Trainers are to jeans as Nutella is to pancakes, as eyeliner is to Alexa Chung, and as corsets are to the cast of Bridgerton. They just look good together. The only major flaw in this belief, however, is that every pair of trainers works with every pair of jeans. I’ve learned, however, that there are certain trainers that work best with certain denim silhouettes. I own a fair amount of both, so you can rest assured that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this and have narrowed down the ideal combos.
When deciding which trainers to wear with jeans, the first thing I think about is the hem of the trousers. Are they cropped or tapered? This detail immediately has an impact on which trainers I’ll choose. Case in point: If you’re wearing a longer leg style, you won’t want to wear a chunky pair of trainers because they might disrupt the silhouette of the jeans. Secondly, I pay attention to the width of the trouser legs. Wide-leg jeans, in my opinion, don’t work well with chunky trainers. The nuances of getting this combination right might feel overwhelming, but I’ve illustrated how to do so for you below. Keep scrolling to see my insight on which six trainer styles are best to wear with jeans.
Style Notes: High-top jeans work perfectly with crop styles as they fill any gap between your hemline and what would be the top of a normal trainer height; this is ideal for the colder months when you want to avoid having even the slightest sliver of skin exposed to the elements.
Style Notes: This is what I like to think of as the Princess Catherine way to wear jeans and trainers. The cropped ankle and slightly tapered style always works very well with white plimsolls. Socks optional.
Style Notes: Perhaps the most divisive of combos is a pair of high-waisted jeans with sporty trainers. It’s a little hypebeast for some, but I’m personally a big fan. As this style of trouser typically falls on the ankle and it’s nice to make a show of your trend-led trainers.
Style Notes: Let’s focus on colour for a second; most jeans I own fall into the blue category, though I am partial to black and ecru also. This triad of timeless hues loans itself perfectly to styling with bright trainers without any risk of a clash.
Style Notes: Chunky trainers continue to dominate the sneaker scene, with New Balance 550s proving harder to get your hands on than a Toteme scarf jacket. Wear with straight-leg jeans for a 2023 take on the look.
Style Notes: I’m noticing more and more black trainers come through, and while I previously wasn’t a fan, I’m coming round to how chic they can look, especially when worn with mid-blue denim.
This piece was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
