How to Dress Up Jeans
If you know me, you know I’m a big fan of jeans. I own a number of pairs of jeans in a variety of styles, and they’re my go-to for my business casual office environment. Jeans are a wardrobe staple that can be worn all year round and are a top pick for casual outfits because they’re easy to style.
Even though jeans are the favorite for casual everyday outfits, jeans can also be dressed up! Whether you need to dress up for work, a conference, or a party, and no matter the season, you can elevate your casual jeans outfits to make them dressier. Below, I rounded up 16 outfit ideas from my archives featuring different ways I’ve dressed up my jeans to inspire your own looks!
READ NEXT: How to Elevate a Basic Outfit
How to Dress Up Jeans
To make your jeans outfit feel more dressy instead of casual, there are a few style tips to keep in mind:
Wear a tailored top
One of the easiest swaps you can make is to skip the basic tee and wear a tailored top instead, such as a button-up shirt or slim cashmere sweater. Oversized tops are more likely to make the look feel more casual, so stick with tops that skim over your body and don’t overwhelm you.
Pick luxe fabrics
We all love a great cotton tee, but if you’re looking to dress UP your jeans, opt to pair your jeans with interesting textures and luxe fabrics, such as silk, cashmere, velvet, leather, alpaca, suede, etc. You can do this at any time of year, but you have more layering options in the cooler months.
Stick to a color palette
Feel free to play with color, but I recommend sticking to some kind of color palette (neutrals plus one statement color or some pieces in one color family and some in another color family). I also suggest not mixing warm and cool neutrals. Try on different combos at home before wearing them out.
Opt for fancier shoes
Sneakers are a go-to for me and maybe for you, too, but if you want to dress up your jeans, opt for a pair of fancier shoes. You’ll see some pairs repeated in the outfits below. Obvious choices include anything with a heel, but a pair of nice flats (maybe metallic?!), sandals, or boots would also work!
Be intentional with your accessories
You can instantly upgrade a “boring” sweater-and-jeans outfit by adding statement jewelry and pieces that feel special and personal to you. You could also play around with belts, bags, and even socks! There are so many fun sock options that could make a jeans outfit feel dressy.
Below, I shared where you can wear jeans and how to dress jeans up featuring 16 outfit ideas from my own archives. These dressy jeans outfits were worn over different seasons and are perfect for a variety of occasions! Use these outfits as inspiration for your own.
Where to Wear Jeans
This probably looks ridiculous typed out, but you can truly wear jeans just about anywhere. You probably wouldn’t want to wear them to the water park or the beach (or any other place you could get wet), but then I remembered that scene in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with THE jeans on the beach and think that you could pull off that look too if you wanted (and perhaps looked like Blake Lively)! 😆
There are a number of places you can wear jeans. Depending on the activity, you may want to dress up your jeans for the occasion. Below are some of the most popular places and events where you can wear jeans!
The office
An office party
An academic or work conference
The classroom
A restaurant
Date night
Night out dancing/bar hopping
Shopping
Sightseeing
Museums
Birthday party
Holiday party
Concert or comic show
Sporting event
Broadway play or musical
This list is obviously not inclusive of ALL the possible places you can wear jeans, but I think you get the idea. They’re a wardrobe workhorse!
How to Dress Jeans Up
Dressy Black Jeans Outfit with Faux Fur Coat and Velvet Ankle Boots
Stark black jeans are arguably the easiest to dress up because, well, black is one of the easiest colors to style! Play around with textures; pair your black jeans with a textured cashmere sweater and top it off with a faux fur coat. To add more texture, finish the look with black velvet ankle boots!
Dressy Black Jeans Outfit with Sweater Blazer and Cognac Brown Accessories
This is an easy dressed-up jeans outfit that you can wear to the office! Start with a patterned top like this striped tee and add brown elements for contrast. I LOVE pairing black and brown together. It’s such a rich color combination that is perfect for the fall and winter months!
Dressy Washed Black Jeans Outfit with Floral Blouse and Metallic Gold Flats
When I purchased this blue floral blouse, I initially thought I’d pair it with either white jeans or standard blue jeans. I wanted to challenge myself (ha), and these washed black jeans were the ticket! Wear floral tops with jeans you wouldn’t normally pair with them to instantly dress them up.
