The Shoe Styles That Make Jeans Work-Appropriate

If you're allowed to wear jeans to work, consider yourself lucky—it makes getting dressed for the office infinitely easier. That being said, just because wearing jeans to work is allowed per your dress code doesn't mean you can wear them with just anything. Unless literally anything goes at your office, you may want to save the sneakers for the weekend and focus on the shoe styles that make jeans completely work-appropriate. And that's where we come in…
We scoured hundreds of street style images to show you which shoes make denim look polished enough for work. Among them, you'll see heels, flats, and ankle boots you may already have in your closet, and if not, we rounded up some of our favorites on the market. They'll take you from morning meetings to business lunches to after-work drinks with ease and will look incredibly chic with a variety of denim styles, including skinny jeans, cropped flares, and high-waisted wide-leg styles.
Keep scrolling to find out which seven shoe styles every working girl who can wear jeans to the office needs.
Kitten-Heel Mules
Luckily, one of the biggest shoe trends right now (kitten-heel mules) dresses jeans up the perfect amount for the office. We especially love this combo styled with a dress over the jeans.
Shop Kitten-Heel Mules:
Loafers
If you want something comfy (an essential for casual Fridays), you can't go wrong with a pair of loafers. We think they look particularly cool with skinny jeans.
Shop Loafers:
Classic Pumps
This may seem like a no-brainer, but the ultimate no-fail denim pairing for the office is classic pumps. They add an air of professional polish to any style of jeans.
Shop Classic Pumps:
Heeled Ankle Boots
Since we all pretty much live in ankle boots this time of year, it's a plus that your boss definitely won't give you a disapproving look when you wear them with jeans.
Shop Heeled Ankle Boots:
Slingback Flats
Another flats style we love wearing with jeans is slingbacks. In fact, many pairs on the market look fancier than most heels. Oh, and it's an added bonus that they give any outfit strong French-girl vibes.
Shop Slingback Flats:
Tall Leather Boots
On especially chilly days, you're probably not going to want to wear pumps to work. Instead, we recommend tall leather ankle boots. They're an instant skinny jean–elevator.
Shop Tall Leather Boots:
Related: The Fall Shoe Trend That Looks the Best With Skinny Jeans
Structured Block Heels
Aren't you glad that block heels have become a classic as opposed to a passing trend? Thanks to their walkability and how sophisticated they make jeans look, we definitely are.
Shop Structured Block Heels:
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Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater arts. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.
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