How to Not Look Fat in White Pants

When my kids were little, I never wore white pants. Between little macaroni-and-cheese-stained hands and struggling with folding strollers, I couldn't worry about getting white pants dirty. Now the kids are older and white pants are sort of a rite of passage into middle age.

White pants signal that I have earned the luxury of wearing something so impractical. After all, how many pieces of clothing require you to think about everything from what underwear you're going to wear to where you can sit without getting dirty?

As chic and classic as they are, white pants do come with some anxiety attached: unlike our beloved black pants or even dark denim — which both slenderize the wearer – the wrong white pants can make you look (gulp!) fatter. Which is never a good thing.

Here's how to not look fat in white pants:

1. Choose a substantial fabric. Skip the thin, flimsy white fabrics that will show every lump and bump and opt for heavy cotton twills or cotton/stretch blends.
2. Opt for a straight, but not tight, leg. The last thing you want with a white pant is lots of volume. A style that hangs straight from the hip, like a trouser-style pant, is the most flattering.
3. Wear the right underwear. You weren't thinking about wearing white panties with white pants, were you? Stick with flesh tones and the sleeker the fit, the better; visible panty lines in white pants will make you look even heftier.
4. Try a jean-style pant. A five-pocket style jean not only comes in a heavier jean fabric, it features the figure-flattering five-pocket styling and sleek leg (especially in stretch fabrics) that will make you pull off white pants with ease. Cropped white jeans are my favorites for summer.
5. Wear an eye-catching top. Pair white pants with a top that attracts attention like an off-the-shoulder top, something ruffled or embellished, or a top in a bright color. White is a great neutral, and if you go with tops that draw the eye up, the bottoms will fade into the background.
6. Wear a tunic top. If you want to completely eliminate the problem of panty lines or pockets you can see through (my pet peeve in white pants), opt for a tunic top. A longer top paired with slim white pants skims right over the problem areas and gives you a sleek look.
7. Wear heels. Elongate your legs and you'll instantly look slimmer, even in white pants.