9 Refreshing Ways to Style Colored Jeans

Some women cringe when colored jeansare in fashion, while others rejoice. Often, the only difference between these two reactions is the fact that some women are not confident in how to style colorful pants. Styling a solid-colored top seems to be somehow easier than pulling off jeans in the same color, although the principles are really no different, just reversed.

Denim is easy to wear because its muted tone is created by blending indigo and white threads. While many people refer to colored jeans as "colored denim," they are in fact twill. (Twill refers to the weaving method; denim is a subtype of twill and refers specifically to the indigo-and-white variety.) Colored jeans get their rich color from being dyed after weaving, so all of the threads are saturated. This intense color, when worn in a pant, may seem off-putting, but a woman can learn how to shed her fear of colored jeans by focusing on one of these nine refreshing styling tactics.

Color on Color

A bold way to wear colored jeans is to pair them with solid-colored tops, but matching the top and jeans exactly is not only predictable but can be overkill. A couple of different ways to wear color with color are monochromatic and complementary color schemes.

1. Monochromatic

A monochromatic color scheme includes only one hue in different tints or shades, resulting from the amount of white or black mixed with the original hue. Some examples of monochromatic outfits include

• Lilac jeans and a purple top
• Emerald green jeans and a mint green top
• Red jeans and a pink top

The deeper shade may be worn on the top or the bottom, depending on which area of the body a woman wants to minimize. As a general rule, the darker color minimizes.

2. Complementary

A complementary color scheme involves two hues from opposite sides of the color wheel. Examples are

• Green and red
• Blue and orange
• Purple and yellow

The colors do not necessarily need to be of the same value (brightness), so royal blue jeans could be paired with a pale lemon top. Still, a complementary look will get attention, so this is best tried by very confident women. Also, keep in mind that pairings of green and red have a tendency to look like Christmas when the true hues are used, so it is best to go with something like pink and olive green in this case.

Color With Neutrals

If wearing color with color is a little too nerve-wracking, color with neutrals should cause far less fashion anxiety. Black, white, denim, and other neutrals are easy to put together with colored jeans.

3. Color With Black

One of the best no-brainer ways to wear colored jeans is to add black. Black and color is nice in cool weather, and this combination is very city chic. A black pullover or cardigan puts all of the focus on the jeans. Tall black boots can help break up the legs and minimize the color impact if one is feeling shy about trying colored jeans.

4. Color With White

Another failsafe colored jeans combo is to pair color with white. Just as black looks best in cool weather, white is perfect for warm weather and the beachy aesthetic. This may seem obvious and not a creative way to style colored denim, but adding colored accessories can make this look fresh. For example, a pair of yellow jeans with a white T-shirt sounds simple, but adding turquoise sandals and jewelry really makes the color pop. This is a cheerful, bright, and summery look.

5. Color With Denim

An easy trick is to turn an outfit upside down; where one might normally wear a colorful top and blue jeans, instead try topping colored jeans with a denim shirt. Like jeans, denim shirts come in different washes, ranging from light to dark. Also, not all denim shirts are man-style button-downs; very feminine blouses can be fashioned from denim as well.

6. Color With Other Neutrals

Black and white might be the easiest pairings with colored jeans, but other neutrals work just as well. The following table gives some examples of good neutrals to choose and which colors they pair with the best.

Neutral Color

Best Paired With These Colored Jeans

Gray	Pink, yellow, peach, plum, red
Brown	Olive green, pumpkin orange, pastel pink, peach, mint green, baby blue
Beige or tan	Pale pink, red, lavender, turquoise
Navy	Bright or pastel pink, banana yellow, kelly or lime green, red
Olive green	Ballet pink, yellow, melon, violet

Women may find other color combinations that work for them and feel comfortable; this table just gives a starting point for those who are unsure of where to begin. Of course, neutrals always work with other neutrals if one wants to achieve a more subtle effect with colored jeans. Gray and brown or navy and beige go together well.

Color With Prints and Patterns

Pairing colored jeans with a different-colored top is easy enough, but mixing in patterns is where things really get fun. Adding a printed blouse brings balance to a colored jeans look by providing enough visual interest to compete successfully with the pants.

7. Color With Pattern

• Black-and-white prints are terrific with primary and secondary hues: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
• Gray-and-white prints have a softer look and blend nicely with muted pastels: pale lemon, baby blue, lilac.
• Earthtone prints are perfect with solid earth tones: forest green, army green, gold, russet, chocolate brown.
• A multi-colored print that includes the jeans color is a fabulous way to make an outfit. For instance, violet jeans can be worn with a top in a floral print that includes shades of violet as well as pinks and greens.
• For the very daring, a colorful print that does not include the color of the jeans really makes an impact. Orange jeans might be worn with a top in a red-and-yellow print.

The right print is actually easier to wear than another solid color, since the colors in the print are broken up a bit and usually set against a neutral background.

Color With Texture and Shine

A stunning way to wear colored jeans is with an item that has a different or interesting quality in terms of texture or shine.

8. Color With Texture

Examples of exciting textures to wear with colored jeans are

• A hand-knit or crocheted sweater in a stitch that creates dimension
• A corduroy jacket
• A faux fur collar
• A smocked shirt

With textural interest, it is best to stick to a neutral or muted tone to avoid the outfit looking too busy.

9. Color With Shine

Shine can come in the form of

• Sequins or paillettes
• Metallic fabrics
• Polished woven fabrics, such as cotton, silk, or rayon
• Smooth leather
• Bold jewelry

As with textures, shiny clothing may be best worn in subdued shades, although for those who can pull off drama, experimenting with shine and color may work as well.

Where to Find Colored Jeans

The availability of colored denim varies with fashion trends but is available at most stores that sell classic indigo denim. Most trends start in design houses, are seen on the runways, and travel first to upscale boutiques. Once the trend picks up, it trickles down to popular clothing chains, department stores, and online retailers as well as discount stores.

White jeans are always available, so women who cannot find colored jeans for whatever reason (timing or availability) can have their jeans dyed or do it themselves at home. Fabric dye can be purchased in craft shops, drugstores, or online.

How to Buy Colored Jeans on eBay

Buying colored jeans on eBay is fast and fun because you can navigate to all the green jeans, for instance, with just a few quick clicks. Go to the eBay home page, hover over the link to the Fashion portal, and select Women ’ s Clothing. Next, pick Jeans, and click on Colored under the Wash category. Specific colors can be found by entering the word or words into the Search box at the top of the page.

Colored jeans can only make a positive fashion statement if they fit great, and eBay makes getting the right size easy as well. First, pick your size category (regular, juniors, plus, or petites), and then pick the size, which may be listed as a letter, a number, or a waist size (in inches). Preferred rises and inseams may also be selected.

Conclusion

Colored jeans are a pleasant, cheerful change from basic blues, but styling them can be tricky; after all, they do not carry the same "goes-with-anything" quality as the muted indigo shade of denim. Black and white make for safe, easy pairings, but there are more modern and refreshing ways to wear colored denim. Mixing bright colors with tops in solid colors or colorful patterns brings a new dimension to a colored jeans look. Wearing a neutral top that offers visual interest in terms of texture or sheen is another way to keep a look balanced and stylish. When learning to work with color, a mirror is a girl’s best friend. With a bit of practice and the styling ideas suggested here, colored jeans are just as easy to wear as blue jeans.