We both know that the classic combination that goes well with casual is the sneaker and jeans combination.
But sometimes, sneakers are not worth a second glance. Try spicing up your clothing game by wearing oxfords and jeans or any other dress shoes together.
5 Rules On Wearing Dress Shoes With Jeans
Though the rules in wearing a dress shoe are not as severe as committing a crime, this still can affect your overall image, especially if you want to appear more remarkable than usual.
Some combinations are just not clicking well with others. Therefore, it is crucial that you still have five rules on wearing dress shoes with jeans.
Dress Shoes and Jeans
Dress shoes are great go-to’s when you are looking for a part of your apparel that can bring out the sophistication in your clothing. These shoes are closer to achieving formal wear, but as we passed through many social experimentations and trends, some clothing rules became flexible, like wearing oxfords and jeans, for example.
But mixing and matching aren’t that easy. You have to look out for the five rules in wearing jeans with dress shoes, like knowing how to wear your fedora hat casually.
Rule #1 Make Sure You Are Wearing the Appropriate Type of Jeans
Since we have started with the fedora analogy, we know that you still have to make sure that the fedora fits you well.
There are some critical considerations for you to pull off the hat for your look—things like determining the width of the brim and even the size and shape of your head are essential to know.
Those considerations are the same for getting the right fit for your jeans. There are a variety of jeans that you can easily purchase. Of course, you should go for your preference in choosing the fitting jeans, and that is okay.
However, if you are still planning to wear dress shoes, you should go for the one that matches the mood of your shoes.
If you have ripped jeans or jeans that have holes in your jeans, that will not work well with your shoes. Another pair of jeans that is a big no-no in jeans and dress shoe pairing is skinny jeans.
The reason why skinny jeans won’t cut is the same as why you should not wear ripped jeans. The shoes would look terrible in it, making you look like you’re opting for a funny look rather than an amazing one.
What you can do instead is you can choose denim or a pair of jeans that properly fit your waist and hips.
Sometimes even though you got the right fit, the length of the jeans can be longer than your legs, and it will result in some part of the pants falling on the heel of your shoes, which can look terrible with your oxfords and jeans.
Now that you have the right fit, color is crucial in the jean and dress shoe pairing. The best look for the dress shoe contrasts the color of the jeans. For instance, you have brown colored derby shoes. The blue jeans would look great with them.
Rule #2 Best Dress Shoes To Wear With Jeans
The jeans have to complement the dress shoes, but you also have to think about the right dress shoes that would look great with your shoes. While only a few people dare to match oxfords and jeans, other shoes go well with the clothing.
The bluchers and derby shoes are the dress shoes guaranteed to scream casual as soon as anyone sets their eyes on them.
Because Oxford shoes have a closed-lacing structure, they are more formal than the open ones. The shoes like bluchers, loafers, derby shoes, monk straps, desert boots, chukkas, and slip-ons are great casual shoes you can choose for casual clothing.
Rule #3 See if Everything Complements Each Other
Now that you have your jeans and shoes secured, a shirt or a sweatshirt will throw your efforts to waste. You can satisfy the casual look by sporting a dress shirt or collared button-down.
You can also pick the perfect hat to accentuate your features to complete your whole look, but you should keep it simple and according to your style.
Rule #4 Combine Them Right
If you already have all of the other things checked out, you can also accessorize yourself with the right combinations of watches and belts.
With the watch, if ever you wore leather shoes, you should also get a leather strap to coordinate the look with it.
And because we’re exploring leather accessories right now, your belt must have a leather structure to match everything.
It would be best to have an interchangeable belt buckle to have a vast selection of hooks to match your jeans.
Rule #5 Know The Occasion
White tie, black tie, business casual, or even ultra-casual are the occasions that you have to know. Of course, different circumstances call for various clothing styles.
While oxfords and jeans are a no-no for formal events such as white and black tie events, you can go for jeans and derby shoes or shorts to pair with your loafers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What are the types of shoes that are good with my jeans?
As mentioned above, the best shoes that you can pair with your jeans are anything but formal shoes. While some manage to pull off oxfords with jeans, you can also try other shoes like monk shoes or derby, depending on the shoe you prefer.
Do I also need to appropriate my shoes with the season?
Yes, other than occasions, you should also look for the appropriate shoes to pull off while wearing jeans. Jeans remain casual, but some dress shoes have a specific season, like derby shoes and dress boots. Dress boots are suitable for winter shoes, while derby shoes are also great for summer.
What if I fail to follow the rules of pairing dress shoes with jeans?
These rules stated above are the basic guidelines in making your outfit effectively show your style. While they seem to be a lot at first glance, they are not definite. You can still try to mix and match some things but make sure that you are comfortable with the outcome and have the confidence to pull them off.