Sweater: TJ Maxx

Cords: LOFT

Boots: Naturalizer

Scarf: Fabric from Joann Fabrics

Happy winter, northern-hemisphere-dwellers!

I bet some of you are thinking, “Hm, white pants? Risky move for a curvy lady. And in December to boot!” My thought: “Not if you do it right!”

A few things I’ve learned about donning white pants:

1. Wear nude colored undergarments. Don’t think those bright cobalt undies can’t been seen, ladies! And certainly don’t go commando! (I had a friend who realized on vacation in Hawaii that there was still a, erm, “shadow effect” when she went sans underwear under white linen pants.) Invest in some nude undies if you haven’t already and make sure you triple check that there’s no color showing through in a full-length mirror. (Romantic partners get distracted, I find, so don’t ask them to help you check!)
2. If you’re concerned about looking “bigger,” create balance in your outfit. I think white pants really pop and make a statement, so I paired them with a big, boldly printed scarf and some knee-high boots. Not only do the boots reduce how much white shows (so a third of my body, as opposed to half), they also provide their own statement. But, also…
3. Go for a lighter palette overall. “Winter whites” are a thing for a reason; the long line created by wearing a monochromatic outfit is visually pleasing. Wearing white pants with a black/dark top is a harsh color conflict and breaks the body in half; suddenly your torso is reduced in appearance and your hips/thighs are blown up. While you don’t have to wear all white, sticking with lighter colors keeps the different regions of your body in size-relation to itself.
4. Expect to get them dirty all day long and be careful. The only reason why I wouldn’t wear white pants is because they’re so unforgiving when it comes to staining throughout the day. While looking at photos from this series, I noticed a blue spot on my hip. (I obviously didn’t choose that one for the blog.) Who knows where it came from, but that wouldn’t have been as egregious if I’d been wearing jeans or dark slacks.
5. Last but not least: just do it. You don’t have to be a size 2 to look good wearing white pants. If you feel good in them, then screw convention. You do you.