How To Wear Grey Jeans: 17 Cool Outfits For 2024

OK, ‘grey jeans’ is a bit of a misnomer here, since it’s impossible for one word to accurately describe the entire color gradient of grey. So leaving pedantry to one side, let’s assume that we’re talking about every shade of grey, and we’ll also throw in some off-white tones too. This gives you a broad spectrum of denim to work with.

Traditional blue denim, or indigo-dyed, has always been a symbol of workwear and therefore considered strictly casual. With grey jeans, the perception is somewhat different however. They’re smarter, without being ‘smart’. They give your off-duty wardrobe an entirely different flex, allowing you to wear them with streetwear pieces just as easily as you can pair them with relaxed tailoring.

Below we’ll show you 17 exemplary looks that prove the versatility of this stylish alternative to ubiquitous blue jeans.

Distressed cropped grey jeans with a black T-shirt

Super simple to put together, these stonewashed light grey jeans feature distressed details at the knees for an edgy urban look, and are nicely complemented by the oversized black tee and black canvas high-tops.

It’s a great minimalist look for those averse to color. The cropped frayed finish of the jeans is a nice touch, too, offering a better glimpse of the kicks.

Tapered slim grey jeans with a white T-shirt

If in doubt, always go for a clean minimalist palette. It’s virtually impossible to get wrong.

This look perfectly pairs some slim tapered stonewashed grey jeans with that wardrobe workhorse, the crisp white tee. The black and white sneakers bring the outfit together nicely.

These jeans have quite a severe taper, which isn’t for everyone, but they do suit a contemporary streetwear aesthetic.

Slim grey jeans with a quarter-neck jumper and puffer

If you’re of a heavy build, then you should steer clear of slim jeans unless you want to look like you’ve been poured into them. But for those with a slight build, they are a perfect off-duty silhouette.

These light grey options work nicely with neutral-tone knits, while the black puffer jacket brings volume and contrast.

Grey tapered jeans with a black overshirt

Another monochrome masterclass, this look once again shows just how effective sticking to black, white and all the shades in between.

The grey stonewashed jeans have quite a smart appeal thanks to the gradual taper, and this aesthetic is beautifully complemented by the simplest of white tees and a casual overshirt for a modern workwear vibe.

Slim grey jeans with a navy cardigan

In a similar vein to the previous look, this fit sees slim grey jeans paired with the ol’ trusty white T-shirt and a navy slouchy cardigan, which brings a more relaxed feel to the overall silhouette.

It’s a nice look for fall or spring layering and is neatly finished off by a crisp pair of minimal white kicks.

Mid-grey straight-leg jeans with a grey hoodie

When we talk about the silhouette of the jeans driving the aesthetic, this is what we mean. A slouchy, straight-leg cut like this gives the look more of a casual streetwear appeal, which is duly complemented with a roomy tonal grey hoodie.

Slim jeans just wouldn’t work here, but these have an almost trackpant feel to them, which is perfect.

Slim tapered grey jeans with a tan shacket

In complete contrast to the previous look, this is why slim, tapered jeans are that much smarter than roomy straight-leg styles. They create a svelte silhouette that elongates the body, which is great for short jackets and blazers.

In this case, the tan shacket offers a nice color contrast, which is brought in line with the tan worker boots.

Light grey jeans with a quarter-zip and blouson

This is a great example of the versatility of straight-leg jeans, which have stepped up to the plate offering a more relaxed attitude to what could have been a really smart look.

The quarter-zip also reinforces the off-duty feel, while the blouson could easily be swapped out for a blazer if you wanted to dress it all up a notch.

The suede shoes add a nice touch of texture to an already tactile outfit.

Slim tapered grey jeans with a plaid overshirt

We love the grungy attitude in this fit, set off by the slim, tapered silhouette of the jeans that amplifies the ruggedness of the military boots.

The stonewashed tone adds to the grungy feel, while the iconic plaid overshirt is a great touch to bring in some color and pattern to the look.

Slim grey tapered jeans with an olive suede jacket

Keeping your color palette muted can be a great strategy for achieving a quietly luxurious look, as evidenced here.

The slim grey tapered jeans provide a relaxed but elevated base upon which the slick green suede jacket does all the heavy lifting. Meanwhile, the white tee creates a nice blank canvas to make the olive tone of the jacket pop that little bit more.

