The Best White Jeans For Women Over 50
A flattering white jean is a wardrobe staple for many women. Summer’s the perfect time to wear white denim, especially if you adhere to the fashion rules of only wearing white between Memorial Day and Labor Day. I know many women avoid white denim jeans because they’re convinced they’ll make them appear larger, that their panties will show through, or they’re a stain just waiting to happen. I’m here to debunk those concerns. Today, let’s look at the best white jeans for women over 50, and I’m sharing some tips on how to find your most flattering pair.
Fabric
White denim, by its very nature, is less opaque than other colors. If you’re worried about your white jeans being see-through, be sure to choose higher-quality denim in thick cotton with a high cotton count. Too much spandex can make jeans overly clingy and sheer, so check the fiber count. Always wear nude undies because white will show through. Your nude will vary depending on how deep, warm, or cool your skin tone is, so try lots of options until you find the one that’s invisible under sheer clothes. While you’re at it, beware of slimming panels sewn into jeans that show through and leave an obvious line straight across your tummy above the crotch.
Polyester fibers will turn yellow over time, especially if you bleach your white jeans to remove stains. Whites vary from snow to warm beige, so choose the shade that will coordinate best with your footwear and, if you’re a stickler for personal color analysis, your complexion.
While some may worry about their perceived “stain magnet” nature, modern fabric technologies and stain-resistant treatments have made white jeans more durable and easy to maintain than ever before. I also like to carry a stain stick in my bag in the case of an unfortunate food or drink incident.
Size
You might be concerned that white denim will make you look larger than you are. You can avoid this with the proper fit and sizing. Should you size up in white denim? In a word, yes. White and light colors do make us look larger than dark colors, plus they’re less forgiving in tight places, so consider choosing one size larger than you usually do. Overly tight white denim can have a sausage casing effect on the thighs, knees, and calves, which is very unforgiving for everyone.
Style
Trending denim styles are constantly evolving, so it’s nice to keep yours modern. Over the last several years, we’ve been moving away from ultra-skinny, which is a big plus with white jeans. Cropped, wide-leg styles are very popular right now, but I recommend a straight, slight bootcut or a classic cigarette leg for the most flattering and up-to-date look. High-waisted styling is helpful to control and prevent a muffin top. Choose a high rise that covers your entire tummy and prevents rollover when you sit down.
Low back pockets will elongate the look of your backside. Wide-set back pockets can make your bottom appear wider. If you plan to tuck in your tops, consider the many great options in pull-on styles that don’t have the belt loops and snap to poke into your top.
How to Wear White Jeans for Women Over 60
A quality, flattering pair of denim jeans is an invaluable addition to your wardrobe because they can be paired with so many different tops and accessories. There are a few rules that I like to consider when I’m putting together an outfit with white jeans to ensure I’m not making myself look larger. A column of any color is slimming, including white, so try pairing your white jeans with light, white, and pale-colored tops. A darker top will also make your bottom half appear larger, which may not be your goal if your body is pear-shaped.
Metallic belts, bags, and shoes are terrific paired with your white jeans because they provide a soft contrast and up the interest level. White jeans also look beautiful with neutral accessories like beige and tan.
Did you know that you can wear white jeans both now & later in the fall and winter? Let me show you how!
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My Favorite Pairs of White Denim
My Mother Rambler straight-leg jeans are a favorite shape this season. They’re slightly wider than many straight jeans, so they have more room in the thighs. I can easily wear them with a slight heel or wedge, which helps my legs look longer. I’ve tried several higher-end denim brands this year and always come back to Mother jeans. They’re meant to go through the dryer and come out unshrunk, ready to wear. Honestly, hanging jeans to dry is beyond my patience level, so now I stick to ones labeled for the washer and dryer.
I don’t know about you, but my white denim is a magnet for dirt and seems to yellow easily, so this no-stain fabric is a welcome addition to my closet. I’m a big fan of Chico’s No-Stain White Denim for that reason!
These NYDJ white Marilyn straight jeans come in sizes 00-18 Petite and Plus size here. My store didn’t have petite, so I’m showing the regular length and have turned the bottom under 2″. As with all NYDJ, I recommend sizing down because they stretch out when you wear them.
The Wit & Wisdom skinny pants have five-pocket styling and look like a jean to me, except they’re softer. They’re a cotton blend with 3% spandex that comes in 8 colors, petite, and regular sizes 00P-14W. I am wearing a 6P, so they really are ankle-length on me, which is nice!
Shop More of the Best White Jeans for Women Over 50:
You might also enjoy reading:
- The Most Comfortable Bras for Women Over 60
- Wearable Modern Jeans For Women Over 50
- The Best Comfortable Loafers and Flats for Women Over 50
Do you wear white jeans? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading, and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.
