Brown Clothing Can Mesh With Any Color Now (No Thanks To Outdated Fashion Rules)

Fashion rules are made to be broken. If you grew up being told that you can't wear white after Labor Day, black and brown are too dark to pair together, and warm- and cool-toned hues should never be combined in one outfit, it's time to reevaluate. In 2023, let's finally toss the rule book into the fire along with all your other limiting beliefs, shall we? From now on, we believe in ourselves and we combine whichever colors we want.

Brown is a perfect example of a color that has been needlessly regulated for decades. When push comes to shove, brown is just another neutral. This means it can be paired with literally any color, including other neutrals. If you're struggling to shake the arbitrary rules of color pairing with brown hues, take a look at the following combinations. May they inspire you to step out of the box and live your truth, both in fashion and in life. 

We know this is hard to hear, but whoever told you that black and brown don't belong together was straight-up wrong. If the idea of dark on dark scares you, start with a light brown and go from there. Alternatively, you could pair a dark brown piece with a gray one for a similar effect.

If brown and yellow don't pair well, then why do they make up so much of the ground cover during autumn? Clearly, these two are a natural match. Stick to dark mustard or gold yellows if you're going for an earthy vibe, and reach for a brighter sunny hue if bold is your goal.

Speaking of Mother Earth's favorite color combinations, if eco-friendly was a pairing of two colors, those two colors would certainly be brown and green. If blending into the beautiful spring foliage sounds good to you this year, reach for a green or two to mix into your ensemble of brown staples.

If you've ever admired a classic black and white outfit but found that the combination looked too harsh or washed out your complexion, brown and cream is the neutral pairing for you. Consider it a soft, warm glow for your overall aesthetic. Tiny pops of color via accessories optional. 

Combining pink with brown can produce drastically different results, depending on tone and saturation, but every iteration can look fabulous. A true neutral brown paired with a pastel pink is the safest place to start, while a bright fuchsia or magenta with a warm brown is sure to turn heads. 

Torn between the softness of brown and cream and the crispness of black and white when you're mixing neutrals? Brown and white may be exactly the best-of-both-worlds combination that is meant for you. Consider adding some bright lipstick or a pair of fun earrings for a touch of unique personality. 

Brown is technically just a darker version of the color orange. Across from orange on the color wheel resides blue, making it the most complementary color to any hue in the orange family. From cobalt to baby blue, you literally can't go wrong with a blue and brown combination. Pair with the confidence of knowing that the (fashion) rules don't apply to you.