(My) White Denim Guide

As far as criteria for purchasing white jeans (beyond the obvious question) “is it flattering?”….
some considerations that I focus on are: “How thick/sheer are they?  Thickness v. thinness in material? (when they are too thin and stretchy, they are usually too sheer as well) And lastly, what color white is it?  I prefer a bone white or off white to white-white. I feel this is more subtle and makes pairing with tops easier. Also - I look for alternatives to skinny white stretch jeans to vary it up. This year, the higher waist and wider leg silhouettes are trending and comfortable. I also like a crop flair, which is pretty fitted but not tapered at the ankle. I also look for a distressed hem, which is a little more rock ‘n roll. Just like with blue denim - I love some distressing in a pair. I often pair distressed jean shorts with simple but slightly dressier tops. You will see this in my day-to-night white denim shorts looks below. They are great at night in a beachy town or on vacation and I love the versatility to wear them super casual by day and then swap the top and shoes for a fun, cool evening look.

Here’s where I make a bold statement - I usually choose white jeans for daytime versus summer evenings.  If I do wear in the evening, I always pair with a soft palette top rather then contrasting black. Some ideas on this — wear them in the daytime with a variety of different tops and shoes (I’m a sneaker, flat-form or flip flop girl), but keep to the same light-toned color palette. If you want to wear them at night, choose an unexpected shoe or top. Perhaps, a great white jean with a pretty white blouse and a multi color bold shoe. I’ve paired them below with a fun sheer polka dot top and graphic tee, a striped asymmetric blouse, and then my number one trick - white on white. I’m way more attracted to white paired with white - and ALL variations on white worn together. I even like the idea of a crop flair, plain white v neck tee shirt finished with great fun jewelry, and a high, strappy sandal. My other theory, especially if you buy off white, (which is often called winter white) .... wear them all year and not just on a summer Saturday night. A winter white jean styled with a big cashmere sweater is my go to look for the summer-to-fall transition. I think people feel they will be “cooler” in white jeans, but truly they are just as warm as blue denim. White linen or jogger pants are a great option for white-at-night in the summer heat too. 

One last trick for white jeans - remove the pockets. This makes for a cleaner, smoother look. 

As for stains - which seems to happen often - I find stain removers often leave a mark.  Liquid detergent on a damp WHITE washcloth sometimes does the trick. Back-up plan would be an eco-friendly dry cleaner.

As with everything - be creative.  Try some new pairings and rework your white jeans into your wardrobe again.  If you have found a pair you love - STICK WITH THEM - and just change the rest. A great pair of white jeans can be your best friend - when paired uniquely and worn unexpectedly.