When you style high-top sneakers or low-top sneakers with baggy jeans, the hem is crucial. Where it falls on the shoe (or above the shoe) heavily influences the final look. You have a few options when styling your hem: cuffing, stacking, tucking or draping. The right choice will depend on the denim weight, sneaker style and your personal taste.
Cuffing is a great option if you want to show off your kicks and create a breezier look. Fold up the bottom of your pants once or twice so they sit above your shoes. It works best with rigid denim. If you like this type of silhouette but don’t like the cuffed style, get baggy ankle jeans!
Stacking works best with heavy denim styles that hold their shape well. Simply bunch up the bottom of your jeans so they sit on top of your shoes. It’s ideal for high-top shoes, especially chubbier basketball shoes that create a sort of shelf for your jean hem. Go with this technique if you love that laidback, slightly messy street style.
Tucking is another excellent styling strategy if you want your shoes to be on full display. This involves gently tucking your jean hem behind your sneakers’ tongues. You can subtly fold the hem under if your jeans are too long. This option has a very ‘90s vibe to it and works well with all denim types.
Lastly, you can keep things loose and free with simple draping. Just let your jeans do their thing and fall over your shoes. You will have a chill skater look and too-cool-to-care energy. This is excellent for lightweight or stretchy denim that is hard to manipulate.
The length of your jeans and where the hem falls will dictate which technique makes the most sense. Ideally, your hem shouldn’t drag on the ground, but jeans that almost touch the ground have a funky street vibe. If showing off your shoes is a priority, find styles that stop closer to your ankle.