Hii guys!
How was your weekend?! I hope you had a great one (and that you get the holiday off today in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King and all he accomplished for our country ❤️).
So, the one thing I’ve been hearing across the board from my reader survey, especially when it comes to winter, is that we are all SOOO sick of wearing the same things over and over! (For those of us in Chicago…we have a full 2-3 months left of it ?) so you’re really looking for tips on how to re-wear what you already own.
Well, that’s GREAT. Because I’m in the same boat as you ?
Several of you also asked me if it’s acceptable to wear white jeans in the winter–GREAT question. (That old “no white after Labor Day” old wives tale still haunts us, doesn’t it?) And, while this is, of course, a matter of opinion, as ALL “style rules” are–I say GO FOR IT. (I hate style rules. Those are dumb–wear what makes you happy!)
Also, shout out to my favorite hotel (and bar, and restaurant!) The Robey for letting us shoot on your balcony! (If you want to stalk more of their beautiful cafe, see this post from last year!)
So, today, that is exactly what we’re diving into…
How to wear white jeans in the winter:
Before we get into my three winter white jeans outfits below, I thought it would be helpful to share a couple tips. (I don’t like to say “do’s and don’ts” because I think you should do whatever you please) but, you know–a few guidelines are always helpful. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Try an all neutral look:
My reasoning for this is because this is probably the most foolproof way to still maintain a “winter” feel to your outfits. You’ll see here that I clearly went with a camel/white/cream/tan color scheme. I love this because it not only looks incredibly chic, but if you’re really worried about appearing too “springy”–that’s virtually impossible. NOBODY wears camel in the spring or summer. It is strictly a fall/winter color! ?
Or just avoid bright/pastel colors to avoid looking springy:
I also love white pants in the winter paired with red and navy–or even a pretty burgundy or emerald. I think as long as you avoid really summery or springy colors, you don’t run the risk of looking out of place!
Choose winter appropriate shoes and accessories:
While white pants may not be intuitively “winter” to you–when you’re wearing seasonally appropriate shoes with them, it’s pretty easy to make it feel wintery. You can’t wear boots (or any closed toed shoes for that matter) in the summer, can you? Of course not–so don’t overthink it TOO much!
The two base staples I used to build these particular outfits:
I think it’s easy to forget just how versatile a pair of white jeans and a classic turtleneck are, so I wanted to keep the same top and bottom to show you three very different ways to style with mixing and matching just accessories.
White jeans:
The white jeans you see here are from Madewell. They are the only pair of white skinny jeans that I own, and I really love them. I was on a white jean hunt for quite awhile, so I asked you guys what your favorite pairs were, and Madewell’s High Rise White Skinnies were the most popular–so I gave them a try! They do not disappoint–not even REMOTELY see through (I was wearing black underwear here, for reference, if you didn’t believe me! ?) They are high rise but not TOO high (they don’t come above my belly button–they’re a 9″ rise, for reference–so they’re SLIGHTLY higher than mid rise) and they run true to size. Shopbop also sells a lot of Madewell jeans (but when you buy them at Shopbop you get Amazon Prime shipping!)
They’re also a great amount of stretch (but they don’t bag out) and are quite comfortable! Come in Regular, Petite, Tall and Extra Tall! And if you need ’em super fast, order them from Shopbop! (They have Amazon Prime shipping!)
Cashmere turtleneck:
I LOVE a great camel sweater. In particular, a turtleneck–but you could easily use any sweater of your choosing for any of these outfits. Mine is from Lord and Taylor (similar linked here)(the best price you can find for cashmere!) and is sold out in this color and style, but you guys always rave about J.Crew’s cashmere sweaters (basically Identical to what I’m wearing here. I don’t own any personally, but have been told by a few people to size up!). Also, I love Everlane’s cashmere too (a bit softer than L&T’s but then again it’s more expensive, granted, still a great price at $120–so it’s up to you which is more important to you! I have their $100 cashmere crew in “frost donegal” that I LOVE! You can see it styled here!)
P.S. my turtleneck collar is totally messed up in all these photos and I didn’t notice until I edited them. Def not trying to make a fashion statement. Oh well! ?C’est la vie.
Winter white jeans outfit #1: With mules, camel turtleneck, and a neutral coat:
This look is perfect for a variety occasions–it would be super cute for brunch or even dinner! I love that it feels crisp and classic, but the mules give it an on-trend, more minimalistic-chic twist!
Mules:
Speaking of these white mules, I fell in LOVE with these white mules from Madewell (TTS) this fall, and the fact that they are closed toed and also not stark white makes them very wearable for winter as well. They also sell a lot of other Madewell items at Shopbop–which is great because PRIME SHIPPING!
Some people seem to wonder if white shoes are “okay” to wear–but I think the whole “white shoes aside from sneakers are a faux-pas” thing stems from our mothers’ generation–(I think they got burned by the white shoe craze of the 60’s and 70’s ?) but I think they make your outfit look really fresh–and I am here for them all year round!
Trench coat:
I also wanted to include an outfit with my trench coat, because so many of you don’t live in sub-zero climates and have been asking for my suggestions on trenches/rain coats. I absolutely LOVE THIS COAT which is made by London Fog. I’ve had it for several years and worn it countless times on the blog–it sells out and then comes back every so often–but I can vouch for the brand as a whole. They have a ton of similar styles though, so if you don’t see your size in my exact coat, don’t worry–there are plenty of others to choose from (like this one and this one) that the brand makes as well!
Winter white jeans outfit #2: Polished loafers + tweed blazer
Another look that is super versatile and could work for pretty much any occasion–especially when you work in a casual semi–casual environment, but may have a client meeting that day! I love a good blazer, especially a tweed one.
Blazer:
This one is from Everlane (similar here) and runs true to size, but any great blazer will work here (whether it’s fitted, or oversized–I love their oversized blazer!)–I think a blazer puts the perfect amount of polish on any outfit, and the white jeans make it feel a bit more “easy”–if you know what I mean. Nordstrom has a lot of cute blazers, too!
Modern Loafers:
I kept with the neutral theme and styled two of these looks with Everlane’s Modern Loafer, which I would highly recommend. They need breaking in for sure, but they are beautiful and make every outfit feel refined and modern at the same time. Go up 1/2 size! If you want more classic looking loafers, I highly recommend Sam Edelman’s loafers–I own them in leopard print (but they come in tons of colors) and they are insanely comfortable–no break in required!
Everlane Day Tote:
The prettiest, most polished tote that is perfect for the office! This is also a top reader favorite tote bag (read my “Real Women Approved: Tote Bag Edition” right here!) If you’re looking for more tote bag reccos, I love the Madewell Transport Tote and own it in two colors!
Winter white jeans outfit #3:
Last but not least, I stuck with the modern loafers, camel turtleneck and white jeans, and layered on the addition of a cardigan! It’s easy to forget the option of layering a sweater on a sweater–but it can result in a really cute and interesting look! I especially love the look of a turtleneck and a cardigan mixed together–they are different enough that it just works–but you have to make sure they’re different textures–it works best if the cardigan is the chunkier knit!
Chunky Cardigan:
This cardigan is from Evereve–it’s SO incredibly soft and cozy. It’s definitely one of my favorite pieces this winter–I wear it with everything–from leggings to jeans to skirts! (See how I also styled it here!) If you want something longer, I LOVE this chunky cardigan as well! And there’s also this one!!
