What goes with brown?

[punkinberry]

Over Christmas, I bought a pair of very dark brown pants. I have one sweater that is cream and brown, but I am now realizing I have no idea what other colors to wear with brown. Am I stuck with wearing brown with brown? Is red acceptable with brown? Ack!

Comments

[punkinberry]

Pastels? No wonder I've never worn brown...

I've got some greens, though, I'll try those. Thanks!

[starkraving_mad]

Also, if it's a darker brown, jewel tones also would go very well.

[punkinberry]

I've got tons of jewel tones! And it is a very dark brown, I guess you'd call it chocolate.

[sunqist]

This is why I always wear black, all the time. This is also why Yul Brynner wore white for the last twenty years of his life. La!

[punkinberry]

I'm not even sure why I bought these pants, other than the grey and black looked really nice, so I thought, "Why not try brown?" Now I know why: I have nothing to go with it!

All black, all the time isn't appropriate for a law firm in Chicago. Maybe I'll get lucky and be posted somewhere really goth...

This probably doesn't help much...

[starkraving_mad]

But it pretty much comes down to, put it on together and see if it looks good. If you put it on and think, I'm not so sure about this, don't wear it. As for the brown with brown, outfits made of multiple shades of the sam color can sometimes be stunning. The key to those is that the shades have a decent range, as opposed to shades only slightly off from each other. (ie dark brown pants, brown shoes, tan shirt, light brown jacket)

[punkinberry]

I have learned over the years that color combinations which I enjoy mightily are not considered appropriate for a professional environment. So the "I'm not so sure about it" test is pretty much useless for me. :( But thanks!

[starkraving_mad]

So maybe the thing to do is get a friend whose fashion sense you trust and have them come over to look at the pants with some of your shirts. You wouldn't necessarily have to try them on since you already know the pants and shirts both fit; you're just trying to look at the colors together.

[punkinberry]

"Hey, Martha? Wanna come over and help me color-coordinate my pants?"

"Sure, Heather. Right after I organize my sock drawer and wash my hair."

[crainefish]

Turquoise? Sort of a western-ish look?
And orange. Definitely orange.

[punkinberry]

You hate me, don't you? Orange?!?

[crainefish]

Um...no, why? An orange T-shirt under a brown jacket should look nice. Doesn't have to be a bright orange.

[punkinberry]

Orange. *shudder* I've never, ever worn orange. Orange is scary.

[scurvee]

How about a light blue? No navy blue, though, that's like something my mom tends to do and it's gross. Moss green is nice, or just a light beige. Pink is good, but I can't see you digging the pink too much. Just no navy blue, black or beige.

[punkinberry]

Well, if I'm gonna wear stupid brown, I may as well wear stupid pink with it. Are you sure light blue goes with dark brown? That just seems really dated in my mind, even older than grey and pink together...

[scurvee]

Depends how you do it. If you try it on and it looks hideous to you, even if someone reassures you it looks great, don't wear it. Because lord knows if you think it looks awful, you will feel awful.

Pink is NOT STUPID! Oh, and you just reminded me that you could totally do a lavender with dark brown. Or camel. Why not? Whatever you try on and like is really the answer.

[punkinberry]

Dude, how is camel different from beige?