorite pair with some cutout jeans and see how that immediately makes your outfit different.
What Do You Think?
Which fit is your favorite? Do you wear jeans often? Which outfit would you wear? Do you have any styling questions? Let us know in the comments below!