What To Wear With Black Jeans

I love wearing black jeans year round and find them to be a wardrobe staple in my closet. They are so versatile and look great with a ton of different colors. You can create a ton of cute outfits with black denim since it is a blank canvas. The possibilities are endless! Keep things neutral or wear a bright color with black jeans which will really make the color pop. I have a few pairs of black jeans but my preferred style is something with a straight or wide leg fit. (Here’s some ideas of how to style wide leg jeans) Choose a style or fit that you love and then decide on the type of wash you prefer. A solid dark black or a subtle washed out black – either wash is easy to style and will look timeless for years to come. Here are a roundup of items to wear with black jeans and examples of outfit ideas from my past looks.

What To Wear With Black Jeans

Outfit Ideas With Black Jeans

Chunky Cardigan and Black Jeans

Cardigan (similar) | Turtleneck | Jeans | Boots (similar) | Bag | Sunglasses | Earrings (discount code: MAREE20)

I love styling black denim with a huge chunky cardigan. Creating a monochromatic base allows for the cardigan to stand out a bit more and really be a statement piece!

White Blazer and Black Jeans

Blazer (similar) | Vest (similar) | Jeans | Sandals | Bag (similar) | Sunglasses

If you have a business casual work environment, wear your black jeans with a structured white blazer for spring. I added a vest underneath, but you could opt for a button down blouse or simple crewneck cashmere tee. Deciding what shoes to wear will depend on your office rules, but a simple pair of strappy sandals is always a great balance to black denim but a simple ballet flat would work too. A slimmer style of jeans such as a subtle straight leg or even skinny jeans would look great with a structured blazer.

Oversized Sweater and Black Jeans

Sweater | Jeans (similar) | Bag | Shoes | Sunglasses

This is one of my all time favorite Amazon sweaters and I love how it looks styled with wide leg black jeans. Black leggings will always look good with an oversized sweater so replace your leggings with some black jeans to elevate the look.

Short Sleeve Sweater and Black Jeans

Sweater | Jeans | Boots (similar) | Bag

A short sleeve sweater is great for spring or summer and I love the subtle puff sleeve detail. Pairing a more feminine sweater like this with black jeans really balances out the look perfectly.

Cropped Cardigan and Black Jeans

Cardigan (similar) | Jeans (similar) | Shoes (similar) | Bag (similar) | Sunglasses

My preferred style of denim is a high waisted fit so I love wearing a higher waist pair of black jeans with a cropped cardigan. I don’t have to worry about tucking anything in and it meets my jeans at the perfect place. And as someone with a long torso and shorter legs, this styling tip helps elongate my frame and make my legs look a bit longer. 🙂

Long Duster Cardigan and Black Jeans

Cardigan (similar) | Turtleneck | Jeans | Shoes | Sunglasses | Bag

A duster cardigan is one of my favorite outerwear pieces for spring. It’s still a bit chilly but not enough to warrant a coat so a long duster cardigan is perfect. I like to keep the base outfit monochromatic which means styling my favorite black jeans with a black top to allow the duster to stand out.

Silky Button Down Blouse and Black Jeans

Blouse (similar) | Jeans | Shoes (similar) | Bag | Sunglasses

Another great look for a business casual environment! Swap out the sandals for some ballet flats or a kitten heel mule, but a silky drapey button down blouse styled with black jeans is classic and looks so put together. I wore this look a few years ago before I really embraced tons of accessories so I would probably add a belt to this look and a necklace to complete the outfit.

Classic Crewneck Sweater and Black Jeans

Sweater | Jeans | Shoes | Bag | Earrings (discount code: MAREE20) | Sunglasses

This is my favorite pair of black denim because of the classic fit and super dark wash. Pairing it with a neutral crewneck sweater is an easy outfit to always go back to. It’s appropriate for a ton of different occasions and easy to change up by adding different accessories.

What Color Goes With Black Jeans?

White

Black and white will forever be a classic combination.

Black

As someone who lived in NYC for 15 years, an all black outfit will always be a favorite.

Neutral Tones

Any and all shades of brown and cream are standard colors that perfectly pair with black jeans.

What Color Of Shoes To Wear With Black Jeans?

Black

This is always the easiest option though don’t be afraid to choose a black with some texture such as patent leather or suede. The addition of texture will really help to create more interest with the outfit.

Brown/Neutral Tones

Brown and black go together. Repeat after me – brown and black GO TOGETHER! LOL I am so sad that many people still think these two colors don’t work together but I am here to tell you that they do!! Regardless if the shade of brown is very dark brown, a medium tone or a light camel/tan color, it will all look perfect with black.

Clear

You may wonder why clear shoes often look so great and that is because they lengthen the leg and don’t cut off the foot in any weird way. Even if the straps are thin or thick, they are hardly noticeable on the foot so the outfit is the main focus.

Metallic

Metallics are a neutral so they will always look great with black jeans. The slightly shiny finish adds some great contrast to the flat finish of the black jeans.

How To Style Black Jeans

Go Monochromatic

As someone who lived in NYC for 15+ years, I will forever love an all black outfit. If you are worried that the look isn’t exciting enough, choose a top and accessories with some texture to them. A tweed cardigan, a leather jacket, patent leather shoes, a woven bag – even if all of these pieces are black, it will look well styled and put together because of the variety of textures.

Keep Things Neutral

If all black feels too severe for you but you aren’t ready to branch out to bright colors, style your favorite black jeans with neutrals. Neutrals aren’t boring! And don’t be afraid to wear black and brown together. The black jeans will anchor the look perfectly and then you can mix and match different neutral tones to create a look for any occasion.

Add a Pop of Color

I think most of us would reach for blue denim or white denim to pair with a colorful top or sweater but I love bright colors worn with black. The color really stands out and is the focal point of the look. Another fun way to add in color with black jeans is to choose a colorful shoe as your pop of color. A classic white blouse, black jeans and red flats is one of my favorite outfit combinations! Here are some other ideas of what shoes to wear with black jeans.

Wear a Belt

I wasn’t always a huge belt fan and honestly I think my outfits were missing something when I look back at them. Black jeans look more complete when styled with a belt. You can choose something fun like a studded belt or just go with a classic style with a gold or silver buckle. It will instantly elevate your look and really complete the entire outfit.

Style with Feminine Prints

Feminine prints such as florals can look stunning with black denim and create an outfit with wonderful contrast. The combination of something more soft like a floral paired with something more hard like black is timeless and can be a bit unexpected. If you are still hesitant to pair florals with black, choose a floral print with a black background or darker tones in the blouse to wear with black jeans which will make it less of a stark contrast.