I find jeans to be one of the hardest things to shop for, right up there with bras and swimwear. When it comes to white jeans, it's even more difficult. They're transparent, they bag out, they're too thin, they're shaped weird... why is it so hard to take a wardrobe staple and make it wearable? I love white jeans, they are such an easy way to make an outfit look springy or summery, they're more dressy than blue jeans, they add class to a look. White jeans are a must-have in my wardrobe, but this spring I realized I didn't have any pairs that fit me well. I went on a search for the best white jeans. This post features photos of 12 different pairs of white jeans that I tried; at the bottom I share reviews for a few more that didn't make the shoot but I tried. There are also some tips on white jeans from readers and friends with brands and styles I haven't yet tried. I hope this review helps narrow down styles for you so you can find a great pair of white jeans that fits, flatters, and doesn't show every seam of your underwear.
For reference, I am 5'3″ and in pants and jeans usually choose a size 32 or 14. I find petite usually fits my figure best, but sometimes do better with the short or ankle version of a regular-cut jean. My curves are in my rear, belly, and thighs with smaller hips. I like a straight or slim cut white jean - not super skinny but I find a trimmer fit looks better with my shape and a variety of tops. For this review, I purposely chose burgundy colored underwear to see if they would show (this style to be specific). All the photos were taken the same day so no change in size, underpinnings, etc. If the jeans had been laundered, worn previously on the blog, or worn for a long period of time previously, I will state that. Each pair of jeans as soon as I put them on I did the Squat Dance. You know that dance, where you hold onto the waistband of the jeans and squat low to the ground a few times, seeing how well the denim stretches and to make them a bit more comfortable.
My Search for The Best White Jeans
In the words of my husband who shot these photos, "WTF Alison, they all look the same!" And at first glance they do. But if you're reading this, you're likely like me, someone who wants better than okay. And small details make a difference. I will share the photos of the front, side, and back views but also the notes I took during the shoot to help explain why each pair was a hit or a miss.
I liked the idea of the high waist, and thought a lighter weight denim would be nice for hot summer. Since I've had such luck with Talbots denim in the past, I figured these wouldn't be too transparent. I was right! If you're looking for a skinny jean or jegging in white that isn't see-through and isn't so thin you can see every dent in your knees, these are a great choice. I'm not sure what happened to my side view photo of these jeans but I hope this is enough to give you an idea of how they fit. Since they are so fitted and thinner, I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing these with a fully tucked in top (I'd do a half-tuck), but these would be great with a floaty top and sandals this summer. These jeans come in petite, misses, plus, and plus petite up to a size 26 and retail between $95 and $99 dependent on size. Win!
I love my wide leg cropped jeans from American Eagle so much (seen here, here, and here) I thought this would be a great choice. Nope, these are the epitome of why many of you think Talbots is too frumpy. I almost didn't add these to the review because they aren't a slim or straight full-length version but decided to because it's proof that no brand gets it right all the time and because a cut works at one retailer doesn't mean it will at another. I would have had to size up, but then I think they would have hung weirdly... more weirdly than they currently do with those bowing out pockets, crotch whiskers, and a wide waistband at just the exact place where it will be folded over when I sit. I also don't like the very wide hem and the double silver buttons - these details along with the cut make these jeans look dated and frumpy. They could possibly be modern and cool looking on a tall slim woman without a belly or much of a butt, but also a woman with that figure can likely find more stylish wide leg cropped jeans that are likely cheaper. These come in petite, misses, plus, and plus petite sizes up to 24 and range in price from $95 to $99 dependent on size. Miss.
The NYDJ 360 collection is made with a four-way stretch that is to move with your body. These jeans come in seven different colors. I haven't tried these in any other color, but the white is just too thin and transparent for me. However, I like the denim. It's not thin spongey denim, but with that bit of rigidity that you want to hold everything in comfortably and not bag out with wear. These feel like expensive jeans and I would like them in a darker color. I do wish the waist was a hair higher or lower because it hits right at my belly button and folds over when I sit and says folded over. I also missed the detail of the slit on the ankles; this isn't bad but it's not what I want as I like to sometimes cuff my white jeans to make them shorter. These jeans come in regular and petite sizes up to 28 (yes plus sized petite offerings!) and retail for $109. Miss.
