Kayla Young
Flare jeans are super in right now, and you need to know how to build and outfit with them. In this article, I go over what shoes to wear with flare jeans. I’ve surveyed the experts and have loads of inspiration!
In this article, I will look at what shoes to wear with flare jeans as well as the difference between flares, wide leg, and bell bottoms.
Contents
Meet the Experts
- Dr. Ingrid Leo – Medical Doctor, Co-founder at stylewithingrid
- Judy Taylor – President and CEO of Madison Avenue Couture
- Catherine Brock – Writer/Editor at The Budget Fashionista
Shoes To Wear With Flare Jeans
Let’s dive into a few great options for shoes to wear with flare jeans.
1. Clogs
We are going to start our list of shoes off with the classic nod to the flared jeans roots with clogs. Clogs and flared jeans will give you a cozy, comfy look with a bit of a retro vibe.
Here are some great options:
2. Platforms
Speaking of retro, if you’re digging that old-school look, platforms will work equally well with flared jeans.
Whether you go for sandals, mules, mary janes, gladiators or even flip flops, flare jeans look great with pretty much anything with a chunky sole. As Catherine Brock from The Budget Fashionista points out, “A chunky boot can elevate the leg, making you look tall and also lifts the flare of the jeans off the ground, which can drag and also cover your feet.”
The platformed sole will also prevent the bottom of your pants from dragging on the ground, which is an added bonus.
Whether you go for sandals, mules, mary janes, gladiators or even flip flops, flare jeans look great with pretty much anything with a chunky sole.
Here’s some inspiration:
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3. Ankle Boots
Ankle boots of any kind will pair amazingly well with flared jeans. They are the perfect way to dress them up a bit for a lunch date or a casual Friday at work.
Catherine Brock says that “closed toe boots are my go-to when it comes to pairing a shoe with flare jeans. Flare jeans can make you look shorter or stocky when not styled properly because of the way they fit.”
Here are some great options:
4. Chunky Boots
As mentioned, flared pants pair well with just about anything with a chunky sole. Add chunky boots to the list! From combat boots to Chelsea boots to wedges, basically, anything with a bit of chunk to them will look great with flared jeans.
Doctor and Style Blogger Ingrid Leo suggests chunky platform boots are a great choice. “For an edgy style, try pairing your flares with a pair of chunky platforms. The high platform and thick sole will help add balance to the flared shape of your jeans. However, knee-high boots aren’t suitable as they’ll hide the flare of your pants beneath them making them appear straight-leg instead.
Judy Taylor from Madison Avenue Couture brings the kick-ass by suggesting combat boots. “Combat like boots are in style right now and would go great with any pair of flare jeans you have lying around.”
Here is some boot-spiration:
5. Sneakers
Sneakers look great with almost any type of casual pants – from cargo and palazzo to yoga and of course any type of jeans, and flares are no exception.
Judy Taylor loves sneakers and flare jeans. She suggests that “if you are going for a more casual look, a pair of retro sneakers are a great option. I like the New Balance retro sneakers, but you can choose one from your favorite brand.”
Here is some inspiration:
6. Sandals
Dr. Ingrid Leo says sandals are the way to go. “Whether you opt for heeled or flat sandals, they provide an easy solution when it comes to styling with flare jeans. Gladiator-style sandals (as seen on Vogue Runway, they are also a trend for 2023) are especially great because they will draw attention to the shape of your legs.
Any type of sandal looks great with flared jeans. From boho leather buffalo sandals to a strappy sandal with a heel – you really can’t go wrong with sandals and flared jeans.
Here are some great options to consider:
Flares Vs Bell Bottoms Vs Wide Leg Keans
The last thing you want to do is go shopping for the latest trend and pick out the wrong cut. Bell bottoms, wide-leg, and flare jeans are all similar. They are all floor-length pants that are wider at the bottom. The difference between them is the silhouette and where they start to widen.
They are all floor-length pants that are wider at the bottom. The difference between them is the silhouette and where they start to widen.
Wide Leg
Wide leg pants are cinched at the waist and hips then gradually widen from there to the floor giving more of an A-line silhouette. Depending on how much fabric is used, wide leg pants, also sometimes referred to as palazzo pants, can often be mistaken for a maxi skirt.
Bell Bottoms
Bell bottoms, on the other hand, are slim fitting through the waist, hips, and thighs, but dramatically widen at the knee. This cut creates a bell shape on the lower leg, from the knee down.
Flares
Technically, bell bottoms are flared, but the more contemporary flare jeans are more like a boot-cut pant with more of an elegant, rather than disco, flare.
Flare jeans can be both slim fitting or a little roomier and they flare at about mid-calf. Unlike bell bottoms, the ‘flare’ on flared jeans is more of a subtle, gradual widening than the dramatic flare of bell bottoms.
What Body Type Should Wear Flare Jeans?
Anyone with a pear or hourglass shapes body will look great in flared jeans.
However, there are some things you need to take into consideration if you want to wear flared jeans if you are either petite or have a short torso.
If you are petite, you may read that you shouldn’t wear flared jeans.
This is not true. You too can look good in flared jeans.
Because of your petite stature, flared jeans can sometimes overwhelm your frame. So if you are petite, you’ll want to look for a very subtle flare that doesn’t go too wide and look for a lower-riding style of jeans.
A lot of flared jeans are high-waisted. If you have a short torso (or you are petite), you don’t want to look like you’re all just boobs and legs! So if you want to wear flared jeans, you need to look for a lower riding pair that rests more on your hips, rather than at your waist or higher.
Final Thoughts
The more contemporary, stylish flared jeans are those that have a more subtle flare, rather than the flamboyant, super-wide ankle. Any footwear with a chunky sole, from boots to shoes or any type of sandal will pair well with flared jeans.
Just a head’s up – if you are planning to wear flared jeans with any type of shoe with a thinner sole, like sneakers, mules or any type of sandal, make sure the hem of your flares falls to your ankle or just slightly below.
Any longer than that and they’ll just end up dragging on the ground.
Good fashion is about practicality and comfort while looking good. You know what’s not fashionable or comfortable or practical? – dirty jeans or your flares having wicked up 2 cups of water from every puddle you just walked through because it rained and you’re now wet from the knees down.
When you are looking to wear flared jeans, either select the hem length based on the shoes you are planning to wear with them, or select the shoes according to the hem length of your pants.
