How to wear and style white denim

Date: April 1, 2025

It's OK to feel intimidated by white jeans and white pants! There's the sheer factor — can you see through them? There's the stain factor, where you want to tuck a Tide pen in every purse and pocket just in case you spill ketchup on your fresh white pants. What do you wear with white denim? Where do you wear white jeans? And how do you wear white jeans, anyway?

ways to wear white jeans: A woman at a bar in a printed halter top and white denim pants, showing a chic summer outfit idea for white jeans.

Our Trendsend stylists hear questions like these every day and they totally get it. Most people think that white jeans aren't quite as effortless as blue or black denim… but we think they're just as easy to wear as their more colorful counterparts. If you've decided that summer 2025 is the season you start wearing white jeans more often, here's exactly what you need to know about how to style white denim and ways to wear white jeans.

But first things first…

Are there rules for wearing white pants? No! Any rules you've heard about when and where it's OK to wear white jeans or white pants are very outdated. The "only after Memorial Day" and "only before Labor Day" rules may have been followed to a tee in the past, but today, you can wear whatever you want, whenever you want. (There's really nothing as chic as winter whites.) While white jeans do feel especially fresh, crisp, and bright in the summer months, there's no reason you can't wear them all year round. And once you start, you'll never want to stop.

The best ways to wear white jeans

Like we said above, it's normal to feel a little intimidated by white pants, and we're not saying you have to hop into a pair of white skinny jeans this instant. There are plenty of easy ways to wear white jeans and feel even better than you do in your go-to blues.

Try ecru.

Bright, snowy white isn't for everyone, especially if you're prone to coffee spills. Why not try a cream or ecru shade instead? It feels a bit more newbie-friendly than white but still retains that crispness that simply screams summertime.

ways to wear white jeans: A woman in a red and white striped shirt and white denim shorts, showing a casual summer outfit with white shorts as an alternative to white jeans.

Size up.

A looser, slouchier fit feels more modern and is one of the best ways to wear white jeans. It also feels less intense than shimmying into a pair of white skinny pants; you won't have to worry about your pants feeling too tight or too revealing.

Don't overthink it.

Don't feel like you have to buy a whole new outfit for your white jeans. Simply swap them in where you'd usually wear blue jeans, black jeans, or cargo pants and go about your day! Treat them like normal pants, not like something precious. You may be surprised at how seamlessly they become part of your routine.

Add a layer.

Another easy way to tiptoe into wearing white jeans is by layering up with a light jacket, summer knit, or open button-down shirt, which provides a little extra "protection" if you feel more exposed.

ways to wear white jeans: A woman in a navy vest and white jeans, standing by a vintage convertible, demonstrating a modern layered look with white denim.

Have fun with color.

White goes with literally everything. It looks as good with neutral shades like black, gray, and navy as it does with yellow, blue, pink, and red. It makes dark colors stand out and makes bright colors brighter. It compliments the softness of pastels and is a great backdrop for floral prints, animal prints, or polka dots. White jeans also look amazing with lots of gold or silver jewelry… just saying!

Try white shorts.

If you're not quite ready to fully commit to the white jeans lifestyle, why not try white shorts? White cutoffs look so good with a (safe) summer tan, and trouser-style shorts look extremely chic with sandals and a loose summer knit.