Slim grey tapered jeans with a grey suede jacket

In what is an almost identical look to the one above, this time the sophistication of the suede jacket has been complemented with some black leather loafers for a more refined finish.

The jeans are just that little bit more polished too, thanks to the slim fit, and as ever, the trusty white T-shirt creates maximum contrast.

Stonewashed grey jeans with a plaid overshirt and leather jacket

A grungy, rock ‘n’ roll vibe if ever there was one, this look has been put together with some thought, only for it to seem completely nonchalant.

Stonewashed grey jeans are a grungy motif so they’re a great catalyst for this type of look. The plaid shirt breaks up the monotone palette, while the leather jacket adds a slick dose of authenticity.

Stonewashed grey cropped jeans with a navy overshirt

This contemporary fit has been doing the rounds in recent seasons and looks set to hang around. It’s an elevated workwear vibe that borrows from pared-back Scandinavian menswear.

The grey jeans have a contemporary feel thanks to the wash and cut, while the minimalist overshirt provides a clean and modern silhouette, neatly emphasized by the white sneakers and T-shirt.

Mid-grey cropped jeans with a black overshirt

Whereas the previous look used the white tee to contrast the navy overshirt, this look opts for a monotone aesthetic, relying on cut and texture to break it up.

The jeans and patent boots immediately give the ensemble an edgy urban feel, while the black overshirt plays into the modern workwear concept.

Slim grey jeans with a trucker jacket

The great thing about light grey jeans is that they’re bright enough for you to contrast them with toned-down colors, rather than having to resort to brighter hues.

The taupe tone of the jacket is muted, but the jeans still give it the space to pop.

Tapered cropped grey jeans with a navy overshirt

This is a great contemporary outfit, making the best of a modern cut of jeans. Cropped and tapered to create a carrot shape, the addition of the military boots gives the look a hard urban edge, reinforced by the navy overshirt and dark grey tee.

What it lacks in color it makes up for in silhouette and tone.

Slim tapered stonewashed grey jeans with a tan leather cafe racer

Elevated casualwear doesn’t come much easier to put together than this. While the worn tan leather cafe racer is the statement factor in this ensemble, it only gets a podium finish thanks to the rugged grey jeans which act as a great neutral canvas.

The off-white Henley is a nice masculine touch, while the brown suede boots bring all the elements of the look together.

How to wear grey jeans: general considerations

Denim quality

The quality and weight of the cotton of your jeans will have quite a say in how you style them, but moreover, the better the denim, the longer they’ll last.

Finding high-quality selvage denim on a budget can be difficult, especially for Japanese denim, but increasingly more brands are sourcing cheaper selvage cloth from the likes of Canada and Turkey. Although it might not have the prestige of Japanese denim, it doesn’t fall too far short in terms of quality.

Heavyweight denim, 12oz and above, will typically come raw and require a good breaking in, but once you’ve done that, they should last you years. That said, finding non-blue styles can be quite an effort, so there’s no harm in settling for cheaper, lighter denim cloths, but just know that you’ll burn through them that much faster.

Tone and wash

Typically, the lighter the tone, the less dye they’ve had applied to them. From an environmental point of view, this is good news, as dying requires a great deal of water. White undyed denim is as environmentally friendly as jeans get, and the more sustainable brands such as Nudie often mix in recycled denim to create an array of different tones.

Yet whether you opt for really light washes, or shades of grey closer to black, the choice is a subjective one. Neither end of the spectrum is smarter than the other. Off-white styles can be styled up casually or with tailoring, just as grey styles can be worn with a blazer or distressed leather jacket. That’s the beauty of jeans.

Lightweight denim can have a more tailored feel to it and thus works well in darker grey tones, whereas light grey shades are often best applied to stonewashed denim in more rugged cloths.

Shape

The silhouette of the jeans will largely determine how you wear them. A pair of narrow tapered legs are significantly different to, say, a baggy pair of jeans so you need to consider your wardrobe’s aesthetic before splashing out.

Tapered styles are the smartest option and can be bookended with dress shoes such as Derbies and loafers, while straight-leg variants are looser in the leg and are better combined with sneakers and boots. The aforementioned baggy and wide-leg styles are more of a fashion statement and can be worn with most styles of footwear.

Cropped jeans are also really popular and can come in all of the aforementioned shapes. They offer a bit more of an edgy attitude, especially when embellished with distressed details, but they can still look smart if you dress them up.