How to Wear Wide Leg Linen Pants
Wide-leg, lightweight pants are the perfect addition to any warm-weather wardrobe, bringing both comfort and style. They’re a fantastic alternative to shorts or capris, offering versatility that can work for casual outings, elevated day looks, and even warm evenings. But styling linen pants can feel tricky, as wide-leg styles require a balance of proportions to create a flattering silhouette.
Here are three easy, stylish ways to wear wide-leg linen pants. Each outfit offers options to elongate your legs and flatter any body type, using classic pieces like the button-down shirt, sleek camisoles, and pointed-toe shoes. With these looks, you’ll find reader-favorite pieces you may already own alongside a few new summer-ready finds.
How to Wear Wide Leg Pants
These best sellers sell out quickly, but they’re currently available in limited sizes and colors.
They work on any body type.
Wide Leg Linen Pants, $27.99
Our featured pants are from Old Navy.
They are a Reader Favorite from the past few seasons and have been featured in several Sunday Sales posts.
They are available in regular, tall and petite, from XS – 4X, in six colors.
Regular price is $39.99, but they’re frequently on sale.
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 (I have strong opinions on capris).
Depending on your body type, 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.
Let’s style wide leg pants three ways.
How to Wear Wide Leg Linen 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 easily dressed up or down.
Notice how, in all of the outfit examples, I’m sticking 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
This is a great alternative to a matching linen button shirt for a casual look.
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 is 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 that will still elongate 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. You don’t need a pair of pointed-toe shoes to avoid looking squat.
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 and will help elongate your legs.
I rounded out the look with these inexpensive rattan novelty earrings from J.Crew Factory.
Linen Wide Leg Summer Pant Style Tips
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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I love this options! Wide legs are allways tricky to style for me and I like them as nice alternative to skinnies.
Very helpful, thank you! I’ve been wanting to try out a wide leg pant for awhile, but definitely did not have the confidence. The advice on length and shoe, and how to balance the look is priceless.
I am loving wide leg pants at the moment and am super happy to see these looks! I’m leaving for NYC in three weeks; am going to try these outfits for sure!
Can a woven purse be paired with the Vince Camuto woven sandals?
Would you be able to provide more info about the tops in options 2 and 3? I’m wondering if they are best fully tucked or half tuck?
Also, have you ever considered showing the outfit ideas on a body, as well? Sometimes it helps to see that way, too. Just an idea.
Love your information and inspiration. Thanks!
I know this is going to sound vague, but because everyone’s body is different you really have to play with it to see what looks best on you. So tuck, half-tuck or leave out, the most important thing to remember is you want to make sure your leg is long.
And the only body type I can show these outfits on is me, which I do sometimes but I don’t think it’s helpful because I’m 5’10 so the fit on me is going to be really different than most of our readers. I’d have to work with a range of models and have clothes for each of them and we don’t have anywhere near the bandwidth or budget for that.
Thanks so much for this post. I got the pants last year and it was very tricky finding the right top. Loved theses suggestions!
Hi Megan!
Could you recommend a few tops for those of us that don’t like our arms? 3/4 or long sleeves that can be rolled up.
Thanks as always!
I am a bit confused. I thought with a wide bottom you needed to wear a tighter top. Is it different because they are extra wide pants?
You certainly can wear something more fitted, like a tank, tee, or even throw these over a bathing suit. I used tops that fit away from the body here for a few reason (1) requests from our readers looking for more loose fitting options, (2) specifically because these are linen, that fabric doesn’t always work with more fitted top options. You want something equally light, breezy and casual. So I would totally wear a traditional wide leg bottom with a more fitted top, linen is a little bit of a different animal. 🙂
Thank you, thank you! This is very helpful. I’ve wanted to try wide leg pants and now have a “guidebook,” so to speak. I’ve always thought they would accentuate what I don’t want to accentuate, but I think I’ve been looking at it wrong — and too critically.
I’m going to be wearing light blue wide leg linen pants when I fly to Italy in May. They don’t wrinkle too bad because they are a linen blend and so comfortable. I will probably wear a long sleeve white TShirt tucked in and white sneakers. What do you recommend I wear to keep warm—a sweater, a jacket? What length, fit and fabric?
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Megan,
Thank you for your beautiful outfits at affordable prices. You have exquisite taste! Love your classy flare. Your posts encourage me to shop my closet 1st and then add in items for the new season. I look forward to your email posts🌸
Lori
Thanks for this very helpful post! It’s been a long time since I have worn wide leg pants and you nailed the advice. Proportion is critical. Also, love how you use accessorizes and texture. Bravo, Meg!
Linen Wide Leg Pants – hi there – love your fashion insights. I wanted to comment that I’m 5’8” tall and I find the Quince 100% European Linen Wide Leg Pant to be a better length than the Old Navy version. Although Old Navy is a better price point the regular length is t quite long enough for me and the Tall is too long. Quince is just right. I wear a Large (usual size is a 12).
Great post. I like the wardrobe ideas you gave. I’m inspired to go and purchase my first pair of wide leg pants!