Casual dress shoes for jeans are a smart footwear choice, especially if you are looking for some inspiration to upgrade your smart-casual wardrobe with a fresh vibe.
Gone are the days when dress shoes were thought to be only good for formal or business professional outfits. Now you can secure a dapper look by pairing dress shoes with jeans.
However, Styling jeans with dress shoes involves a careful assessment of styling rules. The wrong shoes with the wrong jeans style and even shirt can destroy your overall look in a second.
So, here are all the tips for choosing casual dress shoes for jeans. Read till the end to get the most out of your dress shoes and jeans outfits!
What To Expect In This Article?
Dress Shoes With Jeans: Styling Rules For Men
Styling men’s dress shoes with jeans is a tricky affair, as long as you do not follow the casual dress code rules. Here are a few styling tips that will help you pull off smart dress shoes and jeans.
1. Jeans Color
While choosing the color of the jeans with dress shoes avoid going for faded or washed jeans, as they will kill the dressy vibe of the outfits. Darker jeans are always a better option when it comes to styling dress shoe outfits. Some of the ideal jeans colors to pair with dress shoes include indigo, navy, and black.
2. The Jeans Style
There may be a million styles of jeans but not all jeans complement well with dress shoes. While choosing the right types of jeans to wear with casual dress shoes do not go for distressed or ripped jeans, as they are not appropriate for smart casual attires.
However, going for the classic and timeless denim style that fits well at the hips and waist is a wise choice to pair with dress shoes. For the right fit, go the middle way. Avoid baggy, wide-leg, or skinny pants and opt for a slim or regular-fit jeans style.
3. The Shoe Contrast
When picking the right casual dress shoes for jeans, adding texture with color contrast is important. After all, you do not want to look obsolete while wearing black pants with black dress shoes.
To add that right amount of contrast, try to go with lighter shades of dress shoes. Jeans with brown dress shoes are a perfect example of the right contrast. Whatever the color of your jeans, rich brown or tan shoes will go well with each one of them.
4. The Right Shoe Style
Knowing the appropriate color contrast to wear with jeans and dress shoes is not enough, you should also know what dress shoe style will complement the most with your jeans outfit.
For Instance, pulling off a smart casual look with a dress shirt and a formal suit blazer demands a little more formal vibe than a usual jeans outfit. In this case, wearing a tan or brown oxford will be the appropriate footwear option. However, for casual jeans outfit derbies, brogue and monk straps can also be great alternatives.
5. Dress For The Occasion
Considering the formality of the occasion is crucial. Never dare to opt for jeans and dress shoes for a formal or semi-formal occasion. This outfit combo is appropriate for casual or business casual dress codes.
For Instance, you can wear jeans and a shirt outfit with dress shoes and a blazer for casual work days but wearing the same outfit for a wedding party will be inappropriate. No matter how aesthetic it looks, it can’t be a replacement for formal shoes and a suit.
6. Socks Or No Socks?
Socks are a crucial element of your entire look, especially for dress shoes and jeans outfits. While most men love to go socks-free, it is not an option with dress shoes. After all, you are trying to elevate your casual outfit with some dressy elements and no socks shoes are not one of them.
Wearing no socks or no-show socks will only show your lack of interest and effort in styling your outfit.
Men’s Casual Dress Shoes To Wear With Jeans
Now that you know all the styling rules necessary to pull off dapper casual dress shoes and jeans look. Let’s dive in and find out all the types of dress shoes for men with jeans.
1. Oxford Shoes
Contrary to popular opinion that oxford shoes are only good for wearing with suits, you can effortlessly style them with your business casual jeans outfit for a sophisticated and professional vibe.
While there are multiple options available in the oxford footwear range, the best ones to style with jeans include suede or leather, brown, burgundy, and tan shoes.
2. Derby Shoes
Derby shoes having a similar design to an oxford is another great choice of casual shoes for jeans. Derby shoes consist of an open-lacing shoe style making them more casual than oxfords. You can boost up your dressing game by pairing derbies with a darker denim, effortlessly.
While derby shoes come in a variety of different colors, brown derby shoes are the most popular of all to wear with jeans.
3. Brogue Shoes
Brogue shoes have a characteristic decorative perforation made on the shoe cap. These shoes can be full brogue, semi, or quarter brogue depending upon the extent of perforation and design.
These dress shoes undoubtedly are among the most casual variants of dress shoes. You can pair brogue shoes with casual jeans and a sports coat for a simple and sleek look.
4. Wingtip Shoes
Wingtip shoes are a variant of a brogue with a perforation design not limited to toe caps. The perforation is made on the whole toe in a wing-shaped design that sometimes extends from the toe to the back of the shoes making an all-around shoe design.
