Feb 04, 2020

How to Dress Up Men's Jeans

Most men like to wear jeans—a lot. They’re appropriate for a wide range of situations, from a trip to the convenience store to more formal get-togethers with friends. But how do you extend the use of your jeans by dressing them up, and what are the most common fashion rules you’ll need to follow? Here are a few tips on how to dress up men’s jeans so you can make the most of your denim.

Learn the Rules of Business Casual

A “business casual” outfit isn’t just throwing a blazer over a pair of jeans. If you want to look your best while wearing jeans, it doesn’t hurt to know what business casual is all about. Here are some of the basics:

Wear a shirt with a collar. For example, you can wear sweaters over a collared shirt such as a button-down oxford shirt, and you’ll still generally be considered presentable by business casual standards.
Wear relaxed but professional shoes. You don’t have to pair your jeans with pointed-toe oxfords, but you should avoid sneakers if you’re going out into a business environment.
Cinch your pants with a belt. A good belt—along with a tucked-in button-down shirt—is a good recipe for making jeans look their best, especially if you get the fit right.

Try Dress Denim

If you like the feel and performance of denim but need pants that could more accurately be described as “upscale,” we recommend Dress Denim from Berle. These are 100% cotton denim pants that include a relaxed fit and a self-sizer waistband that mimics the feel and comfort of a pair of jeans. These are pants that you can easily dress up with the rest of a suit.

Match Your Accessories Properly

When you wear jeans, you’ll generally call attention to two main accessories: your shoes and your belt. That said, you need to make sure that these two items are matching.

The easiest way to match them is to wear similar textures and colors. For example, if you’re wearing gray pants, a black belt and black shoes would both be appropriate. For navy pants, you can wear brown shoes and a brown belt.

This is just a rule of thumb. However, you can also experiment with other options, like lighter shoes that match a canvas belt. But for the purposes of dressing up your jeans, you’ll generally want to limit your accessories to the smarter, more business-like options in your wardrobe.

Dress Up Your Denim with Options from Berle

As you can see, knowing how to dress up men’s jeans is actually quite simple. If you get the fit right, know what to pair with your denim, and ace your accessories, you can wear your jeans in fresh ways that look fantastic. For more ways to spruce up your jeans, browse our Dress Denim options right here at Berle to give yourself an updated, smarter look.