The best shoes to wear with skinny jeans are ballet flats, knee-highs, sock boots, combat boots, loafers, slip-ons, wedges, long Uggs, black heels, lug sole Chelsea boots, retro sneakers, and clogs.
Just hearing the term “skinny jeans” is enough to send some women into hiding. They’re just so, well, skinny. Surely they’ll call attention to every flaw we’ve worked so hard to hide.
The popularity of pencils, cigarettes, and other skinny jeans rises and falls every few years or so. Consequently, we’re regularly forced to decide whether or not we will wear them.
And if we do, what are we going to wear with them?
You can pair many tops with skinny jeans, making them more flattering. But your outfit will be ruined if you choose the wrong shoes.
Flat Shoes with Skinny Jeans
Ballet flats and skimmers are great for pairing with skinny jeans if you have long legs and narrow hips.
Since they’re not at all bulky, they won’t stand out or call too much attention to your feet, and they also help continue the lean silhouette created by skinny jeans.
Flats with pointy toes are also a good option, but only if you’re not self-conscious about the size of your feet. While the look is ultra-slimming, shoes with pointy toes can also make your feet look very long — and they’re not always the most comfortable choice either.
If you’re short and lean, pairing flats with skinny jeans only emphasizes that fact.
Wearing Boots with Skinny Jeans
Skinny jeans were practically made for tucking into boots, and only a few boot styles work with them.
Tall, wider boots with lower heels are the easiest to pull off because they will actually make your denim-coated legs look thinner, but ankle boots and heeled boots can work well too. Just remember to avoid boots that are both short and bulky.
Since skinny jeans are so form-fitting, they can be easily overwhelmed, and boots that are too hefty will call too much attention to your footwear and not enough to your entire outfit.
Booties and Skinny Jeans
Booties with skinny jeans can be hit or miss, but generally speaking, they’re a good choice.
The easiest way to pull them off is to remember that it’s a balancing act: if the booties have platform soles or chunky heels, you need a bit of volume on top as well.
If you’re going for a slim, head-to-toe look, try a pair of more refined booties with less bulk.
Skinny Jeans and Heels
Basic pumps with slightly pointed toes work best with skinny jeans, but if you’re not wafer-thin, you also need to consider the rest of your outfit.
Wearing high heels with skinny jeans helps to elongate the legs, so it’s natural that shorter women, and those with a few curves, would be attracted to the combination.
But wearing skinny jeans with stilettos also creates a very narrow “base,” which means the middle of your body will look bigger by comparison.
If you want to avoid drawing too much attention to your thighs and hips or looking too much like a 50s pin-up girl, try adding a top that extends to at least your hips. Simple mini dresses, long casual tops, loosely-belted shirts, and longer jackets all work well with skinny jeans and heels.
Choosing Sneakers for Skinny Jeans
A popular combination since the 1950s, skinny jeans and sneakers can offer a cool and casual look, but some sneaker styles work better than others.
Puffy cross-trainers are far too weighty for skinny jeans, but trim low tops look cute with fitted denim. And, on the right person, even old-school high tops can add a fun touch to skinny jeans.