I just found the best shoes to wear with cuffed jeans

If you had asked us what big trends we had on our fashion bingo card for 2024, cuffed jeans weren’t one of them. Despite the fact that the past twelve months have seen the successful return of other big ’90s trouser trends like cargo pants, baggy jeans and the pedal pusher, we didn’t expect a styling hack as simple as turning up the hems of our jeans turn out to be so convincing, but 1000 Instagram posts and several shopping streets later we notice that we have a certified trend on our hands. Cuffed jeans are officially back.

If, like us, your first thought upon hearing the news is: “What do I actually wear with jeans with cuffs?“, then you’ve come to the right place. In terms of clothes, they’re easy to style (any top and jacket that goes with your regular jeans will work here too). But instead, for those who put their looks together from head to toe , let’s start with the trickiest part: the footwear. What seems like an easy choice (sneakers, right?) ends up in difficult territory when you think about how to take this style to chicer heights. We know straight leg jeans look great with pointy shoes, skinny jeans are made for tucking into boots, and anything with a flare looks great with an ankle boot, but what about the cuffs?

Taking into account the weather, the season and daily practice, we started to put together a range of shoe styles that fit perfectly with these straight leg jeans. Some are cute, some are smart, some bridge a gap between the two, but all are chic and create the perfect shoe + cuffed jeans formula. Keep scrolling to see and shop some of the best cuffed jeans on the market today, and the top five shoe options that work specifically with it.

The best shoes to wear with cuffed jeans

1. Loafers

Style Notes: If your cuffed jeans are naturally cropped, then loafers are a great styling option. Although they offer more coverage, making them ideal for cooler spring days, loafers still show at least some ankle, which can come in handy when balancing a shorter cuff detail.

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2. Ballet shoes

Style notes: It’ll be hard to find a style of jeans that doesn’t include ballerinas, but I especially love the look of cuffed jeans and ballerinas because together they make for a very 2024 combination. Especially if you choose a trendy mesh pair.

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3. Mules

Style Notes: These two are a match made in Heaven. The combination of turned-up jeans and mules (especially closed-toe styles like Marianne Smyth’s) feels distinctly ‘fashionable’ and looks chic no matter how you style the rest of your outfit. When in doubt, a plain T-shirt clearly works.

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4. Mary Janes

Style notes: If you want to add some shine to cuffed jeans, the easiest way to do it is with a pair of elegant Mary Janes. Choose styles with a block heel that mirror the thick cuffs of your jeans. White socks are optional, but highly recommended.

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5. Pointy heels

Style notes: My little colleague Maxine Eggenberger recently tried on a pair of cuffed jeans and wasn’t sure if they were right for her. I suggested she try them on with a pair of pointed toe heels, which she did, which worked perfectly to elongate her legs and keep the wrap details in proportion to her frame. So she tells me anyway.

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6. Trainers

Style Notes: Where there are jeans, sneakers never lag behind. Right now, the hottest combination I’m seeing on social media is cuffed jeans and retro-style sneakers (think the Adidas styles making the rounds right now).

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