13 best white trousers for women from cargos to capri and linen styles

You may not have heard of Leem before, but the brand specialises in modest dressing with a modern touch, and although it was a close call, these white trousers just made it to the top spot. In a wide-leg relaxed cut with a high waist and pleated front detail, they are incredibly flattering and can work for any occasion from the boardroom to brunch.

Pair with a simple T-shirt and boots as pictured, a shirt and heels or even flip-flops for a beach-ready style, as these are a great all-rounder whatever the weather. Shorter folks, you will need to get them taken up, yet longer-legged ladies are in luck.

Sleek and sophisticated, we fell in love with the subtle design details. Front pockets add to the wearability, and, the only downside is that you will most likely need to wear white or nude underwear as although they aren’t see-through, they aren’t fully opaque in harsh light. But, we still found them to be the perfect pair for all occasions and quite comfortable too.

The resurgence of Y2K fashion is nothing new by now, with butterfly tops, low-rise jeans and mini skirts dominating the high street. But, while you may not have jumped for joy at the thought of coloured plastic hair clips coming back into style, cargo trousers are possibly the coolest – and easiest to wear – Nineties fashion throwback. And this Very pair are just perfect.

In a viscose cotton blend, they’re incredibly soft and thick enough to wear all year round. On a see-through scale, we wouldn’t advise you to wear heavily printed underwear, but white or skin tone colours are completely fine. With lots of pockets in the classic cargo design, they’re great to wear on days when you don’t have a bag, and the tortoiseshell plastic buttons add a nice break to the all-white look. Cuffed hems give a cropped effect so you can also show off your shoes, although we would say they may be on the slightly short side for anyone 5’7 and over.

Our favourite part of these trousers? The adjustable waistband, as if you’re in-between sizes you can go for the larger one and pull the ties as necessary to get the perfect fit that can change with your body throughout the day. Pair with brown flip-flops, a vest or white linen shirt in summer to accentuate the buttons, or brown boots and a jumper in colder months, and opt for a brown belt if you’d really like to cinch in the waist too.

The first thing to note about these trousers from looking at the photo is that we left the tag on, there is no strange navy square hanging off the waistband, we promise. Coming in three lengths – short, regular and long – our 5ft3in tester opted for regular which was actually the perfect length just skimming the ankle, so do bear this in mind when selecting your size.

In a tapered leg fit, these chinos are classic in cut and incredibly flattering, while front pockets and phantom back pockets add a nice bit of detail to the design. Incredibly lightweight, they are perfect for summer but were certainly on the see-through side, so be sure to opt for a nude thong or tuck a longer top inside to help keep your modesty. Pair with a simple vest and clogs as pictured, or a brightly coloured shirt for a more formal finish.

Asos is known for its budget-friendly buys, and this pair of trousers is no exception. But, we must stress you will probably want to wear it as a full suit with the matching blazer (£36, Asos.com) or similar on top as otherwise, you will be bearing your bum no matter what underwear you wear. With this in mind, these trousers can work in your wardrobe, you just have to be a bit clever when it comes to styling.

They aren’t quite as white as they appear online, with a more creamy colour coming through, but this did work quite nicely with the tortoiseshell front button. A central seam gives them a more formal look, and the length actually worked quite well on our tester too. Large font pockets add to the wearability and the straight leg cut gave them a loose-fitting look that’s on trend at the moment. We would recommend pairing them with a long blazer, jacket or jumper to help conceal your modesty while keeping the cool cut of the trouser.

Known for its sustainability credentials, People Tree is a great option for anyone looking to create a more environmentally friendly wardrobe. But, these aren’t the brightest of white we’ve seen so far, looking much more like a cream in real life because they are made from undyed twill fabric. Coming up slightly large, we would suggest wearing them with a belt, but the Eighties high-waisted baggy fit is rather flattering if you like the oversized look.

Made from 100 per cent organic cotton, they are quite rigid with no stretch, but this is said to soften with time and wear. Even the thread is made from fully recycled materials, adding to the sustainable element while also being tough and durable. Pair with a simple tee and a clog as shown, or dress them up with a shirt and boots as this pair is a great everyday option for when out and about. While two deep front and back pockets add to its wearability for daily errands and there’s no worry of bearing your bum as they are incredibly thick.

While we loved these white trousers, they did come up incredibly large, meaning we would recommend sizing down if these are the ones that have piqued your fancy. In a denim style fabric, they are quite soft, and the wide-leg fit is right on trend for the new oversized look.

Slightly on the longer side for our tester, anyone this height or below will most likely need them taken up, but that’s good news for our taller readers as you have little worry about your ankles being on show. Deep front and back pockets add to the wearability while belt loops allow you to cinch in the waist should you want to add an extra styling detail, or help keep them up. Light brown stitching adds a nice design touch, and we would suggest working with this to create a more tonal look as pictured.

