The verdict is in: straight-leg jeans are back, but how to wear them? Styling figure-hugging skinny jeans could be as simple as slipping on a pair of pumps or ballet flats, but finding the perfect shoes to wear with straight-leg jeans is a bit more complex.
Serious style icons have not been deterred, however, provoking some incredible straight-leg jeans outfit ideas. The straight leg-jeans trend has taken off, with sales steadily eating into the market share of skinnies since 2014, before exploding more recently. The style has a storied history, dating back to Levi Strauss’ iconic denim designs from 1871. With such a rich background in style, choosing the best shoes to wear with straight-leg jeans is simply a matter of picking your style influences.
Born in the USA
The straight-leg style that most of today’s denim houses reference is the classic, rigid jean that harks back to the 1950s, when Levi’s introduced the Lady Levi style which attempted to bring the classic utility of men's jeans to women. Early Levi's jeans campaigns are a masterclass in how to wear straight-leg jeans – for styling cues, consult some of the iconic images featuring women turning sausages and striding through the countryside in straight-leg jeans paired with roman sandals. The look is timeless and was, indeed, a progressive offering in an era steeped in traditional attitudes.
In the 1960s, the Lady Levi ushered in a denim trend that is now so ubiquitous, we scarcely recognise its relative novelty. Lady Levi’s campaigns began to feature jeans styled for the city, a look that is very much alive today. The quintessential straight-leg jeans outfit wasn’t just for women conquering the great outdoors, but styled with an open white blouse, silk scarf and designer sandals, the look began to appeal to a new generation of women keen to take on the concrete jungle – a look that you can see influencing many modern straight-leg outfits. It wasn’t just that jeans were considered ‘fashionable’ and utilitarian, the campaign completely collapsed the distinction between the two: utility was fashionable.
Styling-up when dressing down
It’s no secret that straight-leg jeans are not half as easy to dress up as their skinny counterparts. Ever since Carrie Bradshaw paired some tight ripped jeans with a pair of Manolo Blahnik pumps, stylists have been reinterpreting (or outright mimicking) this iconic dressed-up denim avenue. An easy way into the look is to take a pair of scissors to your jeans and remove a few inches of fabric so that now-fraying hem falls just above your ankles. With a bit more of leg canvas to work with, you'll have extra space to show off some scene-stealing Valentino pumps. Dishevelled denim + a polished heel = the perfect mix of high-low.
Of course, there are plenty of straight-leg jeans outfit ideas that embrace their baggier silhouette. The rise of this style is plain from the profusion of culotte trousers on the runways of houses like Gucci and Valentino over the last two years. This style, it seems, has filtered through to denim. The trick with styling straight, baggier styles like this is to embrace their volume. Trying to recreate the skinny silhouette with a pair of pumps doesn’t work with a larger, longer straight leg, so run with the bagginess of the style and pair it with some ballet flats for an effortlessly relaxed look.
Iconic looks
There’s no shortage of style icons who knew exactly how to wear straight-leg jeans — it’s simply one of the most influential looks of the 20th century. One of the first straight-leg icons was British model Jane Birkin (of Birkin bag fame) who was famous for her quintessentially laid-back, dressed-down styling — quite a revolution in France, where she spent much of her time. Ever-stylish yet never, Birkin's classic style is a great one to channel for a relaxed, low-key outfit. She was known to style the jeans with wedge sandals (there’s no going past See by Chloé for unmistakably French wedges), and her (soon to be) eponymous bag slung over her shoulder. Perfect for a visit to a Parisian market.
In 1980, it was practically impossible to mention jeans without talking about Brooke Shields. At 15, the model had become the face of Calvin Klein Jeans, the first luxury denim collection. Not only did the collection spark a straight leg-jeans trend, but Shields’ famed look that teamed jeans with ankle-high maroon boots, became iconic. The heavy, authoritative boots complement the upfront earnestness of the straight cut, marrying the jeans’ undeniable sensuality with a broad and powerful show.
Yes, the straight-leg jean is an iconic look. Choosing the right shoes to wear with them can simply be a matter of deciding which iconic look to reference. One of the most diverse looks in fashion, there is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to looks to reference.