One Good White Summer Barrel Pant

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I can safely say, I’ve never had a strong desire to go out and spend my hard-earned cash on a pair of white pants. Until recently, that is. As someone who lives in denim, white has forever been a shade I’ll walk past without the slightest bit of acknowledgement. But while carefully curating my usual summer style moodboard, as one does, I suddenly found myself surrounded by a whole lot of “one spill and it’s all over” tones.

And so, my desperate search for a pair of classically summery white pants began. After visits to numerous stores where I compared various fits, one thing became abundantly clear: the structure of said pants mattered more here than in your standard denim: far less wiggle-room for error, they were all either weirdly cropped, too slouchy or came with an alarmingly low crotch. Ultimately, none sparked joy. So as a final attempt, I hit up Uniqlo and after what felt like four hours queuing for the changing room, to my surprise, there they were. 

Part of British designer and now Uniqlo Creative Director Clare Waight Keller’s collection, these Barrel Pants are every bit as functional as they are on trend. (In case you missed it, Pantone called “Cloud Dancer” their color of the year. Spoiler: it’s actually just an off-white.) Initially, the “barrel” label threw me. Hadn’t this silhouette already come and gone? Apparently not. The wide, slightly tapered shape feels surprisingly current, with the cotton twill giving just enough structure to dodge the dreaded slouch. Waight Keller’s knack for crisp, wearable tailoring is all over these.

Beyond the generous leg room, it was the hidden drawstring under the waistband that really sealed the deal. The length was ideal, but without that sneaky little tweak, a belt would’ve been non-negotiable, and let’s be honest, that can kill the whole effortless vibe of a pant like this. It might not be the most exciting feature, but if you’ve ever done that desperate little hop to keep your pants up, you know a hidden drawstring is a game-changer.

Whether or not this white pants frenzy was kickstarted by an ongoing attempt to dress a little more like a certain 6’5″ Australian — that white monochromatic Bottega fit he wore rocking up to Venice Film Festival last year has lived rent free in my head ever since — isn’t the point. The point is, instead, that I found the pants. And for now, that’s enough to keep my summer wardrobe satisfied.

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