While I have owned a lot of Vince Camuto over the years, I have never tried their jeans. As always, if I am unsure of a brand's fit, especially when it comes to white jeans, I size up and went with a 14. These were the warmest of the white jeans I tried for this review. Not quite winter white, but enough of a contrast that it will look weird against bright white tops. These jeans stretched out as soon as I did one bounce of my Squat Dance and continued to stretch out as I squatted, walked down the stairs, and back up. Even so, these jeans felt too tight (weird since the bright white version that isn't on sale recommends one to size down). Oh, and the front pockets are both visible and too small to fit anything of worth into them. These jeans are currently on sale for $51.75 at Nordstrom and available up to a size 33. Miss.
I wore Liverpool jeans a lot after having my daughter. I appreciated the price point and how soft and stretchy they were. When the postpartum belly started to firm up, I didn't like Liverpool as much because I didn't find the denim to be rigid enough to look polished. Great under sweaters and tunics, but baggy and unsupportive when the rise was visible. However, many of you have raved about Liverpool and they seem to have expanded their selection so I decided to order a pair. I'm not a big fan of the pull-up style since I often like to tuck in my tops, but I know many of you like it and it's a good choice for spring and summer as it's less bulk at the waist and a smoother look under lightweight fabric tops.
I should have gotten a 12, and I really need a petite (not available at the time of ordering). These don't look huge in the photos, but they are. Since the waist is thick, it's essentially sitting stiff resting on my hip bones to keep the pants from sagging at the crotch. You can see from the backview how the pockets are too low; if I had a smaller size and petite they'd probably have better placement. The front pockets are fake; that plus the surprisingly opaque fabric for the not so heavy weight makes these a great choice for those who desire a pull-on style. Just size down. These jeans are available in regular up to size 16 and petite up to size 14 and are currently on sale for $66.75. Miss.
Y'all have raved about Wit & Wisdom for a long while. I agree, they're great fitting and I own some shorts from the brand. When I was looking for jeans the first brand I looked at was Wit & Wisdom and was happy to find a pair that is a high waist, a simple silhouette, and available in petites! And these jeans are a great fit. Comfortable, good shape, nicely sized pockets. The only thing is this denim is more transparent than I am comfortable with. I would prefer these jeans in a different color (which they have in regular and plus sizes). You can clearly see the pockets and these are one of the few jeans where you could clearly see the color of my underwear (sorry the lighting doesn't show it well). These jeans are available in regular and petite sizes up to 18 and retail for $68. Miss.
For Friday's post I had to pick an outfit from Walmart. Knowing I was going to do a white jeans review, I decided to have the outfit based off a pair of white jeans and this is the pair that didn't make the outfit post. And now I feel I am stuck with them. Walmart says all over their ads and their website free shipping and free returns. Nowhere on the site does it say that only is for Walmart products and not the varying other companies they have bought and incorporate into their site to show up in search blended with everything else. I got these jeans, I didn't want to keep these jeans, Walmart said well that's between you and Eddie Bauer so email them. I did, they didn't reply. I emailed again, they sent a super generic response that didn't help. I had to call Eddie Bauer, they said I needed to have the packing slip (which I didn't have because these jeans were on the same packing slip as Walmart items I returned) and they don't offer shipping assistance. They gave me the address, and recommended I did insurance because sometimes their returns get lost. So these jeans cost me $42 and it was going to cost me half the price of the jeans to return them. Now, I go to the site and it says it costs $5.99 to ship them but I didn't pay shipping to receive them. So yeah, not a happy customer. But let's get to the jeans.
