I love wearing white. I find it such a fresh, modern and easy to combine color, that white pants have become the ultimate basic in my wardrobe.

If I don’t know what to wear, I grab one of my pairs of white pants and either combine them with a top, dress, blouse or jacket. Here is my updated overview on how to wear white pants and how I wear mine many different ways!

In this article, you’ll find my favorite styles of white pants, the best white pants in stores now and plenty of outfit ideas and colors to wear with your white pants.

White cigarette pants

how to wear white pants | 40plusstyle.com

My white cigarette pants are my staple. They look good with almost anything and I wear them with short dresses, tunics, short tops, blouses etc. They look good with a variety of shoes too.

I paired my cigarette pants above with a polkatdot top. Want to have lots more inspiration on wearing polkadots? See our ideas on wearing polkadots this summer.

Mine is no longer available but these similar cigarette pants below have lots of good reviews and are very similar.

Check out also this red loose top from Amazon that you can wear with this similar pair of sandals and bag to recreate the whole look.

White cigarette pants | 40plusstyle.com

The Drop cigarette slim trouser

I love wearing mine with a dress or tunic over the top – and you can find plenty of inspiration in this article on how to wear tunics or short dresses with pants.

Wide legged pants

how to wear white wide legged pants | 40plusstyle.com

Wider pants are back on trend and I’m loving mine. These look particularly good with short tops as you want to make sure to still show your figure in white pants.

A loose wide top going to your hips is not recommended but a longer tunic that is belted at the waist can look really good!

The ones I’m wearing are no longer available but you may like this pair from NYDJ. They come in all kinds of colors.

Complete my look above with this pair of shoes from Rollie and pair with this similar top and sunglasses.

NYDH high waist wide leg trouser jeans | 40plusstyle.com

NYDJ high waist wide leg trouser jeans

For more tips check out our guide on how to wear wide legged pants.

White sailor pants

how to wear white pants | 40plusstyle.com

These were a long-time favorite of mine and have been featured on the site many times.

Great for a laid back relaxed look and for creating a nautical style. You can wear them with t-shirts, combine them with a belt and / or a blazer, with a hip (silk) top and even with short dresses.

I  wear them in casual situations and in the evening.

Below is a cropped pair of sailor jeans from Sanctuary Denim.

CeCe sailor pants | 40plusstyle.com

CeCe sailor pants

You my also like our guide on choosing the right shoes for different styles of pants.

White trousers for sports

white sport trousers | 40plusstyle.com

I love wearing white for sports as well, especially skiing and yoga.

White trousers for sports | 40plusstyle.com

The North Face ski pants

You can also wear a pair of yoga shorts such as those below for extra warmth and coverage under your outfits.

women's yoga shorts | 40plusstyle.com

iloveSIA yoga shorts

White skinny jeans

how to wear white pants - skinny jeans with a blouse | 40plusstyle.com

I own cropped white skinny jeans as well, which I particularly like to wear with short dresses. Great for a slightly hipper look or if you want to show off your shoes.

Sarah (above) wears her skinny jeans with a blouse and on-trend asymmetric strap sandals.

Check out this printed shirt from Boden that you can try to wear with this similar pair of skinny jeans and sandals.

White skinny jeans | 40plusstyle.com

SPANX ankle skinny jeans

Straight leg white pants

How to wear white pants: Inspiration and ideas | 40plusstyle.com

Dahlia (above) looks fabulous in her all neutral outfit with snakeprint booties. Check out this similar tee, moto jacket, jeans and booties.

Straight leg white pants | 40plusstyle.com

Gloria Vanderbilt classic high rise jeans

Cropped white pants

wearing white, red and leopard print | 40plusstyle.com

Cropped white pants can be perfect for summer.

Jenny (above) looks fabulous in her combination of white, red and leopard print.

Get her look with this similar tee, cardigan, cropped jeans, sandals and belt.

AG crop twill trousers | 40plusstyle.com

AG crop twill trousers

Winter white

how to wear white pants | 40plusstyle.com

Although white is an obvious choice for my tropical weather, I love wearing white in winter too.

Recreate my outfit above with this similar asymmetrical short dress, cropped jacket, pants and shoes.

If you want to make sure your white is winter appropriate, you can always choose an off-white shade.

Vince stitch front seam pants | 40plusstyle.com

Vince stitch front seam pants

Knee high white capri leggings

When the weather gets even warmer or you are going on holiday, knee-high white pants or leggings are perfect.

