11 Foolproof Ways to Style Loafers With Jeans

By Amber Rambharose
Updated on November 1, 2023 @ 12:05PM
Two women wear loafers and jeans outfit ideas to try for 2023.
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Loafers have come a long way from their business casual beginnings. Once considered an elevated option for men to wear to the office and during fancy leisure activities like sailing and driving, this semi-formal shoe quickly evolved. Luxury designers like Gucci and Prada added flair and flash to the simple silhouette with sleek hardware, bold patterns, and luxe fabrics. 

In recent years, a new generation of A-listers like Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Gigi Hadid, and Selena Gomes have brought chunky, lug-sole loafers into the limelight. This rugged, platform-style, easily worn in place of combat boots or chunky sneakers, is definitely *the* loafer of the moment and happens to look both striking and casual when worn with jeans.

The rise of the lug sole loafer doesn’t mean it’s your only option if you’re hoping to add loafers to your fall outfit rotation. Horse bit, mule, tassel, and driving loafers can all be paired with denim—as the 11 jeans and loafers outfits below prove.

01 of 11

Lug Sole Loafers: Wide or Straight-Leg Jeans

A woman wears wide-leg jeans with lug sole loafers.

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Trendy loafers call for trendy jeans. Next time you want to create a stand-out look, consider pulling on a pair of jeans with embellished cut-outs to wear with your most stacked platform loafers. Thanks to their thick treads and bulky platform soles, lug sole loafers won't get swallowed up jeans with an oversized silhouette. They complement loose-fitting denim styles from the super-oversized low-rise jeans of the Y2K era to more streamlined high-waisted straight-leg jeans. Here are plenty of chunky loafers we love, including this style you may have seen on Taylor Swift.

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White Loafers: Baggy Jeans

Sonia Lyson wears white loafers and skinny jeans

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A pair of casual, chunky loafers in white or a similar light neutral shade like eggshell or beige, will pop against jeans in a medium wash. To downplay the business casual vibe of this style of loafers, we recommend opting for a pair of baggy jeans, an approach that works especially well if your loafers have a bit of platform.

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Print or Pattern Loafers: Embroidered Jeans

Showing how to wear loafers with jeans, Gigi Hadid wears animal print loafers with embroidered patchwork jeans.

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Gigi Hadid has been wearing loafers for years and the supermodel has elevated putting together a loafers and jeans outfit into an art form. While she's often spotted in chunky black loafers, we're especially fond of her looks that feature Reformation's animal print Agathea Loafers. If you're looking to cultivate an effortless and bohemian vibe, we recommend reaching for a pair of patchwork or colorfully embroidered jeans to wear with these boldly patterned shoes.

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Mule Loafers: High-Waisted Tapered Jeans

Lisa Hahnbueck wears gray jeans and black mule loafers

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Given the open-back silhouette, mule loafers can seem like a summery shoe. However, slip them on with a pair of high-waisted jeans and a cozy sweater and you've got a seasonally appropriate look with all the sweetness of a summer frock.

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Brown Loafers: Gray Jeans

Showing how to wear loafers with jeans, Kathrin Bommann wears browns loafers with gray jeans.

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Brown loafers are arguably a bit trickier to style than their black counterparts, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't give them a try. When putting together an outfit with brown loafers and jeans, try stepping away from everyday blue jeans and seek out shades of gray. Not only will the subdued hue add luster and brightness to the brown of your shoes, but the color combination lends itself to cozy tweeds and plaids, perfect for creating a dark academia vibe.

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Velvet Loafers: Skinny Jeans

Showing how to wear loafers with jeans, Carrole Sagba wears pink velvet loafers with black skinny jeans.

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Let a pair of velvet driving loafers be the star of your outfit by wearing them with a pair of dark wash or black skinny jeans. Add an oversized cardigan for a casual look or dress things up with a luxe blazer.

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Black Loafers with Black Jeans

Showing how to wear loafers with jeans, a woman wears black jeans with black loafers

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For a sleek and understated jeans and loafers outfit, you can't go wrong with black-on-black. To keep this look balanced, and to avoid the always-impossible-until-you're-in-direct-sunlight task of matching shades of black, we recommend opting for a pair of soft, cotton-blend jeans and ultra-shiny patent leather loafers.

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Block Heel Loafers with Split-Hem Jeans

Showing how to wear loafers with jeans, Olesya Senchenko wears high-heel loafers with split-seam jeans.

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Block heel loafers have a bit of a retro vibe which you can show off and modernize all at once with a pair of split-hem jeans. If you love a dramatic vibe, we recommend looking for a pair of jeans with a slightly flared silhouette, the better to draw the eye to your loafers. For a more understated approach, try a cropped pair of split-hem jeans.

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Metallic or Sequin Loafers: Statement Jeans

Showing how to wear loafers with jeans, Polly Sayer wears silver Prada loafers with patterned two-toned jeans

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If you like your shoes to sparkle, you'll love the contrast created by classic loafers fabricated in high-shine sequins or metallic patent leather. We recommend taking a fun pants approach to this loafers and jeans look and choose a pair of jeans with an abstract pattern in contrasting colors. While patterned jeans often come in bold colors, you can also opt for an understated approach by choosing a pair of jeans that plays with different washes.

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Penny Loafers: Skinny Jeans

Showing how to wear loafers with jeans, a woman wears penny loafers with ankle jeans.

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For a structured, elevated look that still has a casual vibe, you can't go wrong with a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans and black penny loafers. To show off your sleek shoes, we recommend cuffing your jeans at the ankle or opting for a pair with a cropped fit.

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Embellished Loafers: Light Wash Jeans

Showing how to wear loafers with jeans, Mandy Bork wears buckle loafers with light-wash jeans.

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We think that boldly embellished loafers with rhinestone embellishments like the Roger Vivier pair above look best when worn with light-wash denim. Not only does a lighter wash pick up on the prismatic sparkle of rhinestones, but it also creates a sense of desaturated cohesion.

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