Love ’em or hate ’em, skinny jeans just aren’t made for summer. Even in the stretchiest denim, slipping in or out of form-fitting designs takes much more effort than it’s worth. And, when it’s so easy to make a simple outfit swap, why bother?
With that in mind, we headed to J.Crew in pursuit of something more breathable that could be easily dressed up or down and even look chic on a girls’ night out. While it might not be your first instinct to breeze past the denim display, we headed straight to the suiting section and were amazed by all of the options in store.
Ahead, browse 14 alternatives to skinny jeans, including linen pants, chinos, and trousers in various materials and colors. And, if you’re still stuck on jeans, well, there’s a breathable chambray option, too, so you can look and feel cooler than cool without breaking a sweat.
Ask any Who What Wear editor and they will tell you that linen pants are the must-have item of the summer.
A slightly slimmer leg helps this style of pants look extra polished.
Style these lightweight flares with chunkier mules or sandals for a casual but office-friendly look.
I’m a sucker for seersucker—this whole look is summer suiting goals.
Don’t swear off gray trousers for the season. J.Crew has several styles that come in lightweight summer fabrics and look super chic.
Want pants that look like jeans and feel like pajamas? That’s basically J.Crew’s chambray fabric.
It’s called the essential for a reason.
You’ll want to wear these whites long after Labor Day.
Easy, breezy, right?
J.Crew’s Kate pants come in several fun summer colors.
Wide-leg and slightly cropped, so you can show off your cute shoes.
Pair these pants with a three-piece suit as shown here, or literally anything else in your closet. It works.