I love white jeans as much as I love summer – and that’s a whole lot! My favorite pair are chinos from LOFT. Comfy with a bit of stretch, ankle length, and four nice size pockets.
Is there a reason why no one ever talks about Spanx? Love them short to tall great fit and opaque in white!
I need to try them!
I do wear white jeans. Recently they acquired a stubborn grass stain that did not come out with any of the usual stain treatments. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, so I put them through a stain remover cycle in the washing machine. It worked! My white jeans look as good as new, and did not shrink. I bought these jeans for $10 on sale. Nevertheless, finding jeans that fit as well as these is not easy. I’m going to wear them and stop worrying about stains. All’s well that ends well.
Yes!! Well fitting jeans are a dream.
I love my white jeans! My favorite are from J Jill and Talbots.
They are great!
I just looked down at my self and I’m wearing an outfit very similar to the chambray shirt/white tank/white jeans outfit above. I don’t feel comfortable at all in it. Like a house painter, maybe?
Lol, then don’t combine those again, Lin.
Jjill and Talbots’s white denim are my go to.
Talbots’s white on me tts but jjill i go up to a p8 in white
Great post, great outfits. Now I’m inspired to shop my closet.
I wear white jeans year round and also love camel with white. Having trouble finding the right camel, though. I need a camel with pink or cooler undertone…not yellow/green/warm. Does camel even come in a cooler tone or am I really looking for a beige? Confused!
Also, link to platform sneakers takes me to the hat. Could you provide brand?
Thx, Jennifer!
Sorry, here is the link for the paltform snlink for the paltform sneakers
I need that same shade of cool camel which leans closer to taupe. I’ll be keeping my eye out for it and share what I find because it’s one of my favorite shades.
I love white jeans. Have them in a verify of lengths also. Wear them with all kinds of prints and all colors. Can’t go wrong.
Last Fall and Winter, I wore them with my sweaters, even at Christmas with my giant polar bear sweater, who metallic white. Looked pretty festive.
I love them in the cooler weather too, Lin. Metallic and white is so fun together.
Jennifer, I love white jeans! I also enjoy wearing white capris and tailored white slacks. Most of my white pants are from Talbots and Chicos
My husband and I cruise about four times a year and they are perfect for the warm climates year round.
I’m in the market for done white tailored white slacks that are opaque. They’re such a great basic.
I loooove the look of white jeans, but they are not the first thing I reach for here in the hot, humid deep south. I haven’t purchased a new pair in a few years. I usually wear a 10, but would like to try a curvy fit in an effort to avoid the dreaded waist gap. I know that Loft carries curvy fit – can you suggest other retailers/brands for curvy? Thanks!
Ann Taylor and Talbots both have curvy fit so you might try them.
Thanks! Jennifer!!
Old Navy has “Curvy High-Waisted OG Straight White Cut-Off Ankle Jeans” in regular, petite and tall lengths. They’re narrower in the waist and roomier in the hips. You may need to try your regular size and a size smaller.
Thanks for letting us know
Hello Jennifer,
I love my white jeans and have three pairs, Loft, Talbots and Mother and l like wearing them with Nordstrom’s Skims beige seamless underwear. Ordered the blue denim shirt you’re wearing love the sale price! Happy weekend 🙂
I’ve been so curious to try skims. Thanks for the recommendation.
Shall definitely pin this for future reference. As to jeans, for the summer only wear either light washed blue or white. The latter though a no-brand are really my favourite (being a tapered straight-legged) otherwise wear more wide legged trouser type that are fully lined. (i.e.: Silk also cotton/polyester blends as not fond of linen due to its creasing.) A tad off subject but what may prove beneficial when it comes to emergency situation stains — Apply/ blot the area with Club Soda ( the soda beverage). -Brenda-
That’s what my husband always reaches for when he has a spill too. Thanks Brenda.
I wear white jeans year round. They look great with sweaters, jackets and boots in the cooler months and they’re an easy warm weather choice for me.
I don’t worry too much about making me look big or small on parts of my body. As long as they fit me well they are always a good choice.
I like white pants, they go with so much. I prefer white cotton crops from Talbot’s. We are over 100 degrees here in Texas, so light material has been cooler than white jeans. I look slimmer in dark bottoms, but I get tired of denim and black bottoms. My hair is white , so I need some color. The white bottoms and colorful top look good with my white hair. I say, wear what makes you feel and look good. Have a great day!
I agree! Happy Thursday Sue
I love white jeans, especially the Chico’s no stain. Living in the Pacific Northwest with lots of rain, I do put them away in the wet months. Otherwise I do wear them with lots of different tops and footwear!
