Besides a few stints with capris in the early '00s, I exclusively wore skinny jeans until college. "What even are mom jeans?" I can practically hear my 18-year-old self questioning. Years—and plenty of denim trial-and-error—later I still fancy myself a skinny-jean girl. However, I'm now much more experimental with the styles, colorways, and embellishments I choose when it comes to my go-to pairs. Need some examples? I found 23 pretty epic skinny jeans that I'll probably need to hide from my basic ones for jealousy purposes. Clothes have feelings too, right?
Blue Jeans
Forgot your belt? Not a problem with this pair of skinnies.
These classic Levi's get a cool twist by way of a side-stripe logo moment.
The higher the rise the better the denim.
These jeans are practically begging to be worn with a pair of cool biker boots.
From far away, these pants look like your average pair of blue jeans, but take a closer look and you'll see they feature some pretty awesome stitching.
A little blue, a little gray—why choose if you don't have to?
Regular blue jeans but so much smoother thanks to the velvety fabric.
Black Jeans
The perfect jeans to wear with your new crop top.
A built-in belt is cool, but a built-in belt with grommets is at least 10 times cooler.
Faux-leather skinny jeans for the win.
Definitely wear a vintage band tee with these star-print jeans.
More grommets for your viewing pleasure.
Show off this lace-up pair with a tucked-in bodysuit.
Add these embellished jeans to your collection just in time for the holidays.
Another belted pair of black jeans you'll never want to take off.
Fun Jeans
Obviously, the first pair of printed jeans on the list has to be animal-inspired.
But these camo jeans are equally awesome.
Pair these ultra-embellished jeans with a simple black sweater for a slick outfit.
Now that you've bought three plaid blazers, you'll need a pair of plaid jeans. These should do the trick.
Here's a pair of holiday-ready jeans that would look so chic with a Lurex knit.
How gorgeous is this chocolate brown shade?
One pair of leopard skinny jeans just isn't enough.
All the buttons all the time.
Next: Shop these 35 affordable tops to wear with your skinny jeans.