Ask Belle: White Trousers for Spring Summer
Mar 17, 2015
Hi Belle,
I hope you can point me in the right direction. I am looking for the perfect white work pants for my daughter’s Easter present. After a very cold winter here in Minnesota I know she will appreciate something that helps her look forward to warm weather. Hoping to find slim ankle length pants that would work in a professional environment for around $100. If they were machine or hand washable that would be fantastic as who can keep white pants clean!
Thank you, S
White pants are a great warm weather staple. They’re perfect for casual Fridays, and they are a great basic for weekend dinners and events.
My guidelines for buying white trousers are these: lined, washable, flattering. Lined keeps things appropriate. Washable makes cleaning them easy. Flattering, well, always check the fit. White makes things look wider than darker hues, so a fit that’s flattering regularly may not be in white.
For the office, I wouldn’t advocate skinny, white trousers. White pants can be enough of a challenge in the workplace, skinny, white pants might push challenging to inappropriate in more professional environments.
Denise Bi-Stretch Riviera Pants ($59, also in petite)
These trousers from LOFT are a great skinny option. But for me, this style of pant is firmly in the casual column. So consider the particulars of your work environment before you wear this style to the office.
Looking for a wider leg?
LOFT Tab Wide Legged Trousers in Julie Fit ($69, in tall and petite)
These pants have a crisp, polished feel that I just love. You could dress them up or dress them down. The Julie fit is good for women with a narrower waist and curvier hips. If your figure is more balanced, the Marisa fit might work best for you.
Want to skip the sailor-like details on the LOFT pants? Ann Taylor has you covered.
Curvy Cotton Straight Leg Pants ($89, also in petite)
Ann Taylor has a great selection of lined (critical) white trousers. These straight leg pants are nice. They also offer a modern sateen pant with a more youthful look.
If you’re looking for a plus-size option, these pants from Talbots are a good choice. The tab front is always a nice style, it smooths the belly. I wish more designers would realize that.
Need white denim?
These are my favorite jeans in blue and black denim, I’m hoping for similar satisfaction in white. If not, I’ll go for a wider leg jean like these INC jeans look pretty good, and they’re under-$100. Plus-size? These NYDJ jeans look like a good fit.
Have a favorite pair of white pants? Leave your suggestion in the comments.
Highly recommend the LOFT’s Marissa fit for ladies who have more curve on the bottom. I adore them, and they seem pretty consistent in fit across styles, too.
Just purchased Loft’s curvy high waist skinny ankle jeans in white and am impressed!
Hello! White House/Black Market has exactly the pants described! They are a slim ankle fit and washable! https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/product/perfect-form-white-ankle-pants/570134636?color=100&catId=cat210003&fromSearch=true&scPos=1-1200-3299
The Limited came out with a great pair of ankle trousers this spring. They have them in white (and they are lined!) https://www.thelimited.com/product/refined-ankle-trouser-pants/6895292.html and a few other colors as well (https://www.thelimited.com/product/refined-ankle-trouser-pants/6895293.html). Fit is great and the material is really good quality.
Thanks so much for the suggestions! Love The Limited pants!