First, let’s define our terms. Bootcut jeans fit through the hips and flare out slightly from the knee to the hem. Flares are essentially an extravagant version of boot cuts. They can be worn straight through the thighs and hips and are flared from ankle to knee, and the openings for the legs are usually larger than 20 inches. They are available in ankle, crop, and full-length designs.
In this article, I’m lumping these two styles together since they’re pretty interchangeable in wearing with clothes.
Flares & Bootcuts: Shoe Pairings for Fall 2022
One more thing to note before we begin. The footwear and jeans in this post were available when I tried them on, but Nordstrom put a few for sale, which means that sizes might be sold out. There are many similar styles on the market, however. You can compare the leg opening, rise, and inseam measurements to make sure that you’re getting the same size, even if you’re purchasing the same pair but with a different size.
Full-Length Bootcut Jeans + Boots: A Sure Thing
Because bootcut jeans are designed for wear over boots, I began with a certain thing full-length bootcut jeans as well as boots that are western-inspired.
The cut-off jeans come with a 32” length with a 19 1/8″ opening for the leg. If you’re confused about the denim measurements, you can break them into my article, How to Shop for Jeans on the Internet Measurements for Denim and fabric composition.
The boots come with a 3 1/2-inch heel and an incredibly narrow snip toe. A more sleek toe looks better with flares as it visually extends the line in the leg. This is why the shape of a boot in a lower-height heel will work similarly. Simply cut or hem your jeans to the length you want in line with the heel height you commonly wear.
In terms of proper length, it was once that flares were required to be within an inch or so of the floor. But nowadays, with crop and ankle flares becoming popular and a wide range of styles, it doesn’t matter if they’re higher. I prefer them when they’re about one inch from the floor. I think it’s more contemporary.
What about boots with either a square or round toe?
The boots have a slim style with a square toe and 2 1/2” heels. They are a good match with jeans, however, in my ideal world, the jeans could be a bit longer.
The Mom Raw Hem Flare Jeans come with an inseam of 32 inches with a 21” leg opening, which makes them more than flare. The AG Farrah has a 19 inch leg opening, which makes them more like an a bootcut.
The jeans are meant to be the same size as those in the AG Farrah Boot, but I think they’re just a bit shorter. I think this length is more with these boots. It’s amazing the difference half an inch can make.
Next, I tested my mother’s raw hem flares and Aquatalia Brigitte. I chose the Aquatalia Brigitte, which is a round-toe bootie that has 2 inches of heel. I like this style; however, I prefer the jeans with an elongated toe.
The dark wash is more formal to me and goes better with a more formal boot. The booties that have the round-toe look are more casual, and I’m thinking of wearing them with lighter-wash jeans.
You won’t be disappointed with stylish pointed-toe boots and flares. This Marc Fisher Urmi Pointed Toe Bootie comes with three inches of the heel that is a perfect match when paired with its 32” inseam of the jeans for an elegant appearance.
Okay, we’ll move forward. I’m sure we’ve all heard that flares and boot cuts are great when paired with heels.
Full-Length Flares + Clogs: Another Slam Dunk
Full-length flares are great with clogs since the platform provides the extra height needed to counterbalance the width of flares. The lower heel isn’t nearly as severe, and they’re more comfortable to walk in.
The Kork-Ease Darby clogs come with four inches of heel, with a platform of 1′, which means that the drop of the heel is only 3 inches. The pair is identical, however, also a lower-height Clog could look great too. The platform offers extra height without the large heel drop.
Another look is here with another set of boots. They’re The classic bootcut jeans from Good American Good with an inseam of 33” and a 19-inch leg opening.
Full-Length Flares + Sneakers: Not My Fave
Additionally, I was tempted to wear Herm Flares from Mother Raw sneakers, but I was concerned that they would be too long. And I can’t say that I’m a huge fan.
If I had to cut these jeans to ensure they’re still extending over the upper of the shoe but do not drag across the flooring, I don’t think I’d enjoy the look. However, perhaps my eyes will change when longer-length jeans continue to gain popularity.
My concern could be something to do with the more formal dark wash rather than the length and look of denim. If you don’t play around with other washes, it’s impossible to be certain.