I don’t have any white jeans but I do have a white jean jacket from Chico’s and I’m not sure how to or what to wear with it because it seems to be so severe against a dark bottom. I feel it’s the first thing you see when I walk into a room…is this my imagination? Any tips to “style” me?
It’s high contrast with dark colors. If your personal contrast is low, thst might bother you. Try wearing it with paler shades.
Jennifer, love the white jeans. I have a few pairs hanging in my closet, now I’m going to give them another try…you are right, fit is everything…also your pairing is giving me inspiration to shop my closet , I do have many similar tops that you are modeling…also yesterday’s article on personal safety really gave me pause for thought. Thank You for discussing a very timely topic.
I’m glad this inspires you to shop your closet! We often have all the right pieces in our wardrobe.
I’m 73 and love my white jeans, have several pair of different variations of Chicos and Talbots ankle and straight leg.
Love the outfits! I was so proud I didn’t spill my coffee or diet pepsi on my white tee yesterday, only to somehow smash a cherry on it when cleaning up the kitchen…lol.
That sounds like me on my ivory blouse yesterday 🤣
I love my white jeans. I’m 75. Bought mine from Appleseeds. Comfortable fit.
I have a question about jeans in general. I don’t understand the sizing. How do the inches, such compare/relate to the normal sizing we see, such as 8, 10, 12 etc.? Since Covid I find myself still ordering online rather than heading to the dressing room to try on items.
They all vary by brand so you need to compare your measurements with the website sizing chart.
I don’t wear white jeans. I’ve tried them on many a time but feel I look bigger in them. I did buy a pair of pale beige jeans this year and wear them with a white top. Now those I am happy with but still I’ve worn them about three times, reaching for my blue jeans instead.
I love the outfit where you have the linen dress worn as a top over your white pants. Very elegant!
It’s good to recognize what you don’t reach for so you can just skip them at the store.
White jeans are a wardrobe staple for me in the summer. I love all the choices you showed. This year my favorite is Wit and Wisdom. They are a bit heavier and stretchy. I’ve been wearing them so much!
I love those too. My Kut From The Kloth are a great fabric too.
Have several pairs of white jeans and have finally worn them a lot this summer. I ran across a pair of white Sheri slim straight jeans from NYDJ that I really like. This is a good article.
That’s a great style.
This was my year for white jeans, preciously I’ve always been afraid to wear them for the reasons you mentioned above. I have the Chicos so slimming girlfriend jeans and I love them and get tons of compliments. So I just ordered white cropped Monroe chinos on super sale from Loft. We’ll see how that goes but I’m not afraid of white jeans any longer.
I love the fit of the Munroe pants.
Love your posts, and I do wear white jeans…but only between Mem/Labor Day! So old fashioned, I know. Anyways, will you please tell me where that tan and white striped shirt is from (first picture)? For some reason it links me to a hat from Amazon?! Thank you.
Sorry, I fixed it. The beige seems to be sold out but the othe colors are here.
I adore wearing white pants during the warm weather in upstate New York! I enjoy experimenting with various looks including the white column, the colorful third layer, and pretty printed tops. As the weather cools, I continue wearing white pants with jean jackets, sweaters, and scarves. Great post today, Jennifer. You look terrific in all of these outfits.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Bea
My white jeans are from Mother, Chico’s & NYDJ so totally agree with your choices!! I would add Spanx to the list although they are more of a pant & dressier. I never used to wear white on the bottom, felt it emphasized my flaws- but the right pair makes all the difference ! I now wear mine in the winter with camel cashmere sweater & always get compliments. Who knew??!!
I love camel with white all year long!
No, I don’t have white jeans in my summer rotation. Is it possible that it’s a regional issue? I see very few women wearing white pants. But, I did have a pair severed years ago that I loved. They were a lighter weight, cotton jean that fit very well. Not snug, which you mentioned is so important with these lighter colors.
The Mother straight leg jean looks like a great option. It would offer more opportunities to style several of my summer tops.
You styled these white jeans with so many options. Love it!
It certainly can be a regional choice. If no one around you is wearing them, it can feel out of place.
Good Jennifer, great posting today. I have 2 pairs of white jeans, both from Talbots. One pair I purchased 7 years ago, they still look good, no yellowing and they have lots of dirt on them from my (7 grandchildren and 5 grand dogs) wash up beautifully and I put them in the dryer. White jeans in my opinion can be dressed up so easily. I’ve worn them to evening events and no one knows they are jeans.
Have a great day
This is a fantastic selection you’ve put together. I live in Florida so my white jeans get lots of wear and I’ve figured out what works with my body and skin tone. What did not work, however, was a few years back when I tried a blush pink pair of jeans. I’m light hair, eyes and skin so I looked like a sausage waiting to burst.
Lol, that’s not a great look. I have a tank in a color so close to my skin that I feel naked in it. I don’t wear it often.