Like you, I don't totally buy into the "jeans are neutral" thing. I work around the color of jeans by coordinating it to a printed top. Because I wear so much black/grey on a daily basis (it makes up 90% of my wardrobe) I find that I have very few opportunities to wear my variety of boho printed blouses. I love prints and I indulge myself with them but ONLY if they include some blue. This way, I feel I can wear them with jeans and feel pulled together (blue with blue print). These are usually peasant-style Lucky tops in aztec prints or paisleys, etc. I semi-tuck and add siver jewelry and Toms and call myself dressed.

If it's cold weather, (like now) or I just need to look a smidge more pulled together, I pair jeans with a black oversized cardigan or a olive utility jacket with a black tee or turtleneck underneath, and black booties and bag. Boring but adequate balance of casual and "nice" for me. I'm a size 14/16 and I don't like to look too casual as it tends to read sloppy rather quickly on me.