Wearing White Pants – South Of France Style

What’s the first thing you notice when you arrive in a new-to-you part of the world?

For me, it’s always what people are wearing. For whatever reason, I almost immediately get a feel for the local style, whether that be dressy or laid back or something in between. And more often than not a single ‘look’ will stand out.

And so it was when we arrived in the south of France. The look that stood out for me was the fact that women of all ages, sizes and shapes were wearing white pants everywhere. From the morning market visit to the evening dinner date, white pants were clearly a favoured option.

I can honestly that white pants have never rated highly on my style radar. The Melbourne dedication to black, black and just a little more black has clearly influenced my own preferences over the past two decades. While I think l might have a pair of white jeans hiding in a drawer somewhere at home, I couldn’t guarantee their existence. And if they do happen to be there, I certainly couldn’t tell you the last time I wore them.

But our time in Nice has had me considering the potential benefits of wearing white pants. Especially during the warmer months of the year. The women who wore them well looked cool, chic and elegant. The white played nicely with tops of all colours (although personally I loved them paired with black – of course). And they really did have an ageless appeal that you rarely see when it comes to style. They looked as good on the women in their seventies as they did on the women in the twenties.

As always though, there were some outfits based around white pants that just looked better than others. Here are my observations on what works best when it comes to wearing white pants.

Wearing White Pants – My Observations

1. Opt for slim over skinny. Pants that allowed a bit of room to move and skimmed over the natural lumps and bumps of a woman’s body looked the best. They also looked the most comfortable, especially in the warm weather that was on offer during our visit.
2. Consider your underwear. This one may be too obvious, but the ladies who chose skin toned, seamless underwear over black options simply looked more elegant.
3. Show some ankle. This seems to be especially true if you are wanting to wear flat shoes. My favourite looks fell an inch or two above the ankle. For my mind, the pants that finished somewhere near the knee looked too casual to allow you to get wide reaching wear from your white pants. 
4. Go for medium weight fabrics. Anything too heavy looked uncomfortable, and anything too light gave way to other issues, primarily the fact that the pants became see-through. Mid-weight cotton blends seemed to work well.
5. Take care to keep them bright white. Again, this one might go without saying. The ladies whose pants were brilliant white and stain free won the style awards in my mind. 

Tell me, are white pants a part of your summer wardrobe – and if so, what are your best tips for styling them? Or do you avoid wearing white pants at all costs? Either way, let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

And until next time – au revoir.