Generally speaking, men’s fashion is pretty balanced. No one thing is clearly better than the rest, and it’s all very situational. This statement holds true for almost everything except one, jeans. They are the undisputed stars of men’s legwear, and there are no two ways about it. They are great for everything from the basic, classy outfits to the latest spring trends.
One aspect of jeans that not many people talk about is their relationship with leather shoes. Your footwear choice in a jeans outfit matters more than you think. Even the slightest change can transform the whole vibe of your outfit. That’s why casual loafers with jeans are so effective at breathing new life into your existing fashion arsenal. They’ll also open tons of new and exciting outfitting opportunities.
What To Expect In This Article?
Why Choose Loafers?
Sneakers are one of, if not the most popular footwear choices for jeans outfits, and it makes sense. They are super comfortable, work great with jeans, and come in a variety of fun colors and designs. However, leather sneakers are as casual as it gets.
Sure, there are certain sneaker designs that you can rock in a professional setting, especially Chelsea boots that have the silhouette of high-tops. But these exceptions are pretty uncommon and don’t have much impact on men’s fashion on the whole.
Loafers, on the other hand, are the perfect balance of casual pizazz and professional sophistication. Their combo with chinos and dress pants is already well known. But men’s casual loafers with jeans outfits are just as exceptional.
How to Wear Loafers with Jeans?
There is a lot that differentiates between just wearing loafers and rocking them hard. Here’s what you need to know.
Type
The first step is to pick the right type of loafers, and there are many to choose from. This might sound barely significant on paper, but it will skew the results of your final outfit. The safest option here is definitely the penny leather loafers. They are among the top in classy men’s style and work great with almost every color and shape of jeans. Getting these in black will also ensure universal color compatibility with the top.
Other key options include tassel loafers and apron loafers. Tassel loafers are excellent for whimsical and experimental outfits, while suede apron loafers work perfectly in business casual and workwear fashion.
Color
Choosing a color is the next key aspect of wearing casual loafers with jeans, and black is the time-saving option. It works with virtually everything and looks great doing so. Brown is the second-best option, especially for matt materials like suede and velvet. You can also experiment with the different shades of brown, from chocolate brown to khaki.
On the other end of the spectrum are the vibrant color choices for loafers. These will not work with everything in your existing closet, but the outfits that do support these look brilliant. For example, a pair of blue jeans with a black t-shirt and red blazer will look odd with brown loafers, but a pair of maroon leather loafers will feel right at home.
Matching
The last essential step of wearing casual loafers with jeans is understanding the various types of matchups. The simplest of these is the full-outfit matchup that only works for all-black or all-white outfits.
Next is matching your loafers with the jeans, and brown reigns supreme here. Brown has the most charismatic pairing with blue jeans, and nothing else even comes close. Also, black is the answer for black, brown and green jeans.
You can get away with a basic white t-shirt in most loafers and jeans outfits though you have to keep outerwear in mind. Matching your loafers to a jacket is one of the easiest ways to look well-dressed. However, this does not mean that shoes and leather jackets need to be the exact same color. Instead, the colors on both need to have a similar enough vibe. An ideal example of this matchup would include a yellow shirt outfit with blue jeans. The right loafer color for this is white as it has a similar bright vibe to yellow.
Casual Loafers with Jeans Outfits
The best way to learn the young man’s style with loafers is to examine and understand outfits with proven
Jeans & Polo
This is one of the simplest outfits you can craft that retains the subtlety of loafers. All you need is a pair of light blue jeans and a slightly dark but colorful polo. Black velvet or suede loafers are the footwear of choice here, but brown can also work with certain shirt colors. You can also rock a dark blazer on top of the polo, so you can wear this to the office on casual Fridays.
Summer Street Style
The slightly more open and airy design of loafers makes them a fantastic choice for summer. While you can go in many directions with this info, summer street style is the most exciting one. The primary ingredients of these outfits are a pair of knee length blue jeans shorts, a white crew-neck t-shirt, and black and white flannel.
The aqua flannel goes on top of the white t-shirt and remains open at the front. Rolling the sleeves of the outermost shirt will further lend to the lean and hot vibes of this summer ensemble. As for the shoes, nothing suits street summer style better than a pair of pure white loafers.
Comfy Smart Casual
The whole premise of this outfit is to wear something that’s stylish while also being exceptionally comfortable. The base of this look is dominated by a pair of navy blue straight-cut jeans and a pair of distressed leather loafers.
As for the top, you have two choices. First is just a turtleneck which is easier to pull off, and almost everyone has at least one in their wardrobe. The other choice is a button-up, with a cozy V-neck sweater on top. You will have to spend some time finding the right shirt and sweater color combo, but the end result is certainly worth it.
All Denim
As the name suggests, this outfit is almost completely denim. The only non-denim part is the main shirt which can be anything from a V-neck t-shirt to a woolen turtleneck, depending on the weather. The rest of the outfit consists of blue jeans, a blue denim jacket, and yes, a pair of blue denim loafers. You might think that this all-blue outfit will look bland, and you’d be correct to some extent. That’s why you have to contrast it with a colorful red, maroon, pink, or yellow shirt.
Yes, it is perfectly OK to wear loafers with jeans. They will take a little more planning than sneakers, but the end results are well worth the effort.
Yes, that’s the best part about loafers. Their vibe can change from serious and professional to light-hearted and casual, especially when paired with jeans.
The answer to this depends on the type of loafers. White tassel loafers made from leather are not smart casual, but apron loafers made from a matt checkered fabric are.
Yes, you can but with the right outfit. If you want to rock skinny jeans over loafers, the shirt and outerwear need to be loose and covering, and not tight-fitting.
No, they are not. Loafers are very much in style. In fact, their domain is expanding from smart casual and preppy style to street style and even summer casual.
You can wear socks with loafers if you feel more comfortable with them. Just keep in mind that the style and color of the socks matter way more than regular shoes.
Final Words
There is no denying the dominance of jeans in modern men’s fashion. But this exceptional popularity can also work against them and make jeans outfits look repetitive and uninspired. Luckily, jeans are exceptionally compatible and loafers take full advantage of that.
You can just pair them on a whim and the resulting outfit would look quite decent. Or you can spend a little time crafting the perfect matchup. In either case, all you need is a pair of loafers, and your arsenal of jeans outfits will reach a new level of casual style
