Brown is a great neutral color that comes in many shades. Brown clothing usually comes out in the fall, which is also the best time to wear brown because of the other warm tones that come out that time of year. But, you can also wear brown any time of the year. This raises the question of what colors can go with brown clothes to create the perfect outfit.
The best colors to wear with brown are:
- White
- Blue
- Gray
- Black
- Purple
- Yellow
Like brown, these colors come in different shades and hues. The key is to pair the right colors with the right shades of brown.
In this article, we’ll dive into each of these colors and why they work well with brown. I’ll also give you some ideas about what to wear with a brown top or pants, including how to style specific colors. Finally, we’ll discuss what jewelry goes best with brown as well.
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What Colors Go with Brown Clothes?
Many colors can work well with brown clothes. But it’s important to remember that brown comes in many different shades. So, you have to consider the shade of brown when deciding what colors work best with it.
Light brown clothing looks great with brighter colors, such as pink, blue, green, yellow, etc. Dark brown works well with darker colors such as navy blue, and darker shades and hues of green, orange, and red, for example.
Likewise, if the color brown is considered warm, you can wear it with other warm tones such as reds, oranges, and yellows. And lastly, brown works well with other neutrals such as black and white. Let’s look at some of the best colors to wear with brown in more detail.
White
Many people consider white to be one of the best colors to wear with brown. The reason is that it can work well in any season and with any shade of brown. That’s because white and brown are both neutrals, and you know what they say about neutrals going with anything. It also means you can pair brighter colors with white and brown, which helps accessorize.
In addition to white white, there are many shades that are similar such as cream or off-white. Other colors in the same family as white can also work with brown in any season. But cream and off-white look the best with darker shades of brown.
Blue
Blue is another color that can work well with brown, especially in the case of denim. Blue jeans and denim jackets work great with brown, but another great option is to pair chambray tops or even blue and white striped tops with brown pants, skirts, and shorts. This combo works well for spring and summer.
When pairing other shades of blue besides denim and chambray, it’s important to consider the shade of blue and the shade of brown. Generally, lighter shades of blue work best with darker shades of brown, and darker blues work with lighter browns.
Gray
As another neutral, gray is an excellent color to wear with brown, especially when you’re pairing brown with lighter shades of gray. Gray and brown work best when pairing a gray top with brown pants. Gray or gray and white patterned dresses also work well with brown shoes and accessories.
Although gray can look good with any shade of brown, it works best with medium and darker shades. If you wear dark gray, pair it with light brown. These two color schemes create the most contrast and visual appeal to outfits.
Black
Wearing brown with black used to be frowned upon. But times have changed, and now you can wear black with brown almost flawlessly. The two colors complement each other well and can create sophisticated looks when you pair them together.
Like gray and white, black is another neutral. Although there can be variations in the color of two black pieces of fabric, black generally only comes in one shade. As a result, it can also work with any shade of brown.
You can pair black tops with brown pants or brown pants with black tops. Black can be worn with light brown, warm brown, and dark brown. Wearing black and brown together is especially popular during the fall months.
Purple
Purple is a bit of an unexpected color to wear with brown, but the two colors work well together if you choose the right shades. Deep purple looks great with light brown and light purple works great with dark brown.
Since purple and brown are typically autumn colors, this is another color combo that looks stunning in autumn. You can even pair these colors with denim or white/cream to create other beautiful fall looks.
Yellow
When wearing yellow with brown, the brighter, the better. It’s not that brown is a drab and boring color, but wearing yellow with it can brighten up and add a bit of cheer to any outfit.
Mustard yellow is perhaps the best color pairing for brown in fall because it mimics the colors you would see in the environment around you.
Yellow offers quite the contrast with brown, especially with darker brown. The combo works best when you pair a yellow top with brown pants and skirts. But, you can pair brown coats with yellow dresses. Lighter shades of yellow pants/skirts work well with brown tops.
What Colors Match With Light Brown Clothes?
Light brown is one of the more versatile shades of brown because it can look good in any season and with pretty much any color. Darker shades of any color, but particularly colors such as pink, red, orange, and green, look good with light brown because of the contrast they create.
You can’t go wrong with darker shades of red, such as ruby and garnet, with light brown. Darker shades of green, such as olive and forest green, also look great with light brown. Burnt orange is a great pairing for brown during the fall months, but it can be hard to pull off any other time of year.
Finally, when talking about light brown, we can’t forget about khaki. Khaki is one of the lightest shades of brown you can wear, and it’s very common in the workplace. Khaki can work with any color, but it looks great with bright colors. You can also wear brightly patterned clothes with multiple colors in them with khaki and still look very put together.
How to Style a Brown Top
When it comes to brown clothing, there are usually two main options you have: brown tops and brown pants. Although finding a brown shirt isn’t as common as finding brown pants, there are plenty of them out there. But, it can be a bit harder to style brown since you don’t see as many outfits with brown tops.
