What to Wear With Black Jeans to Master the Parisian Look

Working out what to wear with black jeans is always, for some reason, harder than one always imagines. Black clothes are our lifeblood and denim is our biggest obsession (well, when we're not shopping for shoes), so one would assume that when the two collide, we'd be knee-deep in the power-dressing territory. Not so. There's something so inherently rock 'n' roll about black jeans that on occasion—when your style is less Siouxsie Sioux and more Olivia Palermo—it can be tricky to walk the line between looking casual and looking pulled-together.

Fortunately for us, the black denim trend has seen a resurgence this year, which means some new outfit material has been produced in order for us to rethink the wardrobe classic and nudge it into fresher territory. French girls everywhere are partial to a pair of black jeans (you'll find Jeanne Damas and Geraldine Saglio in the lineup of ladies we're looking to for solid advice), but it's interesting to see that Danes, Russians and Brits all have their way of wearing them too. Go through the gallery below to see the most inspiring takes on wearing black jeans now. Once you've done that, keep going to shop some of our favourite denim styles to get the look.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Style Notes: A classic combo that shall live on forever more. Add a black blazer to black jeans, demi-tuck a white tee, and slouch your skinnies into a pair of boho ankle boots or simple sandals. This is the French-girl trick pour excellence.

Related: Denim Too Tight? Here's How to Stretch Your Jeans

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(Image credit: @alexisforeman)

Style Notes: Simplicity reigns in this chic ensemble. Alexis Foreman embraces an oversized silhouette with wide leg black jeans and a classic white tee. 

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Style Notes: French fashion editors like Geraldine Saglio (right) can often be found in this combination of a biker jacket, black jeans and mid-heel pumps. It echoes the biker sentiment of dark-wash denim but feels polished at the same time.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Style Notes: Jeanne Damas takes a classic route by wearing her high-waisted black jeans with a white Victoriana-style blouse. We also like her mix-and-match approach to accessories.

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(Image credit: @chrystelleeriksberger)

Style Notes: Try out black leather jeans with a soft cardigan for a textural update on a classic combination.

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(Image credit: @_jeanettemadsen_)

Style Notes: Add some bohemian appeal to your dark denim with a knitted cami à la Jeanette Madsen. We love how she keeps the look polished with a pair of polka-dot flats.

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(Image credit: @caitlinmiyako)

Style Notes: Raw-hem denim looks the part when paired with a logo-laden sporty jacket and retro sunnies. This is an effortless pairing that will carry you through lazy weekends.

Shop Black Jeans:

Hannah Almassi
Editor in Chief

Hannah Almassi is the editor in chief of Who What Wear UK. Hannah has been part of the the Who What Wear brand since 2015, when she was hired to launch a UK sister site and social channels, localise content strategy and build out the editorial team. She joined following a seven-year tenure at Grazia magazine, where she led front-of-book news, fashion features and shopping specials as fashion news and features editor. With experience in both print and digital across fashion and beauty, Hannah has over 15 years in the field as a journalist, editor, content strategist and brand consultant. Hannah has interviewed industry heavyweights such as designers including Marc Jacobs and Jonathan Anderson through to arbiters of taste including Katie Grand and Anna Dello Russo. A skilled moderator and lecturer specialising in the shift to digital media and e-commerce, Hannah’s opinion and work has been sought by the likes of CNBC, BBC, The Sunday Times Style, The Times and MatchesFashion.com, among many others.

Hannah currently resides in Eastbourne with her photographer husband, incredibly busy toddler and highly Instagrammable cat.