Me+Em is a regular go to for work wear, perfectly walking the line between fashionable and functional and these trousers are no different. In a heavy textured weave fabric, there’s more going on than just your regular white trouser, and it makes them easily wearable for all weather throughout the year.

With two phantom front and back pockets, you won’t be able to store anything in them, but it adds another element of interest to the design, along with a side seam of a thinner fabric. When it comes to the see-through test, we were pretty impressed but would always recommend white or skin tone underwear just in case you walk into strong light.

We’ve dubbed them as the best trouser for work thanks to the summer tux-tailored cut, with a strong central seam, slim fit leg and slightly cropped length. The hidden button closure makes the waistband sleek and flat, and you can pair these with anything from a simple black tee and clogs as shown, or a shirt and court shoes for more formal office attire.

Not exactly white, but classed as ecru – a slightly off-white, cream tone – these joggers are incredibly comfy for everyday wear when getting through the to-do list. With an elasticated waistband and ankle cuffs, there are no zips or buttons to worry about, and they hold on to the body incredibly well. While a softly brushed inner makes them cosy and warm for the cooler weather too.

Two hidden side pockets add a nice touch for wearability. A central seam on both legs adds an extra layer of detailing and they can be worn with anything from flip-flops and a vest in summer to biker boots and a thick jumper in winter, making them a great year-round staple.

In a shiny satin-like fabric, these Club L London trousers are great for any special dinners, parties or nights out, but we would say you need to be a little bit careful as they are easy to snag. Slightly on the long side for our tester, anyone short will need to wear these with heels or get them taken up if they don’t want to be tripping over all night.

With a hidden closure, the waistband is sleek and subtle, but the inclusion of belt loops does mean they can be cinched in further at the waist if needed. The wide leg cut is flattering on all body types too. Although not incredibly see-through, we would encourage white or nude underwear yet again with these as they aren’t made from the thickest of fabrics, which you can see from the image as the pocket lining is slightly visible. Pair with a statement top and heels as pictured, or a simple shirt for a more pared-back style.

With many of us still WFH or in a hybrid of in the office and online, comfort is key. But, where you may not be able to wear the Oasis joggers (£10, Oasisfashion.com) into a workplace – depending on where you work, of course – you can probably get away with these. Just as comfy as any other joggers with an elasticated waistband and soft material, these Intimissimi trousers still fit the formal wear brief thanks to the cut, colour and style.

Whether paired with a shirt and heels or trainers and a T-shirt, they’re a great all-rounder and there are no tricky buttons or zips to rub or dig into the skin. But, and this is a rather big one, they are on the more see-through side of the scale, so you may want to add a long top underneath or a jumper or blazer over the top.

The only thing that stopped us naming this pair our best buy was the fact that they are technically more of a jean than a trouser. But, if you are in the market for a pair of white jeans, then we’d definitely tell you to give these a try. In a high-waisted, wide-leg cut they are incredibly flattering and bang on trend. But, again, shorter folks may want to look into getting them tailored, just be sure to ask them to match the stitching colour to keep that nice extra detail.

The brown stitching, similarly to the River Island option (£45, Riverisland.com), adds an extra dimension that works well with the tortoiseshell button and gives an instant styling tip of pairing with similar tones as pictured. Compared to regular jeans these are quite stretchy, giving them a very comfortable fit while deep pockets – with button closure on the back – adds an extra layer of wearability as you can forgo your bag for the day. We’ll be adding these to our everyday essential pile, and if you’re happy to fork out the cash, would encourage you to do the same.

Of course, you could wear these trousers every day, but we’re going to presume most people would save them for parties, special occasions and going “out-out” – for which they are just perfect. Fun yet sophisticated, they work all year round no matter the weather and can be dressed up or down whether paired with a simple vest as pictured or heels and the matching blazer (£83.40, Warehousefashion.com) for a more full-on look.

They were surprisingly comfortable, with a high waist cut that fell quite nicely on the body and the wide leg trouser style helped to elongate the legs. Although they were a little on the long side for our tester, so anyone on the shorter side will need to wear heels or look for a good tailor.

These trousers are also fully lined, so there’s no scratchiness on the inside, but again we would recommend white or skin tone underwear to be safe. Our worry is that the sequins may rub off on the inner thigh over time, but if kept for special occasions, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. We will certainly be wearing these again for any Christmas parties.

You can trust Allsaints to always add a bit of an edge to any classic cut, and that’s exactly what it has done with these wide-leg jeans – adding rips in both knees in a cool, not cringey way. Made from 100 per cent cotton, they are incredibly thick with no worry of being see-through, and the modern cut is again right on trend. With a classic five-pocket style they are easily wearable as an everyday essential too.

While the rips won’t be for everyone, those who love them are sure to be thrilled, working as a more casual style for daily wear. And, although slightly long, our tester could get away without taking these up. Pair with flip-flops for a beach vibe, boots for cooler weather and a simple T-shirt and jumper for everyday errands.