Casual Brown Tops
The best way to style a casual brown top is with denim. But, you’ll want to wear denim that contrasts with the shade of brown you’re wearing. If the top is dark brown, pair light denim with it. If the top is light brown, pair darker brown with it. You can also opt for white jeans with any shade of brown.
Shades of medium brown or khaki can work well with any shade of denim. If you’re wearing a brown dress, try pairing it with a denim jacket. Again, just choose the denim wash based on the shade of brown you’re wearing.
Dressy Brown Tops
If the brown top is dressy, try pairing it with white pants. White pants can work with both light and dark shades of brown. But, you can also try shades of white, such as cream or off-white. Wearing pants in these colors looks great with tops that are darker brown.
Another great option for brown tops that are dressy is wearing pants in warm tones. The best warm color to wear with brown is yellow because it can go with any shade of brown. Warm shades such as red and orange can work well in certain seasons or with certain shades of brown. Just remember the pairing light shades with dark shades guidelines.
What to Wear With Brown Pants / Skirts / Leggings
Brown bottoms, such as pants, skirts, and leggings, are easier to style because you seem to have more options. Because there are so many options, we’ll look at specific outfit ideas instead of broader outfit categories like we did with the brown tops above.
White Tops
Remember that white is one of the best colors to wear with brown because it offers the most contrast and versatility. No matter what shade and style of brown pants you’re wearing, you can pair a white or cream-colored top with it. The same is true if you’re wearing brown skirts and leggings. Plus, white tops are not hard to come by and by buying white tops in different lengths and styles, you have various outfit ideas.
Denim Jackets
Just like you can pair denim pants with brown tops, you can also pair brown pants, skirts, and leggings with denim jackets. Of course, you’ll also need a top to go under the jacket. This is another outfit idea in which a white top can come in handy. You can also wear black, gray, or a lighter shade of brown with a denim jacket and brown pants.
Cool Tones
Another great option for brown pants, skirts, and leggings, is to pair them with cool tones. I’ve mentioned denim already but shades of blue work well with brown bottoms. Again, just pair lighter pants with darker tops and vice versa. The right combination of blue and brown can work in any season, with light and airy chambray tops in spring and summer and darker sweaters with brown pants in fall and winter.
Other cool tones that work well with brown pants are green and gray. Wearing a green top with dark brown pants is a great fall look, but wearing gray with brown can work year-round. Gray is another color in which you can find a lot of different styles of tops, so you’ll have many other outfit options if you go with gray.
Patterns/Plaids
Patterns and plaids with brown tones also go great with brown pants. The great thing about this combo is that the pattern or plaid can have any shade of brown in it and still look great. A common look is to wear plaid flannels with brown in them with brown pants and leggings, especially during fall.
Brown Leggings
Brown leggings deserve a separate heading because there are usually only certain things you can wear with leggings. With leggings, it’s best to wear longer shirts or dresses that cover your bottom. Long, white shirts and dresses look great with brown leggings. But, big, plaid, flannel shirts also look great with leggings for a casual and comfy look.
Brown and Pink Outfits
One color that I haven’t mentioned much is pink. Pink looks great with brown, but it’s similar to purple in that you need to make sure that the shades of pink and brown that you wear contrast with each other.
Pink and brown can make a great transition outfit from winter to spring or summer to fall, depending on the shade of pink you’re wearing. Light pink, rose gold, and blush shades look great with medium and warm browns, especially in the spring. Pink also works well with dark brown during the warmer months.
What Jewelry Goes Best with Brown?
Now that you’ve created your outfit utilizing brown tops or bottoms, you can focus on accessorizing with jewelry. If you like to wear simple jewelry or want to buy something that you can wear every day, then the best jewelry to buy are pieces that complement any color brown.
The best option for wearing with any shade of brown is gold jewelry. Gold jewelry has a warm tone that plays off the warm shades of brown in your outfit. Pearls and diamonds can also work well with any shade of brown if you want something more elegant.
If colored jewelry is more your style, then the best jewelry to wear with brown depends on the shade of brown and the color of the stone in the jewelry. In this case, you want to match the tone. Choose stones that mimic the shade of brown. That means wearing warm colored stones with warm browns and cool stones with cool browns.
The best stones to wear with warm shades of brown are peridot (light green), rose quartz (pink), garnet (red), and topaz or citrine (yellow). The best stones to wear with cool shades of brown are blue topaz, sapphire, aquamarine (all blue), and opal and moonstone for their white tones and iridescent glow. You can wear black and gray stones such as onyx and smoky quartz with any shade of brown.
What Colors Go Best With Brown?
In conclusion, neutral colors go best with brown because they can be paired with pretty much any shade. White is the best all-around color because it can work in any season. Gray and black also work well. When choosing other colors to wear with brown, you want to have contrast. That means pairing lighter colors with darker browns and darker colors with lighter browns.
I hope this guide made it easier for you to plan outfits utilizing brown. Brown can be tricky, but there are endless ways to make it work if you know what you’re doing. If you found this article helpful, share it with others and leave a comment. Thanks for reading!