At the risk of sounding like the failed musician turned guitar teacher who taught you to play Smoke On The Water when you were thirteen, you don’t become a rockstar without first brushing up on your rudiments.

The same is true in menswear, and one of the chords it’s always worth brushing up on is how to wear your favourite fit of jeans. It’s one of the basics, like knowing what shoes to wear with your suit, or the subtle nuances that differentiate an Oxford from a Derby shoe.

Don’t underestimate it. The best jeans in the world are the ones that fit you. So it pays to know the different cuts available, the body types they suit and what looks best with them. From wide-leg denim to your favourite skinny jeans, these are the dos and don’ts of wearing every fit that matters.

Skinny Fit Jeans

River Island

Surely the most polarising cut in the world of jeans, skinny fits may have disappeared from the runways, but all it takes is a stroll around town to see that this nut-hugging style is still abundantly popular outside of high fashion.

In the interest of balance, it’s important not to wear them with anything too loose, baggy or bulky. “Avoid wearing your chunky trainers with skinny jeans,” says stylist Sarah Gilfillan, founder of men’s personal shopping service SartoriaLab.

It’s also worth taking the shape of your legs into consideration before squeezing yourself into a pair. “Anyone with a chunky build should give skinny-fit jeans a wide berth,” says Gilfillan. “The shape will accentuate the width of your legs in a non-flattering way.”

In other words, unless you’re deliberately trying to show off your leg-day #gainz a la Jersey Shore (not recommended), this is probably something to avoid.

What To Wear With Skinny Jeans

Contrary to what menswear purists will tell you, if you’ve got the pins to pull them off, skinny jeans can still look good. The key is to complement them with similarly slim-fitting footwear and wear with an appropriate dose of rock ‘n’ roll attitude.