How to Wear Wide Leg Linen Pants

Let’s talk about how to wear wide-leg linen pants this summer. 

Wide-leg, lightweight pants are a fabulous option for spring, summer, or year-round wear in warm or mild weather. They are especially nice as an alternative to shorts or capris. 

But, they are one of the tricker bottoms to wear because the success of the look is dependent on balancing proportions.

You can’t just throw on any top. 

So, let’s break down how to wear wide-leg linen pants. These three outfits can take you pretty much anywhere this summer and feature many long-time reader favorites you might already have in your closet and some new gorgeous finds. 

How to Wear Wide Leg Pants

These best sellers are back in stock and on sale.

Wide Leg Linen Pants, $27.99

Our featured pants are from Old Navy.

They are a Reader Favorite from the past few seasons and I featured them in our Sunday Sales post this weekend.

They are available in regular, tall and petite, from XS – 4X, in six colors.

Regular price is $39.99 on sale for $27.99.

Like many wide leg pants, these are high waisted, but not too high.

That’s important to note because it comes into play with your top options.

And they are going to skim at or around your ankles.

You don’t want the hem cutting through the calf or you enter capri territory.

Depending on your frame, the width of the pant may be overwhelming.

If that happens, remember, you can easily have these altered and have some fullness taken out of the leg by a tailor or seamstress.  

How to Wear Wide Leg Line Pants

These Old Navy pants are available in a range of colors. I’m using the black option because it’s the most elegant and allows you to dress up and down.

Notice how, in all of the outfit examples, I’m keeping the look to a simple black-and-white theme but mixing in layers of texture and natural, organic elements to elevate each look.

As always, you can shop this post for practical recommendations OR use it as inspiration.

With a Short Tee

T-Shirt, $14 | Birkenstocks, $170 | Earrings, $165 | Knotted Handbag, $108

Start with a short white tee for a laid-back casual outfit that also looks sophisticated. 

Sometimes retailers will call these “cropped,” but before you dismiss it, look at it on the model. You want the hem to hit around your hip bone and barely cover the pant’s waistband. 

If your top a little long, you can do a half-tuck, but the idea here is that because of the high-waisted cut of the pants, you can wear a shorter top and create a fun silhouette while maintaining the length of your legs. So, if the top feels long, consider hemming it to the perfect length for you.

I know that sounds like a pain in the neck, but it is 100% worth it.

I added this gorgeous pair of statement earrings from Julie Vos to add some polish. 

Then, wear a pair of chunky, flat sandals because you can pull them off with a wide pant leg. 

It appears that Hell has frozen over because I continue to say things like, “I like these Birkenstocks.“

The oversized gold buckle makes these funky in a good way. They were hard to find last year, so I’m happy they are back in stock and still very much in style.

I have them in ivory and used them as my “dress-up” beach sandals last summer.

For a bag, we’re playing with texture and using this best-selling woven bag from Anthropologie. It fits what you need for drinks and dinner; I carry it regularly.

With an Open Stitch Sweater

Open Stitch Sweater, $44.99 | Strappy Sandals, $49.99 | Straw Clutch, $45.95| Earrings, $11.99

Next, I’m featuring this reader-favorite open-stitch sweater from Old Navy in a black-and-white stripe. Although the shirt and pants are both affordable finds at Old Navy, they look so elegant together.

Note: Wear a black cami underneath.

The sweater is available in XS – 4X in regular, tall, and petite for $44.99. 

I’m using these block-heel sandals from Marc Fisher at DSW for shoes. 

Again, we’re layering in subtle texture that compliments all the other elements of the outfit, which creates visual interest.

To round out the look, a black straw clutch and a popular pair of under $15 earrings are affordable finds from Amazon.

With a Nipped Waist Top

Smocked Waist Top, $12 | Sandal, $119.99 | Bag, $70 | Earrings, $24.50

Finally, let’s work with a top that will bring in your waist and create some shape.

A wide-leg bottom with a fitted top looks lovely. So, if you have something that sits on the body (rather than clinging to) that you are comfortable in, wear that with these.

If you like the idea of a top with some shape but need some room, consider this smocked waist top from Old Navy, on sale for $12.

It will define your waist without being skin-tight.

I found this gorgeous under $100 summer bag from Tuckernuck and used it to inspire the rest of the outfit. I love how different it is and how it breaks up the monochromatic outfit with natural accents.

Next, I found these Dolce Vita flat sandals at DSW, which are perfect.

I rounded out the look with these inexpensive rattan novelty earrings from J.Crew Factory. 

Linen Wide Leg Summer Pant Style Tips

1. Pay attention to your shoes. You want these to balance the width of the pant leg, so you can go with something chunky in either a flat or a heel.
2. For the perfect summer look, your linen wide-leg pants should ideally hit at or just below the ankle, reflecting the breezy summer length. Choose either a form-fitting top OR a shorter top that just covers the waistband of the pants.
3. When working with linen or a linen-blend, focus on mixing in various textures rather than colors and prints to create an elevated, sophisticated look.