What shoes to wear with turn-up jeans, according to the fashion set

We know that fashion is cyclical, and so spring’s favourite denim style isn’t one we haven’t seen before. Yet, we’re still collectively pondering what shoes to wear with turn-up jeans. Yep, since personally investing in a pair of bargain M&S fold-ups, I’ve spent hours scrolling Pinterest and Instagram for styling inspo.

My conclusion when it comes to shoes? That we’ve got options, whether that be preppy ballet flats, on-trend pony hair loafers or ankle boots to elevate them for evening.

A quick bit of backstory: our penchant for turn-up jeans actually started as a practical fix. In the 1950s, jeans were made with extra-long seams (tall girls, rejoice) and designed to be rolled. That was so they’d fit all bodies — proving once again that functional fashion always wins.

We then saw a second wave in the ’80s, another in the ’90s, and a couple more since 2020, the fashion set regularly reminding us that fold-up denim is a staple of off-duty dressing. And fold-over fever has spread to the runway too, with intense cuffs spotted in the Spring 2026 Ready-To-Wear collections of Khaite and Givenchy, to name but a few.

Khaite Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear

Courtesy of Khaite

Givenchy Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear

Courtesy of Givenchy

While both designers have shared some great ideas when it comes to dressing for the office or an evening out, you might still be left questioning how to style turn-up jeans for casual days. So, whether you’re working with straight-leg jeans or wide-leg trousers finished with a fold, here’s what one fashion writer suggests we wear beneath them this season.

What shoes to wear with turn-up jeans this spring:

Go preppy with ballet flats

Personally, I’m in favour of clashing relaxed-style denim with a streamlined ballet pump, the contrasting proportions preventing your look from becoming too ‘bottom-heavy’ or messy. It’s a staple of French-girl style, and it seems the preferred styling of Kendall Jenner, too.