White jeans usually get filed under summer, and I think that is a mistake. In winter they do something no other trouser can. Against a dark coat and a grey sky they look clean and bright without any colour at all, and they make a very plain outfit look finished.

The rules I follow are simple. Go straight or slightly wide, never skinny, so the jean sits over a boot or breaks cleanly on a loafer. Choose a sturdier denim rather than a thin stretchy one. And if bright white feels like too much, cream or ecru is gentler and still does the job.

The coat is what turns white jeans into a winter outfit. It needs to be dark and it needs to be long, ideally past the knee, so that you get a strong column of colour with a strip of white underneath. That contrast is the whole point.

Khaite's Jelson in dark brown is my favourite example: belted, sharp in the shoulder, and long enough to cover most of the jean. Nili Lotan's Berns in black wool and the Marin trench do the same thing in a more classic way. If you prefer texture, Khaite's Rolon in black velvet and Nili Lotan's Cleophee shearling in dark brown are softer takes that keep the contrast. Charcoal works too, as Khaite's Manston and Romare show, though black and dark brown give the sharpest line.

What I would not do is pair white jeans with a pale coat in winter. Cream on cream can be beautiful in a photo, but on a grey street it loses its shape, and every splash from the pavement shows.

With the jeans and coat doing so much, the shoes should be quiet and a little masculine. A black loafer is the easiest answe.

An ankle boot is better on wet days. Khaite's Ona in black glazed leather has a slim heel and a pointed toe, which keeps a straight jean looking long. By Far's Este in brown suede is the softer choice at $490.

Then the sunglasses. It sounds like an afterthought, but a dark frame is what makes this look feel intentional rather than accidental, especially with the collar of a coat turned up. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Jeans for Tall Women and Jeans You Live in, Not Just Own.