Shoes to Wear With Cropped Ankle Jeans

Colorful high heels and jeans street style fashion
The right shoes can elevate your outfit in jeans. Christian Vierig/Getty Images
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What Shoes to Wear With Shorter Jean Lengths

Jeans and shoes street style
Wear menwear-inspired loafers with frayed hem cropped jeans. Melodie Jeng/Getty Images

Cropped jeans are a major fashion trend for women — and a reliably stylish, all-season wardrobe essential. But they can also be somewhat challenging to accessorize. Choosing the right shoes is especially important when you're wearing shorter jean lengths. Go with the wrong shoe, and you can wind up looking more "mom" than modern. Not to worry, though — we've got you covered with our go-to guide to the shoes that go best with cropped jeans, from the wider straight leg cropped styles, to ankle-length skinny jeans.

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Colorful High Heel Shoes

Close-up of woman' feet in red high heel shoes
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

Show off your legs at their slimmest point, while elongating your entire leg line, by pairing shorter jeans with sexy high heel sandals. A pair in a colorful shade, such as the cherry red stilettos pictured here, are great for drawing attention, and give even the most basic outfit in jeans a dressed up look. We especially love the look of white jeans and bright heels for making a statement in the summertime.

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Colorful Gladiator Sandals

Colorful sandals and jeans street style
Wear colorful gladiator sandals with cropped length jeans. Christian Vierig/Getty Images

Gladiator sandals are a great style staple for summertime. These sandals can be short or high on the leg, feature lots of straps and come in both flat and high heeled designs. While black or nude gladiator sandals are an easy choice, we much prefer the way a multi-colored sandals adds instant trendiness to all your summer outfits.

Buy sandals in the highest heels you can wear comfortably, to elongate your legs when you're wearing a shorter jean, especially if you're petite or curvy. These sandals will also lift your butt and the colorful design will put a spring in your step.

Craving more color in your wardrobe? Try these colored jeans.

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Colorful Flats

Red shoes and cropped ankle jeans
Wear colorful flats with your cropped ankle jeans. Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

If you're not into wearing high heel shoes, a colorful flat is a great way that you can still make a statement with your footwear. Skip the traditional black ballet flats and opt for flat footwear in a bright, even neon color instead. Just look at how cute these can't-look-away red loafers look, when worn with cropped denim jeans.

These cheerful shoes can look cute with different jeans styles too, so have fun pairing them with distressed wide-leg cropped denim, or skinny dark wash ankle jeans (as pictured here).

Find more flat shoes that look amazing with skinny jeans.

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High Vamp Sandals

Street style photo with jeans and sandals
High vamp sandals are sexy with boyfriend jeans. Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images

Open-toe sandals with a high vamp (the part of the shoe that covers the top of the foot) are sexy for summertime, especially in edgy black. We like the look of these sandals with boyfriend jeans cuffed above the ankles, to show off your fashionable footwear. You can wear this city-chic combination everywhere from shopping with friends to date night out.

A note on grooming: High vamp sandals still expose the toes, so remember to keep your pedicure up to date. Try metallic toe polish underneath these shoes -- worn with slouchy weekend jeans or cropped skinny jeans, the look is just right for showing off your fashion cred this summer.

Check out these awesome jeans outfits to wear in summer.

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Shoes With Special Details

Close-up of woman's feet in high heel shoes with butterfly detail at heels
Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images

The shorter length of cropped jeans makes them perfect for showing off those shoes in your closet with special details, that could get lost under longer hems, such as these stunning butterfly heel sandals by Sophia Webster.

A cropped jean with a clean, sewn hem also looks neater and more dressed up than rolling up longer jeans (another option, in a pinch), when you want to make your shoes the star of your outfit.

Take a look at 31 more gorgeous sandal styles to wear now.

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Classic Loafers

Shiny black loafers and cropped jeans
Shiny black loafers look cute with cropped jeans. Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

You can add instant style to a pair of casual weekend jeans when you match cropped straight leg jeans with a chic, androgynous pair of menswear-inspired black loafers. Choose a matte black leather shoe, or a shiny patent leather version as pictured here, depending on your personal style vibe. Whether you're strolling art galleries on your day off, or dressing to meet with a client, you'll look just the right combination of relaxed and edgy.

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Ankle Boots

Street style photo jeans and ankle boots
White ankle boots are retro-cool with frayed hem jeans. Timur Emek/Getty Images

Want to look edgy and cool in cropped jeans this summer? Try pairing a frayed hem, ankle length jean with stylish ankle booties. Platform ankle boots -- so trendy again right now, especially in white -- are universally flattering and add a boots that makes legs look longer in shorter jeans lengths.

We love the way these short, white booties add instant, retro style to a hemmed-at-home skinny jean. You could also wear this boot to dress up casual boyfriend jeans.

Get more style inspiration for wearing ankle boots with jeans.

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Nude Kitten Heels

Street style photo jeans and shoes
Nude heels with special details dress up cropped jeans. Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images

Here's your go-to summer shoe for wearing to the office, especially when you're dressing in shorter pants lengths. A nude shoe with a kitten heel is a versatile style that will mix and match with all your summer outfits. For the longest legs when wearing ankle length jeans, choose a pump with a pointy toe shape or special detailing, such as jewels or a metal cap, on toes.

Pair this classic low-heeled shoe with your cropped jeans in any shade, from indigo denim to white jeans, pastel washes and even printed styles.

Check out these chic outfits in jeans that you can wear to work.

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Platform Heels

Floral platform high heels and cropped jeans
Give yourself a boost in platform heels when you wear a shorter jean. Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

When you're wearing a shorter jean, a high heel can do wonders to elongate legs, especially if you're on the curvier side. If you're not up for walking in stilettos, choose a fashionable platform heel shoe. You'll find platforms in every style from sexy to chunky, so choose a pair that suits your personal vibe.

Find out which jeans look best on your body type.

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Animal Print High Heels

Street style photo of jeans and high heels
Put a little roar in your look with animal print heels. Timur Emek/Getty Images

Dark wash cropped jeans are visually slimming, which is important when you're losing length in the legs. Black and leopard is also a classic fashion combination that always looks stylish. We love the playfully fierce look of animal print high heels worn with distressed black jeans.

Check out these chic outfit ideas with skinny black jeans.