Dressy Dark Indigo Jeans Outfit with Cashmere Sweater and Metallic Gold Flats
Here’s another perfect dressy jeans outfit you can wear to work. Take your classic dark indigo jeans, add a simple cashmere sweater, and finish the look with metallic gold flats! These flats make a lot of appearances in these outfits; they’re the perfect touch to dress up any outfit.
Dressy Dark Wash Jeans Outfit with Cable Knit Sweater and Olive Green Ankle Boots
This is your classic cable knit sweater and dark wash jeans outfit. Just those two items form the perfect base to a dressed up look! I wore this particular outfit for a fall family photo session. Once you have the sweater and jeans, make it your own with a fun pair of shoes and accessories!
Dressy Dark Wash Jeans Outfit with Tan Wool Coat and Brown Tall Boots
Not yet convinced by the cable knit sweater + dark wash jeans base outfit? This is how I’ve dressed it up in the winter! The tailored wool coat, leather boots, and knit pom-pom beanie pull it all together. Mix and match various shades of brown (or another neutral) to keep it interesting.
Dressy Dark Wash Jeans Outfit with Faux Fur Coat and Velvet Ankle Boots
The faux fur coat makes another appearance! A statement coat instantly dresses up a jeans outfit in the winter. Make it the focal point by wearing a relatively simple base outfit (here I’m wearing a cashmere sweater with the dark wash jeans). My boots add a coordinating brown element!
Dressy Kick Crop Jeans Outfit with Tan Wool Coat and Chocolate Brown Boots
Like I said—a coat can make ALL the difference in your outfits! A wool coat like this one can be a staple in the cooler months, especially for work-related events like conferences. They also work great for dressing up a jeans outfit for a dinner party. My brown boots add to the ice cream color story.
Dressy Kick Crop Jeans Outfit with Leather Jacket and Lugsole Boots
This outfit may be the least dressy of the bunch, but only because it’s a little unconventional. You probably don’t think a leather jacket and lugsole boots can make a dressy outfit…but in Boise, someone would definitely ask me why I’m dressed up! Be intentional with the pieces that finish your outfits.
Dressy Kick Crop Jeans Outfit with Textured Cardigan and Suede Sandals
Kick crop jeans are one of my favorite styles of jeans, and even your jeans with slightly distressed hems can be dressed up a bit! (I’m personally not a fan of heavily distressed jeans.) Anchor the simple (but textured!) cardigan, jeans, and suede sandals in your outfit with a coordinating bag.
Dressy Kick Crop Jeans Outfit with Lace Top and Floppy Hat
This outfit has basically the same color palette as the previous look. When it’s right, it’s right, you know? You truly can’t go wrong by wearing a white top with blue jeans and cognac brown shoes! The lace details in the top take this outfit from casual to dressy. Bookend it with a matching hat and shoes!
Dressy Light Wash Jeans Outfit with Tropical Print Shirt and Metallic Gold Flats
Even as the denim wash gets lighter, you can still dress them up! Grab a fun patterned button-up shirt (instead of a basic tee) and a bold pair of flats (can’t go wrong with metallic) and you’re set for a day at the office. Swap items to make light wash jeans with distressed hems look less casual.
Dressy Olive Green Jeans Outfit with Peplum Top and Ankle Boots
Colorful jeans are SO fun and such a great way to mix it up if all the other jeans you own are variations of blue and black. These olive green jeans got so much wear back when they fit me! (Sad face.) I dressed them up for a concert by keeping it simple and bookending the look with black—naturally.
Dressy Pink Jeans Outfit with Navy Wool Coat and Cashmere Sweater
You can also try a colorful jean in a lighter wash, like these blush pink jeans! For an easy dressed-up outfit, keep the rest of the outfit neutral and top it off with a bold statement jacket. The navy contrasts the beige and pink combination nicely, and it’s an easy way to look dressy in the cold.
Dressy White Jeans Outfit with Grey Wool Coat and Navy Flats
Last but not least: Let’s dress up white jeans! Wear yours during the holiday season with a contrasting navy sweater and flats. I don’t wear a lot of jewelry, but a bold crystal statement necklace is the perfect finishing touch for a holiday party at work or with friends and family.
Dressy White Jeans Outfit with Pinstripe Shirt and Metallic Gold Sandals
Here’s one more dressy jeans outfit for the office—this time, with white jeans! A pin-striped button-up shirt makes this outfit an instant classic. Wear a nice pair of sandals or heels and you’re ready to shine! You could also add a blazer and/or jewelry for extra oomph.