How to Wear Baggy Jeans — And the Shoes That Go With Them
Shannon Adducci
Style Director
Quiet luxury may be everywhere, with an emphasis on sartorial discretion and 1-percenter minimalism (or at least the appearence of it).
But when it comes to denim, the current baggy jean trend seems almost diametrically opposed to stealth wealth style. Baggy jeans are, after all, ostentatious in silhouette — even a bit garish. The jeans can also be complicated, with pockets aplenty and other flourishes and details. They’re much more proletarian than patrician in spirit.
In tandem with the big cargo pant revival (an adjacent Y2K throwback), the baggy jeans trend has only continued to gain speed since it emerged last year. This summer, it hit Paris Couture and Copenhagen Fashion Week at full speed, and it continues to course through fashion weeks and city street style alike as summer moves into fall.
The look offers its wearers a heavy dose of ’90s nostalgia that can equally hint at rave culture, the skater aesthetic and girl group looks (hello, TLC!) all at once.
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But while the baggy jean trend offers freedom in its silhouette, it also comes with a steep learning curve, particularly in finding the right hemline and footwear to pair with it. Here, a few guidelines on how to wear the denim in ways that are modern, polished and flattering.
Dress up baggy jeans with a proper top
Play the cardinal fashion rule of contrasts by pairing baggy jeans with a more structured or form-fitting top. Even better, make it a ladylike top, with a few frills, bows or other feminine details to balance out all of the denim material on the bottom. At Paris Couture Week in July, plenty of attendees experimented with baggy jeans by elevating them with sophisticated couture-like tops.
Wear with a kitten heel pump
At first glance, a sneaker might seem like the best fit for a baggy jean. Its ease runs parallel to the roominess and freedom of a big pant. But a sneaker is also the surest way to make a baggy jean or pant look too casual — and even a little sloppy in particular circumstances (at the office or an evening event, for example). A heel is the only true way to elevate a baggy jean — literally — and it looks freshest right now with an of-the-season pointed toe kitten heel mule or slingback pump. The key is to make sure that the jean’s hemline coordinates properly with whatever heel height is chosen. The jeans should drape over the shoes with just a hint of folding at the bottom — but the toe points should also be visible, and the back of hemline can fall to the ground, obscuring the heel. If the jean is intended as a multi-purpose item (for dressing up or down) choose a lower kitten heel that is closer in height to a sneaker. That way, the hemline will work for both footwear styles.
Try a cargo — with care
The baggy jean is a close cousin of the cargo pant, and plenty of the denim versions are actually cargos, too. It’s a super trendy style right now and beloved by celebs and fashion influencers alike. But it’s also a more specific look that might not be as versatile as a classic and clean pair of oversized jeans. Cargos give a more utilitarian vibe to a look, but they can also be paired with crystal-dripped evening tops, too. Just remember that it’s a more-is-more look, which is not for everyone.
Pair sneakers and baggy jeans with something unexpectedly elevated
A baggy jeans and sneakers combo can still manage to look sophisticated if paired with the right top and accessories. At Chanel’s couture show at Paris Fashion Week in July, show goers proved it. Model Vittoria Cerretti attended the show wearing a pair of balloon-shaped baggy jeans in a classic wash, which she paired with Adidas Sambas sneakers, a one-shouldered, black-and-white Chanel sweater, and a pink quilted Chanel leather bag. The ensemble worked because Cerretti kept the denim classic and clean and coordinated the black-and-white motif in her top and sneakers for a cohesive head to toe look.
Keep accessories sharp and coordinated
A baggy jean takes up a lot of real estate in a look. To balance out all of that fabric, sharp accessories in bright and coordinated colors can help to establish focal points that tie an outfit together as a full package — think of accessories as the ribbons on gift wrapping. Matching shoes, bags and beauty details look especially sharp in fall ’23’s lipstick red.
Baggy jeans and kitten heels to try now
About the author:
Shannon Adducci is the Style Director at FN, reporting on runway and fashion weeks, trends, celebrity style and fashion’s role in pop culture, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, gender identity and women’s equity issues. She also directs FN’s cover shoots and visual packages, contributing to the publication’s video direction. Prior to Footwear News, Shannon held positions at Departures, Billboard and Modern Luxury, was a celebrity stylist and specialized in fine and estate jewelry. She is an avid collector of vintage fashion, shoes and jewelry.
