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White pants can feel like a big swing for the non-fashion guy anytime of year. That’s understandable. Unlike the sea of dark navies and or stark blacks, wearing a pair of white pants risks broadcasting to the world: I care about clothes! And if done past Labor Day, which even the least-cerebral clothes wearer knows is a former faux pas, it says you care about clothes—plain as day.
Thing is, that’s not a bad thing. Obviously, we’re biased around here. We care a lot about clothes. Maybe too much. But that’s to your benefit, especially if you got here by searching “How to style white trousers” or “ White pants for dudes.” Let us guide you through this treacherous style journey.
The key to wearing white pants is just like the key to everything else in style and in life. Start slow, don’t be too precious about it, and know that somebody (your dad, brother, or best friend) will notice. They’ll tease you once or twice—as they should—and forget all about this new style endeavor by the third time they see you in it. Remember: you own your clothes, your clothes don’t own you.
That said, white pants are a wardrobe multiplier—they’re guaranteed to match practically everything else in your closet. This is especially true in winter, when you’re wearing a lot of heavy, dark, earth-toned coats and jackets. Between that and a pair of dark boots, white pants act as a nice contrast.
Just know these two things: First, they will bring attention to your legs. That means you really need to dial in a cut that you like. The safest cut will be more relaxed in the seat and thighs, with a nice taper towards the ankle. Go for a traditional mid- to high-rise to extend the visual line of your legs and make yourself look taller. And what’s the second warning? You will spill something on your white pants. Like time and Tide sticks, these things wait for no man. Invest in some stain remover and know that, like a white t-shirt, their most pristine day will be the day you purchase them. Clothes are meant to be lived in; it’s okay, even cool, if they show it.
Start With an Off-White
White pants come in a spectrum that ranges from Hollywood-veneers-bright to a more muted, khaki-adjacent natural cotton colorway. One screams Miami Vice, the other signals the oft-cited menswear inspiration image of Paul Newman wearing chinos on a boat, sunglasses and a Heineken in hand. If you really want to channel 1970’s Miami sleaze, more power to you. For the rest of us, the lived-in feel of a gentle off-white is the move.
Chinos are your friend here, but those can take a too preppy turn very quickly. Not an issue if done intentionally, but I’d steer away from white pants and a navy blazer. It turns into old-timey Captain cosplay.
Patron saint of good pants, Todd Snyder has a “canvas” colored five-pocket chino that does it here. Billy Reid has an eggshell chino. Always reliable J.Crew has an affordable pair in stone. Look for flat front pants, pleats can add a bit too much old-school formality—not exactly the course of action. And, make sure you buy a straight fit. We’re channeling off-duty fits from Hollywood's golden era, not a club promoter in Ibiza.
Look to Denim
Denim has a muting effect and general ruggedness that offsets some of the high-maintenance feeling of the color. It also offers a good barometer for how to wear your white pants. I’ve got a pair of Imogene + Willie white jeans that I found for a $38 steal on eBay. They’re my designated Dad jeans. They’ve been crayoned, birria-tacoed, spit-up upon, and covered with other substances not polite to name in national magazines. It all comes out in the wash easy enough and, as a result, I wear them more than other, more precious pants I try to keep in my date night drawer. Denim can handle it, and so can you.
As for what brands make good white jeans, AYR makes my favorite pair of white denim with its brilliantly named Slacker jean. Alex Mill has an excellent roomy-thighed relaxed take. If spending close to $300 on a pair of white denim scares you off, A&F 90s jeans are an affordable denim powerhouse. Wrangler’s cowboy cuts have never steered me wrong. And Levi's modern 501s come in white. Just opt for the ones without stretch.
Look to Workwear
Painters' pants are to white workwear as French chore coats are to blues de travail workwear. The original blueprint. Even if you’re not Mr. Popper pre-penguin obsession, you can still wear painter’s pants. The double-kneed, work pant construction adds some grit to what can be a luxury-leaning colorway. I wouldn’t recommend a contrived Pollock impression on your new trousers, but the devil-may-care attitude that painters take to excess paint on their clothes is a good example to follow. Like denim, don’t be afraid of beating these up. Stan Ray makes the OG painters pants, but as a Michigan man I’m obligated to recommend Carhartt. The all-star budget pick is Dickies, whose virtues I’ve opined on before.
Take your footwear cues from the painter too and pair these with luggy work boots and Vans-style canvas plimsols. I’ve been splitting the difference with Seavees limited-run, made-in-Maine landing shoe.
Rugged silhouettes don’t stop at painter’s paints. Look to motorcycles and carpenters here too. Aether has a pair of white, D30 armor-enforced moto pants that I wish I had bought for a recent 4-day bike trip up California’s Highway One. Corridor NYC has a great carpenter's pant in white. Iron and Resin has a double knee that, while it doesn’t have armor, could both rip on a moto and has a hammer work for post-bike framing. Or, you know, office work too.
I’ll color outside the lines and include white fatigues in this category. They’re not workwear, but they are rugged. I’ve been wearing Every Other Thursday’s Duck Camo fatigues on repeat this month, and now I’m eyeing this white pair for summer. Buck Mason’s linen pair is perfect, full stop. Service Works has a Chef Pant with fatigues notes. Bronson MFG has a naval deck pants replica that’ll pair perfectly with four drinks and a deeply unbuttoned shirt.
In Closing: You Must Decide to be a White Pants Guy
At the end of the day, just decide to wear ’em. As a guy who grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, I had to do the same thing with cowboy boots. At some point, I just decided to commit. Well, to ropers, but still. The only person who knows it your first time wearing them is you. Eventually, practice makes perfect.
And remember, play it safe and wear gray boxer briefs. No one wants to see a pattern peeking through.