Full-Length Flares + Heels: Vavavoom
If you’re looking to dress up, flares with full length are great when paired with heels and sexy heels. This pair of Michael Kors Slingbacks feature a heel of 4 inches which, I’m sure, may sound high, but they’re actually scrollable. I love the look.
This one is also. This is my early autumn evening outfit right here.
If you don’t want to wear heels that are 4 inches, then pumps with a lower heel or slingback could work; however a pointed toe is the best option. The Zala Pumps by Marc Fisher with a 2 1/2 block heel are among my favorite styles, and the pointed toe is perfect for flares this autumn and winter. It’s possible that I need to reduce the length of the pair I wear.
I didn’t put the jeans with my flats as they’re too big to grasp the concept. I think they’d look great with flats with a pointy-toe flat or the Mary Jane and ballet flat combo, which is sure to be in style this season.
I might cut flares or bootcut jeans that I can wear full-length and shoes, but for now, I’m likely to go for a crop or ankle flares. Let’s look at the length of an ankle as well as crop style.
Ankle & Crop Flares + Clogs: A Match Made In Heaven
They’re they are Paige Claudine Raw Shem Flare Jeans which come with an inseam of 28” that is ankle length for me and an 17.5 inches opening in the leg. This is how they look when worn with the same clogs that I wore in the previous post.
I like this look since the jeans are just over what is the bottom of the clog, and showing just that little hint of the ankle can slim and lengthen the legs. It’s a bit odd since the jeans are a bit shorter, but I really like this style equally because the flares are full-length of these clogs.
Here’s a comparison side-by-side to give you a comparison. You can see how I did front tucks with the shorter pants in order so that I could keep my overall proportions in line. And I don’t know what the reason is that my wall appears in completely different colors in each photo.
Clogs are also a great pair with crop flares and bootcut jeans. The pair are called they are the Citizens of Humanity Isola Cropped Bootcut Jeans. They have an inseam of 27” and a 16 1/2 inch leg opening. As of now, Clogs are the most flexible shoe to wear with any length of flares and bootcut jeans.
Another outfit that has a bit shorter pair of jeans. The mother the insider crop Step-Frag bootcut jeans are a more true crop, sporting an inseam of 26” and 15 1/2 inch leg openings.
This image was taken in the year 2000, and the UGG Judi Clogs has been discontinued. However, this picture shows how this pair functions.
I’m always asked regarding wearing socks and clogs in the winter months when it’s cold. It’s certainly possible however, I’m more likely to go for boots when it’s cold.
Also, If you’re looking for foot protection with your clogs, I suggest this pair of sheet clog Socks! They are incredibly comfortable and keep your feet in place and also help protect your pedicure and also give your feet a little cushion and ease. They also create these thin half socks made of nylon.
Crop Flares + Platform Sandals: Yes, Please
Ankle flares and crop flares are great with platform sandals because they have the same reason. That’s why they look nice with clogs. Here, I’m wearing the Paige Claudine Raw Hem Flares and my Seychelles wooden heels.
This combination is great; however, I would prefer the sandals with a slightly smaller flare, as I prefer to have some room between the straps of sandals and jeans.
Keep in mind that the Citizens of Humanity Isola-cropped Bootcut Jeans come with an inseam of 27” and a 16 1/2 inch leg opening. The extra inch is what makes everything.
It’s true that we’re discussing shorter lengths, but platform sandals look fantastic with flares that are full-length.
Crop Flares + Boots: Depends On The Shaft
In the case of crop flares and ankles, booties for ankles are an excellent option, but be sure to be aware of the height of the shaft. If it’s not high enough, your jeans could get caught on the shaft’s back and appear shabby.
In the photos below I have styled in the photos below, I styled Samantha Edelman Agnes Western Boot with the three flares. These are comfortable because they have five-quarter-inch shafts. Even if I sit and move around, my crop flares don’t hang over the upper part of my boot.
Here’s a bootie example I would not wear with cropped flares. They’re those of the Marc Fisher Annabel from the past year. They come with an 8” shaft. They look nice from the front but not so great in the rear.
This might not be a problem for many people, but it’s a no-no for me. These boots do, however, look stunning with the full-length flares.
Ankle Length Flares + Loafer Mules: Not So Much
This is where things get tricky for crop flares and ankles. The inseam of 28 inches that is on the Paige Claudine creates the ankle length look longer on me they could be cropped more for taller ladies as well as I love the way they look with platforms and clogs, which are featured above.
