To clarify: I love my linen pants. I want to personally shake the hands of every J.Crew designer for their work on the Harbor pant, a $118 pure linen trouser that has helped me survive European beach vacations, New York City heat waves, and a very sweaty, spontaneous blind date this July.
That said, I’m a little bored with wearing the same linen pants outfits on repeat. I’ve been styling the same pairs since May, sometimes multiple times a week, usually in the same combinations (button-down shirts, toe-ring sandals, rinse, and repeat). I’ve reached a point where the summer essentials feel stale—comparable to the five-year-old flip-flops that are one "flop" away from snapping off my foot. My dilemma is—I’m also not ready to retire my linen pants either, since summer’s intense “real feel” temperatures still make me want to cry, and I’ll need them on standby once we transition into fall.
So, I’m doing what I always do when I’m in a style rut: turning to my fashion peers for pointers. After browsing Fashion Week street style from NYC, Milan, and London, and seeing how my fellow Marie Claire editors make the lightweight, low-maintenance bottoms look as polished as possible, I’m eager to give my well-worn pairs another spin.
Here are the linen pants outfits that have given new life to this summer essential, along with a curated, shoppable collection to help you recreate these looks through the rest of the season and into the next.
Our Favorite Linen Pants
- Best Overall Linen Pants: Alex Mill Riley Pants in Linen
- Best Soft Linen Pants: Caslon Drawstring Straight Leg Linen Pants
- Best Professional-Looking Linen Pants: Aritzia The Effortless Pants™ Linen
- Best Versatile Linen Pants: J.Crew Harbor Pants in Linen
- Best Petite Linen Pants: Reformation Petites Olina Linen Pants
- Best Cropped Linen Pants: Banana Republic Linen Pull-On Ankle Pants
How to Style Linen Pants
Corporate–Casual
MC editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike recently shared her favorite summer outfit formulas and included the linen suit above in the "For Summer Fridays Where You Actually Have To Work" category. Notice how she also added the silk scarf neckerchief trend, giving her summer work outfit a pop of personality and an extra touch, so her suiting didn't feel stuffy. The shoes are up to you, but I'd recommend adding Adidas' best-selling SL 72 sneakers to the mix.
An Animal Print Pop
Never underestimate the power of a hint of animal print. Here, a Milan Fashion Week guest wore a cow-patterned belt to break up her chocolate brown barrel-leg pants (a prominent trend of 2025 that's still going strong) and a cornflower blue tank. The result was a playful color story that gave her ballooning linen bottoms a fashion-forward edge.
Linen on Linen
Look who it is! It's Halie LeSavage, MC's senior fashion news editor, who paired black and cream linen separates on an August work trip to Copenhagen Fashion Week. The look was simple and comfortable—LeSavage said she wore those linen pull-on pants on her international flight—but it was well-curated and thoughtful enough to work for a day of runway shows. Her crystal-embellished mesh flats by Loeffler Randall also added the right amount of flash and fun.
Party on the Top
I believe that a statement go-out top works well during the daytime—all it needs are the right wardrobe basics to balance out its "Let's party!" spirit. Case in point: how this New York Fashion Week guest paired her extravagant, circle-cut fringe top with crisp white trousers, coordinating sandals, and a matching handbag.
A Printed Pair
Marie Claire's beauty director, Hannah Baxter—who has exceptional style and could easily switch to the fashion side if she ever got the urge—knew her printed linen pants were the highlight of the party and let them stand out. All she needed was a saddle brown tailored vest and the perfect shoe workhorse, a pair of Gucci's horsebit loafers.
Lace-Trimmed Anything
Like most of the fashion crowd, I've become obsessed with the lace trim trend that features guipure and chantilly stitching peeking out at nearly every hem. This NYFW guest wore a lace-trimmed tunic with baggy jeans, but my take on her quirky-meets-romantic pairing will include DL1961's 100-percent linen trousers that look just like my favorite denim.
Or Lace Layers
Building on the previous note about fashion's fascination with lots of lace, this CFW guest wore an open, sheer, floral-embroidered dress over white linen pants. Her clever summer layering trick embraced the long-standing boho revival while adding a touch of romance to her otherwise neutral trousers. The silk hair scarf and '80s-style button earrings added expressive touches.
A Prepster Slant
Another amusing little quirk that fashion editors have is wearing their sweaters the wrong way. Whether looped around the waist, styled into a makeshift scarf, or draped over the shoulders like a total yuppie, it instantly adds character to any outfit. This Paris Fashion Week attendee perfectly demonstrated the knitwear styling trick by knotting a taupe cardigan over a tee and pairing it with front-pleat khaki trousers.
