I'm a Gen Z Fashion Editor, and Everyone I Follow on Instagram Is Suddenly Wearing This Niche Jeans-and-Flats Formula
Want to switch up your regular jeans and flats combo? Try out the Gen Z trend that’s all over my socials this autumn.


Jeans and flats in autumn is about as groundbreaking as florals in spring. Yet a quick scroll through the IG accounts of some of my favourite Gen Z content creators alerted me to a niche jeans-and-ballet-flats combination I hadn’t noticed before today: grey jeans and ballet flats.
Now, I, a self-proclaimed jeans connoisseur, do have a pair of grey jeans, and I’ve always found them to be the perfect styling sounding board. Their all-but-neutral colouring offers the same chic elevation as traditional blue and black colourways, yet feels far fresher and a touch cooler. In knowing this, I’m questioning why I never thought to pair them with one of my favourite shoe styles, ballet flats, before.
When it comes to grey jeans and ballet flats, the key really lies in the colouring and silhouette of the denim. After a refined polish? Opt for loose fit, darker-wash jeans and simple black ballet flats. Or, if you’re looking to add something different to a day-to-day look, grey jeans and studded ballet flats look so good with a beige waistcoat.
Don't take my word for it, though; the data speaks for itself. With searches for “grey jeans” up +90% and “ballet flats” up +150% on Google, they’re two of the most in-demand buys right now. So, to make your life a little easier, and to keep you ahead of the trends, I’ve rounded up the best grey jeans and ballet flats below.
From trending H&M jeans to the viral COS ballet flats, you’re sure to find a combo that works for you. Scroll to see my edit.
Shop the Grey-Jeans-and-Ballet-Flats Trend:

Imani-Nia Francis-Tsolaki is Junior Fashion Editor at Who What Wear UK, where she expertly navigates Gen-Z-aligned editorial content and brand try-ons to unearth the most worthwhile pieces, while valiantly resisting the urge to add every single one to her basket.
At Who What Wear, Imani is committed to uncovering cool new brands to share with the WWW UK readership, and finding gems that make shopping accessible (and fun) for everyone.
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