I'm a Fashion Editor—These Are the Flattering Jeans I Always Wear With Sandals

If you’re not a dress person, it’s hard to know what to wear in summer. I could direct you to this edit of linen separates or shirt-and-shorts co-ords—but if, like me, you find it very hard to part with your beloved jeans, then you’re probably currently casting around for ways to wear dependable denim in the warmer months.
Of course, you can just add a classic tank top or floaty blouse, but the tricky bit, I always find, arises when you try to pair your favourite jeans with sandals. Some work, and some just don’t. I’m particularly struggling since I invested in more full-length jeans—which I lived in paired with heeled boots in winter. Being 5’2”, though, I tend to look a bit overwhelmed in jeans that puddle over sandals.
Karina shows how to wear the style with a cool patch-pocket pair.
After a recent frustrating try-on of every single pair I own, I came to realise that there was one jeans shape that always looks good with sandals: cropped wide-leg. Not only is this one of the most flattering jeans styles thanks to the fact that it hugs the bum in all the right places and skims over the thighs, but also the key is that it shows off a bare ankle, which means it pairs effortlessly well with sandals of all types.
Kim is a denim expert and a big fan of a cropped wide-leg. These are from & Other Stories.
Proof you only need simple additions to make these jeans look chic.
So for all my fellow denim lovers out there, I’ve compiled an edit below of the very best cropped wide-leg jeans on the market. Some I own myself and can personally vouch for, and others I’ve only heard great things about from my fellow editors. Trust me—all you need for a chic, reliable summer outfit is a pair of these, a crisp white T-shirt, classic sandals and maybe a basket bag for good measure. Keep scrolling to see and shop for yourselves.
Shop the Best Cropped Wide-Leg Jeans
I really rate M&S denim, and these are great value.
These are such great value.
Totême's pair is the perfect shape and crop in my opinion.
The turn-ups on these will complement sandals perfectly.
These are particularly cropped, so good if you're petite.
Up Next: 8 Jeans Trends Fashion People Are Living in This Summer

Emily Dawes is an editor, stylist and writer with over 12 years in the industry. Known for impeccable taste, our readers trust her advice, especially in her top-selling column, expensive-looking high street buys. Working for Who What Wear UK since 2020, Emily has been a contributing editor, branded content editor and affiliate editor. Now, as senior shopping editor, she leads the e-commerce content strategy. After obtaining a BA in English and American Studies from Nottingham University, Emily interned at The Mail on Sunday’s YOU. As the magazine’s fashion editor, she managed the fashion team and travelled the globe to style and direct fashion editorials and celebrity cover shoots. As a freelancer, she styled Grazia cover shoots, developed brand marketing and content plans and worked with VIP clients including Elizabeth Day.
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