The most worn item in our wardrobes? Easily, jeans. But thanks to the number of different denim cuts in our rotation (turn-up, flared, barrel, wide-leg and more), we never tire of our true blues. Along with our go-to black, grey and white denim, too!
While the past few seasons have largely kept the same styles on repeat in the trending spots, autumn sees the reintroduction of cigarette jeans. Immediately recognisable by their distinctive silhouette, the style features a flattering high-waist, ankle or shorter length and most crucially, a narrow leg that runs close-fitting and straight up-and-down with no tapering to give a cigarette-like look. Hence its moniker.
The return of cigarette jeans is music to the ears of those still mourning the death of the skinny, as it's only marginally roomier in the calf. But it's these precious few extra inches – most noticeable at the ankle – that prevent any feelings of claustrophobia.
Not convinced? Try styling your cigarette jeans tucked into knee-high boots to ease yourself into the denim trend. Otherwise, if you're ready to embrace the slimmer look, you can't go wrong with ballet flats, trainers and kitten heels, too. Below, find all the outfit inspiration you could possibly need to know what shoes to wear with cigarette jeans for no end of stylish, seasonal ‘fits.
With ballet flats
Thanks to their high-waist, cigarette jeans have an elongating effect, making them the perfect denim silhouette to wear with flat shoes. To complement the slim leg, we'd recommend styling yours with a pair of ballet flats to channel French girl chic.
With trainers
We hate to break it to you, but not all jeans work with trainers. Luckily, ankle-grazing cigarette jeans do! Avoid any cropped leg lengths in favour of hems that finish at the top of your sneakers, making the style options endless – from chunky dad designs to sleek suede iterations.
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With knee-high boots
The best thing about jeans with a slim leg silhouette? They were made for tucking into knee-high boots. Expect to see this look everywhere this season.
With loafers
Sticking to our cigarette jeans and flat shoes theory, loafers add a little more formality to an ensemble. Ideal if you're wearing this ‘fit to work. Socks, optional – but if your jeans are short enough to show them off, we say why the heck wouldn't you?!
With ankle boots
Those extra inches in the leg width compared to skinny jeans that we mentioned? It means cigarette jeans *can* be worn with ankle boots. Your best bet is to look for a sock boot style or similar that fits close to your calf and allows the denim to fall easily over the top.
With kitten heels
Sure, you don't need the height when it comes to cigarette jeans, but if you wanted to create the illusion of even longer (!!) legs, you can't go wrong with a kitten heel for a little added boost. Where you'll really see the benefit of kitten heels is if you pair your cigarette jeans with a long-line jacket, like above.
With mules
With such a close-fitting jean, it's nice to flash a little extra skin to break up the fabric. Opting for distressed denim with holes is one way to do this, but the easiest way is to pair your cigarette jeans with mules or similar open-back shoes.
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Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!