Like brogue, they also make a great match when paired with jeans outfits. However, it is better to style them for casual occasions rather than smart business casual because of their distinctive dressy vibe.
5. Monk Strap Shoes
Monk strap is a laceless dress shoe style with a leather strap built on the vamp. There are basic three-shoe design variants of these shoes, i.e., single monk strap, double monk strap, and triple monk strap shoes, depending upon the number of buckles and straps on the shoes.
No matter what monk strap shoe style you choose, each one of them looks great when paired correctly with a jeans outfit.
6. Loafers
Loafers are a great choice for people who want a laid-back vibe with a dressy look. Whether you want a smart casual or preppy look, a pair of loafers with jeans can be a savior in every situation.
While there is a large variety of materials and colors, the choice of loafer depends on the jeans style and the occasion. However, leather penny loafers are the most popular leather loafer styles to wear with jeans as they give out a more put-together and sophisticated vibe.
Other Shoes That Go With Jeans
Apart from dress shoes, there are also a few other best shoes for jeans men that sit at the borderline between dressy and casual shoes. So, here is a list of the best men’s shoes with jeans other than dress shoes, you can opt for a chic and sophisticated look.
1. Men’s Sneakers With Jeans
Jeans with sneakers mens are a timeless combination. Whether you are opting for jeans and a t-shirt outfit for a day out with friends or up for a busy day at work with a dress shirt, blazer and jeans look, a pair of leather sneakers will always be there to cover you for both.
2. Chelsea Boot
The Chelsea boots have a somewhat similar design to dress shoes consisting of quarters and vamp, stitched out from a single leather piece. This quality of Chelsea boots makes them a little more dressy than their other counterparts and is perfect to give your jeans a casual preppy vibe.
Out of all the colors brown, black, and tan leather Chelsea boots are some of the most popular and trendy boots to wear with jeans.
3. Chukka Boots
Chukka boots are a more relaxed option for dress shoes for jeans. They generally come in a tan leather or suede finish, perfect to pair with dark denim pants and button-down shirts for a laid-back workplace look.
Throwing over a peacoat or aesthetic leather blazer with your chukka boots and jeans outfit would be a wise trick to add structure to your entire look.
4. Desert Boots
Desert boots have a similar design to chukka boots with slightly thicker rubber soles and suede leather uppers.
You can find them in an array of styles and colors to suit your outfit needs. These boots have a dressier vibe and go along well with most denim colors i.e, blue, black, or even crisp white jeans.
5. Boat Shoes
The boat shoes initially designed for nautical sailors are now popular fashion footwear. They have a sturdy rubber sole for a firm grip and an all-around lacing embellishment for a smart and sleek look.
These shoes have a polished vibe and can give a refined dressy edge to your cuffed jeans outfit. Pairing them with neutral button-down shirts with a stylish watch and a pair of sunglasses are all the accessories you need for a gentlemen’s look.
6. Hiking Boots
If you are into urban fashion and want to play casual with your outfit game on point; a pair of chunky hiking boots is all you need.
These extremely stylish boots are the epitome of comfort. Whether you are up for a field trip at work or enjoying your weekend at the bar, these sturdy shoes paired with dark denim pants and a custom denim jacket will give out a sophisticated and polished look with your fashion game in check.
FAQs – Casual Dress Shoes For Jeans
You can pair your jeans with practically any shoes, depending on the occasion and dress code. For Instance, for a laid-back casual vibe sneakers, trainers and sandals would work. However, for smart casual attire, opting for derby, brogue, and loafer shoes would be a wise choice. Additionally, chukkas, Chelsea, and dress boots will cover you for all your winter jeans outfits.
While matching shoes with jeans considering the right jeans fit, color contrast and shoe style are important. Opt for a darker shade of jeans with lighter-tone brown or tan shoes to create the perfect color contrast. Additionally, wear suede or matte leather shoes to ensure they are not too shiny to overshadow the casual vibe of your outfit.
Jeans are versatile clothing articles that can be paired with most outfits regardless of the season and gender. Some of the most popular clothes to wear with jeans include; t-shirts with sneakers, dress shirts with dress shoes, and sweaters with leather boots.
Yes, wearing heels with jeans is an absolute style statement. However, the right heel style to wear with your jeans entirely depends on the event and your taste in fashion.
Conclusion
While dress shoes with jeans are a dapper outfit combination, choosing casual dress shoes for jeans outfits becomes a hard task sometimes. But, with the proper styling knowledge, you can ace this fashion quest in no time.
The dress shoes for men with jeans include oxford, brogue, wingtips, derby, and monk strap. Apart from dress shoes, there are also other good shoes that go with jeans well, such as dress sneakers, chukka boots, Chelsea boots, and loafers.
