How To Wear Skinny Jeans: A Complete Guide

While skinny jeans might be considered out of style for women at the moment, men and skinny jeans are still very much a match made in heaven. Even if you don’t think skinny jeans are for you, they can be a real crowd-pleaser when worn properly and styled right.

However, there are several different ways to wear skinny jeans, and if you do not know the proper style for your body type or a specific occasion, the result might be quite unflattering. That being said, here is our complete guide on everything you need to know about skinny jeans and how to wear them. 

Types of Skinny Jeans

Though you might assume that all skinny jeans are the same, there are actually two distinct kinds of skinny jeans that you should be aware of before shopping for these tight-fitted trousers. The first kind of skinny jeans is spray-on skinny jeans. Spray-on skinny jeans have a more traditional fit and appear as though they have been sprayed onto the legs. They are most often made of elastane and cotton, giving them a comfortable stretch and flex. They can be a bit too tight in the beginning, and you’ll need to be careful when it comes to eating and drinking while wearing them. However, most spray-on skinny jeans have been known to stretch out over time. 

The second kind of skinny jeans is the standard skinny jean. Standard skinny jeans are currently the more popular option in modern fashion. While they still hug the thighs rather tightly, they have a slight taper toward the bottom of the leg. In short, standard skinny jeans are more fitted and less wrapped. Best of all, the looser hem allows you to get more creative with your footwear and does not confine you to one specific shoe due to a tight ankle.

How to Style Skinny Jeans

When it comes to styling skinny jeans, there are many different routes you can go to best reflect your personal style and preference. We’ll start off with perhaps the most basic and simple pairings, which are skinny jeans and a white t-shirt. There is something quite sultry and effortless about a nice, fitted pair of skinny jeans and a white t-shirt. Though the shirt doesn’t necessarily have to be white, there is something eye-catching about a stark white shirt and a solid pair of dark wash skinny jeans.  

Another way to style skinny jeans is with a collared button down. From a flannel to a plain white button down, this kind of shirt adds a mature and elegant look to a relatively modern trouser. There is something timeless about a collared button down, and pairing one with the right kind of high-quality skinny jeans blends the best of both worlds to create the perfect casual yet intentional outfit. 

Though sweaters cannot be worn year-round, they are the perfect fall or winter addition to your favorite skinny jeans. While some sweaters are fitted, combining a more loose sweater with a pair of tight jeans is often quite flattering, and it allows you to wear your clothes comfortably without feeling overly exposed or constricted all throughout. A sweater is a great option not only for outdoor wear, but it can also make for a great business-casual outfit during the colder months. 

Finally, if you need to put together an outfit that is a bit more formal, try pairing your skinny jeans with a blazer. Blazers and sportcoats automatically add some class to any get-up, and they tend to take the regalness and sultriness of skinny jeans to the next level. 

Just remember that no matter how you decide to wear your skinny jeans, make sure you find the right pair for your body type. There is nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable or insecure in a nice pair of trousers, so in order to avoid that, ensure that you have the right size before making any solid plans.

A good way to test this is to ensure that you can easily pull your jeans past your thighs or calves. This will help you to know if your jeans are too small. On the other hand, if you fear your skinny jeans are too big, test and see if you can pinch about half an inch of slack at the top of your leg. If you can grab much more than half an inch, you might need to go down a size.