Ugh, What Shoes Should I Wear With Jeans?
We needed answers. We found shoes.
by The Candidly Team
Jeans are meant to be this universal, problem-solving, match-everything item of clothing. And they are. Especially now that they come in any shape we could possibly want: straight, cropped, wide-leg, kick flare, skinny, curvy, relaxed, and barrel. They work with every top, jacket, belt, and bag we own.
However…
Jeans present a very specific problem. Very often, we put a whole outfit together, head to ankle, and then …
we have absolutely zero idea what shoe to wear with them.
Right?
Whatever shoe we put on seems to make our whole look go awry. Our proportions are weird. Our legs look shorter. We look top heavy. Or bottom heavy.
And with all the new types of jeans that are available, we sometimes just want a shoe that works with every one of them.
We went on a mission to solve this problem. And we think maybe we finally have. It comes in the form of 3 actual, specific shoes (and 2 bonuses, but who’s counting?).
Now a word on shoes. Now that we’re 40, we deserve extremely well-made, comfortable shoes. We don’t really care about brand name, we care about the style-to-comfort ratio. We also want them to last. Sometimes that means spending more than the $35 we throw away on plastic sandals year after year at Target. It took us a while to get over this hump but once we invested 30% more into our shoes, we’ve never been happier.
That said, the styles we’ve selected are the perfect-looking, perfect feeling shoes we can always, always put on with any jeans and poof, they just work. We’d probably need some sort of architectural degree that explains the laws of balance to say why they work with every length of jeans, so instead, we’ll just let the shoes speak for themselves.
Let’s begin.
1. The Graceful Ballet Flats
We start with the most beautiful leather ballet flat on this or any other planet. It’s hard to explain how this shoe is simultaneously the lightest, butteriest, most comfortable flat we own and also has subtle internal cushioning and support. The strap is so elegant, they come off very much like a heel, looking gorgeous with every pant length, just without the foot pain.
They come in so many colors and patterns we lust after on a weekly basis. The black is obviously a staple but the leopard mesh belongs in a museum.
Price: $275
For a non-leather, unbelievably stretchy and breathable option you just slip on, we also adore these:
If you’re the sort of person who likes to look as elegant as Audrey Hepburn but feel like you’re barefoot in your PJs at all times, these are the shoes for you. They also come in a sea of colors: lollipop red and cream captoe are our current favorites, but the wren is the neutral that matches everything and we wear constantly.
Price: $159
2. The Low Leather Sneaks
The little, white sneak is on a roll lately, showing up with skirts and dresses and, of course, every style of denim. But choosing the exact right, balancing pair isn’t easy. So many are flimsy and offer no support or too clunky, and we end up looking like our 94-year-old grandmother. But this leather platform from Soludos has perfect proportions. Nothing has compared.
They’re *chef’s kiss* with ankle jeans.
And the slight platform makes it so they don’t just disappear and balance well with longer jeans.
The brand was even kind enough to give us a code to give you. Use THECANDIDLY20 to get 20% off.
Price: $139
3. the most comfortable wedge we’ve ever worn
We didn’t think we’d ever see ourselves in shoes this high again. Like we said, now that we’re the age we are, we want shoes that will last forever and that do not cause us a single second of suffering. These shoes are something extraordinarily special in that yes, they’re high. They make our legs look longer and our butts look lifted in any length of jeans we throw on. And yet, the support and comfort is unreal. Paige is known for their denim, but what they’re doing with shoes involves the same quality and craftsmanship and intelligent design. Oh, and of course, the beauty.
We love them with barrel jeans because we get to see the whole shoe in all its glory but they’re also amazing with any extra long jeans because they have a platform so they make you look tall and leggy.
We know, being a quality lifetime shoe, the price isn’t low. But for how much we wear them, we’ve made it well worth it already, owning them for less than a year.
And we do have another code for you. Not sponsored - just very, very nice. Use the code CANDIDLY15 to get 15% off.
Price: $328
Bonus #1: The Divisive One We Stand Firmly Behind
4CCCCEES Add To Cart Buckle Sandals
Our Editor-in-Chief wore these shoes on a try-on haul at Anthropologie and got so many DMs asking about them we decided we had to share them here, not just because they’re cushier than any slippers we’ve ever worn, but because they work so well with jeans. The leather makes them chic. The design makes them original and not just the same snoozy thing everyone else is wearing, and the proportions make our legs look longer even though they’re not technically heels.
Price: $285
Bonus #2: The Nude Flips
Beek Sunbeam Leather Flip Flop Sandal
Is there anything more effortless and understated and classic than a nude flip flop? It’s a lesson we learned from Jennifer Aniston, who might be the most effortless and understated and classic style icon of our time. Of course, it’s perfect with jeans, just as it’s perfect with everything. The leather and minimalist design of Beek’s is simply the best. It gives us a sort of 70s sense of being barefoot with a pair of flare jeans.
But honestly, they’re pretty much foolproof with all our jeans.
And you can use the code CANDIDLY10 to get 10% off.
Price: $139
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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