They look nice with block-heeled strappy sandals as well as boots, however, they all have some higher heels.
This is how they look when paired wearing a pair of low-cut loafer shoes. I thought that this was a good idea when I photographed the outfit, but after I received the photos back from Alison, I realized that I didn’t like this outfit. It’s not horrible, however, I certainly appear smaller and less squat in the image wearing the flat shoes.
I’m referring to the fact that I appear thinner in the photo to the right. It could be that something is different in the camera’s angle; however, the way that the jeans are positioned directly on the edge of the shoes and with no skin visible is a complete blunder style.
Crop Flares + Loafer Mules: Much Better
Crop flares are a better choice. Check out how much better loafer mules look when paired with the boot cut to fit. Giving the eye a chance for it to relax the skin on an ankle and not having as much contrast between the hue of the pants and the shoes can make such an enormous difference.
Here’s another view of the similar denim and shoe combination. I prefer heels with a leaner, longer silhouette; however, these shoes are perfect well for casual wear.
The jeans look great with pointed-toe flats that have a lower vamp. The vamp refers to the portion which is a covering for the upper part of the feet. Shoes with low vamps end near the bottom of your feet near the toes. High vamp shoes go higher up your feet and may even reach your ankles.
I’ve just bought the Sam Edelman pointed-toe flats with flares and bootcut jeans in my mind. I think they’ll look great with full-length flares as well. I’m just trying to choose which pair to cut or locate the one that has 29 or 30” inseams off the rack.
I’m not sure I like the design of these shoes and sweater vests however, I wanted to showcase the denim and shoe combination. I’d suggest an oversized blouse or a more feminine-styled top to pair with these sneakers.
What About Crop & Ankle Flares With Sneakers?
I’ve had tons of questions regarding pairing the flares and sneakers. have a look. the time to look.
Then I tried my hand at Paige Claudine Ankle Flares with my Vejas. You know what? I’m not mad at this, though I do feel that the jeans sit in an awkward place within the shoes. If they were just an inch or two longer I would think they’d appear better.
However, as of now I do not own any flares or bootcut jeans that have an inseam that is between 28″‘ between 32” and 28’ so I’m unable to describe how full-length flares look with these shoes, however you could probably imagine the way an additional inch would look.
Of course, there is a stark contrast between the white jeans and the black shoes that visually cut off the lower leg near the bottom of jeans. If the shoes were dark grey or black -or any other dark hue in fact, my legs would appear more slender.
If the jeans were a bit lighter the legs could appear longer. See what you get when I exchanged my ankle flares in black to a pair of Blue crop flares.
To remind you, the Citizens of Humanity Isola Cropped Boot is Inseam of 26 1/2”, with 16.25” opening in the leg as well as The Paige Claudine is an inseam of 28” with an 17.5 inch opening in the leg.
What I did was alter the color and width of the pants and now the look is more appealing to the eyes.
It could be because there’s not as much contrast between the white and black shoes and also, I’m sure that a tiny bit of ankle provides the eyes with an area to rest. Particularly since I’m wearing a short-sleeved shirt with a little skin on the ankle balances it and opens the overall look.
Finally, I slipped my on Citizens Isola Cropped Boot with my rag and bone Retro Sneakers. Because they’re bigger then the Vejas I wasn’t certain what these sneakers would do however they’re perfect.
I prefer seeing more of the skin around my ankle, which is why I changed to my Mother Insiders. They have an inseam of 26 inches instead of 27 inches which makes huge difference.
Conclusion
When I reach at the conclusion of a blog post like this, I’m constantly thinking that I would have considered more alternatives, particularly those that do not work. As if this article wasn’t enough long enough it seems that I suppose there’s many more outfits to choose from.
Because the longer your legs, the smaller your appear, high-heels and platforms work well with flares. However, I believe a case could be made to wear sneakers or flats, when the overall look is well-balanced.
At the moment, I’m planning to save my full length flares only for high heels and wear ankle length and crop styles with other pieces. However, you are able to wear flares on the floor with flats if you wish to.
I’m hoping to write an article similar to this using straight leg jeans later in the week, so keep an eye out for updates.
