Not Croc—Fashion People in Their 30s and 60s Are Wearing This Elegant Shoe Trend With Jeans
It's nearly that time of year when wearing jeans starts to feel repetitive and thinking of new denim outfit ideas runs dry. Don't worry—there's a fresh way to style your favorite jeans, and it revolves around the shoes, specifically eel-leather flats. This exotic animal print features a smooth texture, a natural stripe pattern, and a high shine. The best part is that the pattern is timeless and ageless, so anyone can wear it at any time of the year. Celebrities like Courteney Cox and Harry Styles have adopted this look, pairing jeans with eel-leather flats.
Cox and Styles have an almost 30-year age gap and distinct fashion tastes, but despite their differences, they have proven that eel-leather loafers can make your "basic" jeans look and feel new and elegant in 2026. Take, for example, Cox, who was spotted in L.A. wearing frayed-hem jeans with a beige knit cardigan, a Gucci bag, and eel-leather loafers. Meanwhile, in Rome, Styles was seen in a beige car coat with straight-leg jeans, The Row's Soft eel-leather loafers, and a beanie.
On Demi Moore: Gucci Borsetto Bag ($2600)
While croc or snakeskin flats are chic and pair well with jeans, the eel-print flats feel noteworthy because not everyone has their hands on a pair—yet. That said, if you're inspired to add rich-looking eel-leather shoes to your rotation, keep scrolling. Ahead, we're sharing the best flats, along with fresh straight-leg jeans to pair with them.
Shop the Best Eel-Leather Flats and Jeans:
J.Crew
Western Straight Jeans
J.Crew's new jeans are worth taking a closer look at.
Tony Bianco
Gatsby Black Anguille
I heard these are very comfortable.
AGOLDE
Low-Rise Slim-Leg Jeans
Your friends will think you bought these from a vintage store.
Reformation
Zealand Flat Mule
Whether you're rushing to work or the market, throw these on with jeans and a sweater.
Gap
High Rise ’90s Slim Straight Jeans
YSL
Le Loafer Supple in Eel
Citizens of Humanity
Zurie Jeans
Who What Wear editors love these.
Loro Piana
Glossy Eel Leather Ballerina Flats
