Maybe it’s just the sheer whiteness of them, the look-at-me factor? Or maybe you’re still traumatised by the spag bol you introduced to them the last time you wore a pair? Whatever the reason, some guys just do not get on with white pants. We understand. There’s a certain level of confidence required to pull them off.

On the surface, you’d say that white pants weren’t for wallflowers, but we’d argue that they deserve a place in everyone’s summer arsenal, whether you’re a sartorial fan or more of a laid-back casual dresser.

As you’ll discover below, white pants needn’t be pigeonholed into some ageing Euro-riche playboy look – they are inherently more versatile and contemporary than that, provided you follow these general rules and styling tips…

How to wear white pants: general advice

The Cut Decides The Formality

If you don’t want to look like a 1960s playboy on the razz in St. Tropez, then you’ll want to avoid drain-pipe slim white trousers and opt instead for a more contemporary wider-leg in a soft cotton or linen fabric that has a bit more movement to it. This kind of shape will take all the formality out of them, allowing you to pair them with casual footwear such as black leather sandals.

Cropped, slightly tapered styles look smarter and are great to wear with Belgian loafers or preppy boat shoes. If your wardrobe is of the tailored persuasion, then you’ll want a similar shape, but perhaps with a pleat or two and in a heavier, more elevated cotton or even wool blend.

White Doesn’t Have To Mean White

There are nuances to white. Your white pants don’t have to be of such a brilliant hue that you blind onlookers at every step.

If in doubt, tone down the colour slightly—use cream tones and off-whites, or use fabrics with texture, such as linen, which will diffuse the brightness.

Contrast is Your Friend

One of the great things about wearing white pants is the contrast they bring to your outfit. You don’t even have to choose dark colours either. Of course, navy and white is always a great colour combination, but you’ll also get a lot of pop by pairing your white trousers with bolder pieces, such as an orange polo or a pistachio-green linen shirt.

On the other hand, white trousers allow you to play with neutral tonality, restricting your look to greys, beige, light tans, pastels and creams for a sophisticated, old-money aesthetic.

Men’s white pants outfit inspiration

Vacation Ready White Pants

Perfect vacation material, these white straight-leg pants have a looser silhouette and a slight crop, giving them a relaxed, casual look. The patterned Cuban collar shirt further emphasises the laid-back vibe.

The sneakers are a good option for a summer city break, but you could just as easily swap them out for leather sandals or espadrilles for a beach escape.

White Pants and a Contrast Tee

More often than not, keeping your looks simple is the best course of action, which is exactly what this outfit achieves. It uses the bold contrast between the white and the blue to create a clean separation at the waist for a crisp duotone look.

The one thing we’d add is some textural accessories, such as a bag or belt, to inject an extra accent of colour or tactility.

White Pants and Terry Cloth

If in doubt, white trousers will always pair seamlessly with navy. The timeless nautical combination looks chic no matter how you shake it.

In this case, it’s with a navy vest and a terry-cloth short-sleeved shirt, neatly bound together by the navy espadrilles. Simple yet very effective, this look also bristles with interesting textures—always a good thing.

White Pants and a Statement Shirt

Another top-drawer summer outfit that would double as a brilliant evening look on vacation. We love the silhouette of the trousers, which are slightly wider than a regular straight-leg cut, while the shirt’s contrast and colour bring the look energy and confidence.

What gives it a smart factor is the addition of tan leather sandals, which, although subtle, really help elevate the fit.

White Pants with a Tan Blouson

If you ever want to spice up your chino rotation, a pair of white ones is a good place to start. This slim style has a nice preppy feel, complemented by the navy slip-ons and the pale blue shirt.

To add an extra element of texture to the look, the tan suede blouson nicely rounds out the fit.

White and Black

Monochrome looks can be especially effective when the white element is your pants.

You needn’t go wild with colour to make a statement – simple black and white will always look strong – but we love that this look has introduced a bold colour accent via the hat to give it an extra dimension.

White Pants and Navy Layers

The key to this outfit is the layering. The sliver of white tee peeping out below the navy crew neck and textured jacket is an excellent touch that ties the top and bottom halves together.

This look would lose all impact if worn with dark trousers—instead, the white tapered pants create a bright canvas which lets the subtle navy hues shine.

White pants and textured knitwear

Neutral-tone outfits always scream elegance, and this one’s no different. The trousers’ cut is relaxed, with a straight-leg finish, but the addition of the texture-rich cream cable-knit crew neck and the dusty suede chukka boots really rounds off this look.

It looks both effortless and super chic.

White pants and a striped shirt

Riffing on the preppy 2.0 trend, this look has an instantly modern silhouette thanks to the wide-leg white pants, which underscore the fit’s casual nature.

The grey Birkenstocks and blue striped shirt are so laid back as to be almost horizontal, giving off relaxed East Village vibes that are ideal for summer days in the city.

White Pants and Sportswear

Where preppy meets sportswear, this look pairs the slightly smart, slim-cut pant silhouette with the icon of athletic attire, the hoodie.

Super simple to style, the combination provides a clean, crisp contrast that’s easy on the eye and works perfectly with virtually any sneaker style you want to throw at it.

White Pants and Double Denim

Indigo-dyed denim, or any denim for that matter, has wonderful nuances of blue, but if you want to really bring them to the fore, a white backdrop will do the trick.

The shirt and shacket make for excellent dance partners, while the navy slip-ons bookend the look perfectly.

Two colours are often all you need.

White Pants Separates

This look is for when you need to dress up but don’t want to. The trousers set the preppy tone, combined with the white pumps, while the unstructured blazer brings a softly tailored sartorialism to the look without ever feeling stuffy or formal.

Opting for the cream polo rather than a button-down shirt is a good choice, further underlining the look’s casual credentials.

White Pants and Shirt Layering

The pants are the statement in this outfit, coming with a bold wide-leg silhouette for a really contemporary look.

The leather sandals give the pants a smart finish, while the top half features clever layering with two short-sleeve shirts and a white singlet, providing a uniquely casual finish to the ensemble.

Smart-casual white pants

This crisp, sartorial look, without sharp lines, is an excellent representation of the joys of pairing navy with white.

The cream-tone shirt softens the contrast between the two halves, but the navy cardigan underscores the look’s smart-casual credentials with its soft contours and textured finish.

White Pants with a Shawl Neck

Similar to the look above, the smart-casual aesthetic begins with the tapered tailoring of the white trousers, which works perfectly with the tan loafers.

Rather than opting for a dark contrast, tonal cream hues are used, with the shawl-collar cardigan adding a punch of texture and tactility.