What shoes does one wear with white jeans, wide jeans and barrel-leg jeans when summer is well and truly over, and we can’t rely on trainers (sans socks), ballet pumps or sandals? This is a question that’s been cropping up a lot recently. What style of boots goes with which jeans? Are there other sturdy shoes we can look at? Well, I’m no expert but I DO love denim, and I will wear all styles all year round (shorts notwithstanding), so I have come up with some ideas that you could try over the colder months to get the most wear out of your denim.
Let’s start with the colour that is usually frowned upon after September…
WHITE JEANS WITH CONVERSE
You could use any high tops here, but Converse are a perennial classic and for some reason I wear mine more in the winter than in the summer. Which, come to think of it, is somewhat counterintuitive because they’re made out of canvas so absolutely no good if you get caught in a deluge. BUT you can wear long socks underneath, and if they get too filthy you can wash them in the machine. Probably the only trainers that actually come out good after a machine wash. I’d do the sandwich trick with white jeans in winter and match the top to the bottom and stick the jeans in between.
- M&S Fairisle Crew Neck Jumper
- Mango Micro houndstooth suit blazer
- COS Ivory Arch Jeans
- MOMSIV Reusable Coffee Cup
- John Lewis x Awake Mode embellished bag
- Converse Chuck 70 Vintage Canvas Hi Tops
WHITE JEANS WITH LACE UP BOOTS
A monochrome look for winter works a treat. You can swap out your black jeans for a white pair every so often, just to lighten the mood a bit. This style of lace-up boots looks best with cropped jeans, but if your white jeans are full length, just roll them up a bit so the hem hits the top of your chosen boots.
- Black & Beech Marino wool jumper (use code Kate15 for 15% off)
- Hush Elle Supersoft T‑Shirt
- Levis 501 Crop Jeans
- Mint Velvet Black Leather Eyelet Belt
- & Other Stories Tailored Single-Breasted Coat
- Hobbs Farrah Leather Chunky Lace-Up Boots
WIDE LEG JEANS WITH SOCK BOOTS
Wide-leg jeans in winter are, let’s face it, tricky bastards. You need to elevate your hems a bit or else you’ll end up with the ‘slow, wet creep’ when the rain soaks from the bottom of your jeans right up to your shins. The best way to avoid this is with a pair of mid-heeled boots. Personally, I think round-toe, block-heeled boots look best with the wide-leg style. It kind of mirrors the 70s look.
- Cara & The Sky Stitch Balloon Sleeve Cardigan
- Un Dimanche A Paris Chambery Horse Bangle
- Zimmerman Gold-tone stone earrings
- Citizens Of Humanity Ayla high-rise wide-leg jeans
- Damson Madder Macy Leopard Quilted Jacket
- Sezane Milo Classic Bag
- Flattered Margret Leather Black heeled boots
WIDE LEG JEANS WITH SUEDE BOOTS
Another option with your wide legs would be a suede block-heel boot. You don’t want anything too chunky here. Flat, sturdy boots won’t work with wide-leg jeans as they mess with the proportions. Wide things looks best when completed by something slimmer, so sandwich your flappy jeans in between a slender, tucked-in shirt and a sleeker style of boots.
- Mint Velvet White Cotton Cuff Detail Shirt
- Rachel Jackson Mini Happy Face Pendant Necklace
- Chinti & Parker Aran cable-knit wool cardigan
- Reiss Raymond Double Pleat Wide Leg Jeans
- Sezane The Tote
- John Lewis Oversized Herringbone Wool Blend Blazer
- Boden Chelsea Block Heel Boots
BARREL LEG JEANS WITH CHUNKY LOAFERS
Now then, the barrel leg is the style that’s been causing the most consternation when it comes to what footwear to pair them with in the winter months. For my money, there are two clear favourites (not including trainers as they are a given). The first is the slightly chunky loafer – worn with a good pair of socks, of course. Your barrel jeans should really be ankle length for this option.
- Uniqlo Lambswool Crew Neck Cardigan
- Albaray Check Double Breasted Coat (Use coed KATE20 for 20% off)
- Hush Cordelia Barrel Leg Jeans
- DeHanche Hollyhock suede belt
- Dr Martens Adrian Ambassador Soft Leather Tassel Loafers
- Burlington Women’s Whitby Socks
BARREL LEG JEANS WITH POINTY BOOTS
You could have full-length barrel jeans for this one, but slightly cropped is still my preferred length. Look for a pair of ankle boots that are pointed and maybe slightly western without being TOO cowboy. They need to be fitted close to the ankle so they sit nicely under the hem of your jeans. These Toteme ones are the ideal shape and style for reference, but they are also not cheap (to put it mildly) so I have some other options below too.
- Mint Velvet Horse Print Shirt
- Abercrombie Classic Tweed Blazer
- M&S Mid Rise Relaxed Horseshoe Jeans
- Amazon Woven Vegan Leather Hobo Bag
- ME + EM Italian Leather Feathered Edge Belt
- Toteme suede heeled boots
I hope this has helped because, remember: denim is for life, not just for summer.
Kate x