stuart Weitzman alina over the knee boot, l’agence jeans, nic+zoe tipped cardigan. photo: thanks to my kind hubbie!

There’s good news and bad news if you’re shopping for jeans this season. The good news is there are so many options – from dad to granddad, slim to wide, cropped to floor-dragging – you’re sure to find something that suits your taste and tush. Yay! The bad news is that new styles require new styling. Ugh! Shoes are an important first step, since, unlike skinnies, 90s-style baggies or full-length straights aren’t automatically flattering. To avoid the dreaded, “what in the world do I wear with these?” crisis that tends to strike when we’re already late, let’s take a moment to plan. Here are five au courant cuts and their best footwear friends.

agl platform sneakers, claudie pierlot tie waist blazer, halogen hidden button long sleeve blouse

1, Wide-leg jeans + thick soled shoes

Wide leg jeans need a substantial shoe that can stand up to their sizable girth. A platform or wedge sneaker works wonders. Both sneak a little bit of extra height under all that volume – allowing us to give the illusion of Gisele-like gams (even when, as in my case, that’s clearly a lie!). If you like wedge sneakers, check out Linea Paolo. Its absurdly large range is comfy, leather-lined and well-priced for the materials.

lafayette 148 new york mercer flare jeans, veronica beard jacket, ted baker london persisa flourish tee

2. Flared jeans + western boots

Flared jeans, with their cinching through the bum and legs and exhaling at the ankle find nice balance in a narrow-toe western boot. You may have these from last year since they’ve been around for a bit - and no wonder! This classic style gives a hint of height while remaining comfy. It looks right in any season. And it is both boss lady and laid back. Perfect, whether you’re getting the groceries or blazing a trail through the office.

mother jeans, central park west finley jacket, wirth shoes

3. Straight crops + no-strap flats

Straight crop jeans come with some do’s and don’ts. They already visually cut of your legs, so unless you’re the aforementioned Amazonian, it’s best not cut your legs off further with more straps. Instead, you can use the wide opening to create a nice, slimming contrast with a bare ankle. Low-top sneakers or loafers let the slimmest part of your leg do its job. They also provide the required heft to stand up to this non-skinny style.

free people eberly lace up boot, khaite wendell cropped wide leg jeans, goldie ribbed puff shoulder tee

4. Wide-leg crops + lace-up boots

Wide-leg crops are a great way to show of your new combat or lace-up boots if you’ve plumped for one of those trends. Not only does the short length show of the full design of your shoe, but you avoid the cankle-like effect of wide jeans segueing into wide, slouchy boots. Perish the thought of anything that makes our legs look wider or shorter!

l’agence jeans, louise et cie claire ankle strap flat, halogen ribbed sweater

5. Full-length slim + Mary Jane flats

Full-length slim jeans will take many of the same shoes as your skinnies – including delicate styles that would be overwhelmed by a more voluminous cut of denim. Got Mary Janes? This is your chance to wear them! Once the weather isn’t thin-soled shoe friendly, you can swap in most of the options mentioned above – or tuck them into tall boots. Which brings us back to the skinny. Even though endless editors have pronounced our dear old friends dead, they’re still very much with us. Pairing skinnies with over-the-knee boots as seen on the Celine fall 2019 runway is one way to look current and keep this oh-so-easy style in rotation. Phew!

Got a denim conundrum? Or found a solution you love? Please share with a comment!