Never a man to back down from a conflict I asked why, in the wonderful but also rather terrible world in which we live, men in white jeans should be the subject of especial disgust. White being an increasingly common tone for attire, particularly in the spring and summer months, I was curious as to the distaste for white denim. Was it the case, I asked, that women in white denim caused similar feelings of revulsion? Apparently not. It was not, they meandered, “…something about them getting dirty” it was that men belonged in dark trousers; “If a male friend of mine tries on a pair of white jeans, I reject them immediately.”

White trousers have also been the subject of debate on my own blog where some have commented that I should not wear them in winter or, irrelevantly, “before Labor day.” Firstly, a bright, rainless winter’s day is a perfect opportunity to wear white trousers or denim and secondly, not being an American, ‘Labor Day’ is about as important to me as the breakfast of the tenant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. What I am interested in is style and, believe it or not, I happen to think that white trousers and yes, white denim, are handsome, striking and if worn correctly, flattering. White reflects heat and light which is why it is used so enthusiastically in the warmer periods, making it a sensible choice too.

The problem my companions had with jeans was unfathomable but I could only conclude that they had not seen them worn properly. Unlike classic indigo jeans, I believe white denim should be worn in a fitted style – baggy legs, baggy seat and excessive length are bad enough attributes without adding the eyecatching brightness of white. The second problem is that men, generally, wear jeans in a very casual context – T-shirts, trainers, hoodies etc. Again, adding such items to an ensemble is counterproductive; trainers in particular make almost any outfit look repulsive. White is a colour of respectability and nobility. Clean white cloth was one of the clear differences between a gentleman and the rest. It has always been worn by the wealthiest patrons of male fashion who, particularly in the early twentieth century, paired their white trousers with blazers and buck shoes.