How to Tuck Jeans Into Boots

Co-authored by Paul Julch, MA

Whether you’re rocking leather riding boots, insulated snow boots, or bright, shiny rain boots, they’re best shown off by tucking your jeans into them. However, this isn’t always the easiest – or most straightforward – task. If there isn’t much extra room for your jeans to slide into your boots or if your jeans bunch up as you move, don’t worry. With a few tucking tips, tricks, and handy little hacks, you can tuck any style of jean into your favorite pair of boots.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Doing the Sock Method

1
Cuff your jeans. If your jeans are long, you’ll need to cuff them. They shouldn’t extend beyond your ankle, and cuffing them will ensure they bunch up above your boot. This technique works particularly well for pants that are loose at the end, such as flare or boot cut styles.^{[1]
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2
Fold excess denim against your leg. Grab your jeans at the bottom, on the inner seam, and hold them the pant leg away from your leg. In other words, you will be stretching the denim out as wide as it will go. Then, carefully fold that denim vertically against your leg. Now, your jeans should be tight all the way to your ankle. Keep holding them in this fold.^{[2]
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3
Pull socks over your cuffed and folded jeans. Continue using one hand to hold your jeans folded against your leg. Use your other hand to pull a tall sock over your jeans. This sock should be tight, so that it holds your jeans the way they are, keeping them tight against your leg.^{[3]
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4
Put your boots on over your socks. Carefully pull, zip, or tie your boots on over your socks. The socks should hold your folded jeans in place, so that they don’t bunch up or slide around in your boots. Voila! No one will know how much denim is expertly tucked away within your footwear.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Mitten Clips

1
Purchase a pair of mitten clips. If you aren’t familiar with these, they are basically little straps that are used to hold mittens onto coat sleeves so that the wearer doesn’t drop and lose them. You can sometimes find mitten clips at places like Target and Walmart, but you might have an easier time finding them online. You can purchase packs for cheap on websites like Amazon, or find homemade ones on craft websites like Etsy.^{[5]
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2
Fasten each clip on each side of the hem of your jeans. The actual strap will be running under your foot. Adjust the clips to ensure they are comfortable and aren’t rubbing anything. If you are wearing jeans with a bit of flare or extra denim at the end, you can clip any extra denim into the clip to hold it securely.^{[6]
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- Make sure your clips aren’t rubbing against your ankle bones. That will get uncomfortable very quickly.
- The band should be close to the middle of your foot.
3
Slip on your boot. After your jeans are securely clipped and the band is looped under your foot à la stirrup pants, it’s time to put your boots on. These mitten clips will make this task much easier! You won’t have to worry about trying to maneuver your boots over your jeans without them bunching up, or awkwardly jamming your hand into your boots to smooth out your jeans.^{[7]
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- After you’ve put your boots on, make sure to walk around a bit at home before venturing out of the house. You’ll want to make sure the clips are comfortable and positioned correctly!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Winging It

1
Match your tucking style with your boot style. If you’re wearing smooth, crisp leather boots or sleek, over-the-knee boots, or a similar style, it’s important to keep your jeans sleek and fitted as well. This helps to create one long, smooth silhouette that will help to elongate your legs and give you a very polished look. However, if you’re wearing chunky combat boots, snow boots, slouchy boots, and so on, your jeans don’t have to be perfectly tucked.
- Sometimes, perfectly and pristinely tucked jeans aren’t what your boots call for. Jeans that are loosely bunched up around the tops of casual boots will make your outfit look relaxed and trendy.
2
Skip the strategic tucking. Try sliding your boots on without even touching your jeans, and see what happens. You might be surprised at how the jeans can bunch up in a way that makes your outfit look effortless and cozy. Before you go crazy trying to fold your jeans perfectly and strategically maneuver your boot onto your foot, see how it looks if you actually embrace the bunching that happens.
3
Know which jeans work with which boots.Nothing ruins an outfit quite like baggy, balloon knees over tight boots, so have an idea of which jeans work with which boots, and vice versa. The length of the pants makes a big difference in how they'll look when they're tucked in, so try on different jeans with different boots to see what you like.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Paul Julch, MA
Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
Expert Interview. 17 September 2020.}
- If you're wearing knee-high boots, it's typically best to wear skinny jeans that are really tight along the bottom half of your leg.^{[9]
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  Expert Source
  
  Paul Julch, MA
  Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
  Expert Interview. 17 September 2020.}
- If you're wearing ankle booties, cuff your jeans so they just graze the top of the boot, rather than trying to tuck them into the ankle boots.^{[10]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Paul Julch, MA
  Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
  Expert Interview. 17 September 2020.}

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do I keep my jeans from bunching up in my boots?

Paul Julch, MA
Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
Paul Julch is a Personal Wardrobe Stylist, Speaker, and the founder of Urbanite | Suburbanite, a wardrobe styling business in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 25 years in the fashion industry, Paul works with clients to make getting dressed easier, less time consuming, and more enjoyable. Paul has years of experience in retail visual merchandising - styling windows, displays, and floor sets for Banana Republic, Gap, and Express. He also has experience styling fashion photo shoots and corporate videos. Paul holds a BS Degree in Management from State University of New York at Binghamton, an MA in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University. He also studied Interior Design at the University of California, Berkeley.

Paul Julch, MA

Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

The easiest way is to wear skinny jeans that are very fitted below the knee. In addition, you have to find jeans that are the right length—otherwise, there will be extra fabric that will cause the jeans to pool up around your ankles or above the jeans.
Question

Can I do the same with high tops?

Community Answer

No. High tops are made of cloth or other less durable material and cant keep jeans in place well. You could try, but cuffing your jeans or letting them hang outside the shoes is a much better choice.
Question

What about cowboy boots?

Ramboozles

Community Answer

It is the same thing as with any boots, make sure to tuck them in or hold them out for your cowboy/girl style!