These jeans are stuck in the '00s with their quality, their fit, their shape, and their shipping policies. The denim has a fancy name but they stretch out and bag like any mediocre pair of jeans and these are regularly $70. By the time I walked back upstairs after the shoot I could practically pull the jeans down without unbuttoning them. A reader recently emailed me asking me to explain fit, and it's hard to describe when it's good fit. I wish the light we used didn't blow out the denim so much so you could see how these are a dated fit that will make your body look older and less fit. We often choose relaxed silhouettes and softer fabrics because we think it's better for our curves but these jeans prove that theory is wrong. You're better than these jeans. These jeans come in regular, petite, and tall sizes up to 20 and are currently on sale for $42. Miss.
Nope. These run SMALL. They are the same size as the pair I own but I could hardly zip them and couldn't squat all the way down for the Squat Dance. What's weird is these are 98% cotton and 2% polyurethane just the same as my Primas, yet these are thinner and more rigid. The plus? They are opaque. These jeans only go up to size 32 and retail for $188. Miss.
I have liked JAG Jeans for many years. The denim is great quality, the price isn't bad, they fit well. However, JAG is known for making OTT jeans. They can't be simple, they have embroidery or extra buttons or a weird wash or a lace up cuff or they are the pull-on style which always hits at the wrong place on me making them uncomfortable. When I find a simple unremarkable pair I get excited, so I was thrilled to try these jeans. I really wish these came in petite. You can just look at them and see they need to be shorter in the rise, shorter in the leg, adjusted for my petite frame. That being said, these are fantastic jeans. Inside the waistband is elastic which keeps the waist from buckling and helps provide a better fit. The denim is opaque, a great weight that will hold its shape all day. No weird details, a classic jean that would be great... if you're at least 5'5″. These jeans are available up to a size 16 (regular length only) and retail for $84. Miss.
White Jeans That Didn't Make the Shoot But Are Worth Checking Out
- My friend Rosana who is a personal stylist said these jeans from Good American are really cute and worth checking out. I've only tried Good American once and found them too tight for my legs but that was a skinny style and these are a straight leg version. If I hadn't found great jeans with this review, I would check them out. This style from Good American is available up to a size 24.
- My friend Carolyn swears by Costco and Sam's Club for white jeans. She has two pairs from there and loves them (and the price!). She said you can shop from the Sam's Club app as well; from there she has purchased shorts and other clothes.
- I've now featured the stain resistant white girlfriend jeans from Chico's in three posts (here, here, and here). They were in the laundry at the time of this shoot. As I mentioned in the initial review, I find them a bit thinner than I like for white jeans. They do stretch out a bit and you can see the pockets and slimming panel some in the front. However, they have grown on me because they are super comfortable and have a great fit on the legs. And while they do stretch out a bit, it's not to the point that they can't be worn a second time. And the stain resistance feature is awesome and truly works! These jeans from Chico's come in regular, short, tall, and petite options up to a size 20.
- I tried the High Rise Skinny Jean from Everlane. I ordered a 32. These are not the same stretchy denim as the ones I wore in this post, this post, and this initial Everlane jeans review. These jeans are far too tight, I could hardly get them on and couldn't zip them. The denim is far more rigid and I don't find the shape designed for curves. Everlane goes up to a size 33 aqnd has short, regular, and long lengths. If you haven't tried Everlane jeans before, I don't recommend these to be your introductory pair. I wish they'd make these jeans in more colors than gray, they're sooo good.
- The EV1 jeans I featured in this post also were in the laundry at the time of this review. As I mentioned in the post, I find the quality of those jeans quite good, the denim opaque, soft, and they stretch without stretching out. However, they are a size 14 regular and I clearly need a 12 petite. They were too high rise and combined with being too big they slid down giving me a saggy crotch and bum. I may cut them off into shorts as I find a loose pair of shorts to be more flattering than a loose pair of jeans. An FYI for anyone who doesn't like butt detail on their jeans, there is EV1's logo of LOVE with a heart embroidered on one pocket in the same color as the jeans. I hate butt detail but this didn't really bother me too much but it may be a make or break point for you.
Shop the White Jeans Mentioned in This Post:
If you have a pair of white jeans that you love, do share the details in the comments!