I absolutely love the knee high leggings from Stella Carakasi which I wear for casual outings and also for sports. They’re in stock season after season, and they never date.

knee-high leggings | 40plusstyle.com

Stella Carakasi capri leggings

Want more tips on wearing leggings? You will love our guide on how to wear leggings.

What to wear with white pants

White pants are one of the most versatile pieces of clothing you will own. It’s so easy to combine them with so many other items in your wardrobe. To give you even more examples, take a look at this one pair of white pants (below) and all the different outfits you can create with them.

Wit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pants | 40plusstyle.com

Wit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pants

Neutrals

white jeans with leopard print and beige | 40plusstyle.com

Neutrals always look fabulous along with white – team with shades of gray, cream and beige. Karen (above) pairs her white with beige and animal print.

Recreate her outfit with this similar tank top, cardigan, jeans, sandals, crossbody bag, earrings and headband.

wearing white jeans with other neutrals | 40plusstyle.com

Outfit 1: BOSS scoop neck topBB Dakota faux leather asymmetrical jacketWit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pantsNike low sneakerKendra Scott tassel necklace

Outfit 2: Vince stripe boyfriend shirtHalogen long cardiganWit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pantsEileen Fisher slingback pumpRag & Bone leather crossbody hoboCaputo & Co. pendant necklace

Outfit 3: Vince silk boxy topWit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pantsRockport perforated wedge sandalKate Spade New York leather wallet on a chain

With red

white jeans and a red blouse | 40plusstyle.com

Wearing red with white is one of my all-time favorite looks, and it’s obvious Kylie (above) loves this combination too.

Steal her look with this similar blouse, jeans, sandals, tassel earrings and sunglasses.

white jeans with red tops and jackets | 40plusstyle.com

Outfit 1: 1901 sleeveless eyelet shellHalogen ponte jacketWit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pantsMadewell block heel sandalKendra Scott pendant necklace

Outfit 2: LARACE tunic topWit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pantsTory Burch leather toteMiz Mooz sandalKendra Scott tassel necklace

Outfit 3: LARACE tunic tank topMichel crop rider jacketWit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pantsNaturalizer ankle strap sandalTed Baker London clutchKendra Scott pendant necklace

Black and white

How to wear white pants: Inspiration and ideas | 40plusstyle.com

Monochrome is a classic for a reason because it always looks good. Oxana (above) looks very stylish in her black and white outfit.

Check out this similar tank top, jacket, pants, sandals, clutch and sunglasses.

teaming white jeans with black | 40plusstyle.com

Outfit 1: Eileen Fisher sleeveless topWit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pantsEileen Fisher espadrille flatNordstrom rattan crossbody bagAkola tassel cluster drop earrings

Outfit 2: Reiss shirtdressWit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pantsFly London sandalTory Burch leather clutchBony Levy hoop earrings

Outfit 3: BP. crewneck shirtHalogen waterfall cardiganWit & Wisdom high waist ankle skinny pantsSole Society pumpsNordstrom leather clutchNordstrom scarf

White jeans capsule wardrobe | 40plusstyle.com

Are you wearing white yet?

If you have always been reluctant to wear white, give it a try!

Don’t be afraid that white makes you look bigger, but instead focus on finding the perfect fit for your body type. Play with different tops and shapes or try wearing tunics or short dress over your pants.

White is such a great versatile color especially in summer. Give it a try and mix with clothes from your wardrobe.

Do you like to wear white? How do you wear yours?

Continue reading:

  1. The Best White Jeans For Women Over 40 – Our Top Picks
  2. How To Wear Capris And Cropped Pants – An Extensive Guide!
  3. How To Wear Tunics Or Short Dresses With Pants

Like this article on how to wear white pants? Share it on Pinterest!

How to wear white pants: Inspiration and ideas | 40plusstyle.com

Feature image by Kylie

Sylvia

Sylvia is 40+style’s editor-in-chief and has been helping women find their unique style since 2011. An alumni of the School of Color and Design, she is devoted to empowering women of any age to look and feel their best. Read more about Sylvia and 40+style on this page.

Want to get more articles from 40+style in your inbox, subscribe here.

You can also connect with 40+style on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

Support 40+style by using the links in our articles to shop. As an associate for Amazon and many other brands, we receive a small commission (at no cost to you) on qualifying purchases which enables us to keep creating amazing free content for you. Thanks!