Do I want some white trousers?

[Vizard]

I am not in the navy, nor am I planning a remake of Saturday Night Fever, but I think I want some white trousers for the summer.

I ordered a new blazer in flat navy last week and am thinking of adding some to my order.

Or is it folly? I have been quite lucky with white shorts in the past, but they have been easy to put in the washer. I do wonder whether keeping white trousers clean would bankrupt me.

So, yay or nay? White trousers?

 

[Keith Taylor]

Wear whatever makes you feel happy, but personally I’m of the belief that something cream (ivory, off white, whatever you want to call it) is much more versatile than white in trousers. Aside from the cleanliness issue - blinding white will be less forgiving than cream for mild dirt - you’re probably limited to the sunniest of days to really pull it off, whereas cream works pretty well on overcast days.

If you’re dead set on white, though, linen might be your best option as you can usually just throw it in the wash. Heavyweight, so your underwear isn’t on display

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I was one to poo-poo white trousers for the longest time. Then a few years ago I decided to get a pair.

I purchased a pair of white cotton trousers from UniQlo. I figured if I didn’t like it, at least it would be a huge investment. To me surprise, they are quite versatile and on warmer, humid evenings when you want to look presentable, a good option.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

I have several pairs of white trousers - one pair of PRL chinos, a looser linen pair and one really heavyweight denim pair that is cut like old naval trousers, which have to be worn with great care (and not in a CM context)! But I wear them all. They look good and feel good. You just have to accept that they will get dirty and need regular dry-cleaning.

 

[Vizard]

I was one to poo-poo white trousers for the longest time.

That's never good in white trousers .

 

[JJ Katz]

I agree that cream works better than pure white.
If you want white, it really looks best on a sunny day. Not great at night

 

[Ebitdaddy]

A lighter cream/ivory makes more sense to me.

 

[Thin White Duke]

As with many aspects of menswear, context is everything.

I have white 501s and slightly off white Levi’s MandC jeans which get worn year round more than any of my boring indigo bluejeans.

I have winter weight off-white RLP flannels which get worn with a brick red flannel cashmere and wool blazer.

And I have a few pairs of white or off white linen strides from the likes of Cubavera (in Macy’s) which I wear with polo shirts and driving mocs.

I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing any of the above in my native cold wet dank industrial north of England. As I live in Florida (currently 73 F and sunny) they get worn a lot.

Plan your outfit, plan your context and as the lad above says, plan your underwear. I got some light heather grey boxerbrief trunks from HandM - got to be one of the few brands out there which don’t expect free advertising with their name in large letters on the waistband - which remain invisible under light coloured strides.