Boyfriend Jeans Made Dressy Casual + 5 Affordable Boyfriend Jean Options

Man, all of your responses to the Nordstrom Summer Giveaway (HERE) have me counting down the days until I get to take a vacation. Meanwhile, I’m in Madison, WI for a work trip! I kind of count it as a vacation, though. I’ve come here many summers for this same work trip and love it!

These outfit pics were taken before the heatwave we’ve been experiencing in San Diego. There’s no way I would have been outside with long pants and a long-sleeve top the last week! That said, if I do opt for jeans in the summer, like on more mild days, I find myself choosing boyfriend jeans more often than not. For one, they’re more relaxed, which is how I like to feel in the summer. But also, they allow your legs to breathe a little more, and sometimes a little bit of breathing room is all I need.

While my first inclination is to pair boyfriend jeans with tees and casual clothes, I really love pairing them with slightly dressier pieces. Today I did it with one of my beloved Nordstrom tunics (HERE) and wedges.

My jeans are from Old Navy a while back, but there’s a well-reviewed similar pair with no rips or distressing HERE. I recently also tried a lighter wash pair with distressing that I liked a lot HERE. For the light wash pair, I would strongly recommend sizing down 1-2 sizes. I’m normally 6/8 and those fit me in size 4. They’re currently on sale too!

Lastly, this buttery soft bucket bag that I use very often is currently marked down from $64.95 to $25.98 HERE! It comes in black too. If you’ve been contemplating it at all, now is the time!

Here are some boyfriend jeans under $41 from Old Navy and Nordstrom. I also tried Option #3 and liked them, feeling like they were similar to the ones I’m wearing in pics above but with less distressing. They come in the wash shown below and a lighter wash. However, the lighter wash was little looser than the darker wash, in a way I didn’t like.