We’ve all stood there, gazing into the mirror, wondering whether it’s socially acceptable to wear black pants with a brown jacket. Many of us rely on black more than anything else. Black goes with just about anything—wearing it will never steer you wrong. Surprisingly, brown is just as classic and adaptable. So, do the two create harmony? Can you wear a brown jacket with black pants?
The answer is yes, you can wear a brown jacket with black pants. In fact, some of the most stylish combinations include brown and black paired together. As both are neutral shades, the union was basically foreordained.
On the other hand, it’s likely you’ve seen plenty of brown and black combinations that simply did not look aesthetically pleasing. This problem most often comes alongside a man’s effort to pair a typical brown jacket from 1982 with unfitted black pants, which is seldom the way to go about things.
To ensure that you feel confident enough to pair the two colors and leave the house, I’m going to discuss why they work well together. As a bonus, I’ll describe the primary customs behind wearing brown with black and pitch you some style approaches.
Fashion’s Brown-and-Black Rule
The fashion world holds a significant amount of power in terms of clothing practices. Whatever the fashion industry says typically goes. Various social guidelines have been put in place, and most are still in use to this day. Even so, most of them have to do with wearing certain colors: only wear a belt that is the same color as your shoes, make sure your socks match your tie, don’t wear white after Labor Day, and plenty of others.
At the top of the list is the rule of not wearing brown with black, which became widely accepted across the board of style in the past and has, unfortunately, bled into today’s fashion customs. However, it’s absolutely not valid, especially in men’s fashion. I mean, it’s 2021—there are hundreds of black-and-brown style combinations that merely solidify my opinion.
Brown and black, especially when worn with purpose, make for the perfect pair. It’s not unconventional to combine the two neutrals—to tell you the truth, the duo creates a look that encompasses your sophistication and coolness.
After all, you have the power to decide whether you look stylish or not. The definition of fashion is the clothes you wear, and the meaning of style is how you wear them. Regardless, whatever you feel the most confident in is both in-style and socially acceptable. Although the rule against brown and black is yet to be completely null and void, the good news about fashion is that its rules are meant to be broken. Wearing brown with black may still be a mundane color combination for many, but it doesn’t have to be that way for you.
Wearing A Brown Jacket With Black Plants
Toss out all of the color dos and don’ts of fashion that sit in the back of your mind telling you that you look like you got dressed in the dark. Brown with black creates a sleek, classic look without looking too overpowering. Not to mention, successfully uniting brown and black is a bold move that makes you look extra confident, even if you don’t feel that way.
Despite the diversity of opinions, it’s only natural that this fashion practice maintains its own customs. And it’s certainly more aesthetically pleasing to break the brown-and-black rule in correspondence to its guidelines. In some circumstances, wearing brown with black can quickly become a catastrophe; thus, the initial rule against the idea. All rules can’t merely be tossed out the window—confidence can’t fix all color mishaps. But, if you keep these tips in mind, you’ll never have to question whether pairing a brown jacket with black pants is the acceptable standard.
Best Practices
Firstly, keep to only neutrals. Brown and black go best together when there are fewer bold colors meshed into the mix. The neutral hues are best complemented by supplementary neutrals, including colors like cream, gray, or khaki. Stick to earth tones, and you won’t go wrong.
Mix clothing items based on the level of formality rather than focusing too much on the color combination. Match the casual jacket with more casual pants and the dressier blazer with dressier pants. Also, it’s always a reliable plan to ensure that your pants and jacket are both fitted well; this can make a world of difference.
Pick a (neutral) patterned material that includes both brown and black. This makes for a smoother transition between the brown jacket and black pants. You can even add a patterned pant to a solid jacket, or vice versa.
If you’re still a bit hesitant to wear a brown jacket with black pants, start with more of a subtle brown hue. Nude or beige pairs beautifully with black and can make for a less intimidating transition into pairing black with deeper shades of brown.
Outfit Ideas For Combining Brown And Black
Let’s face it, men’s fashion allows you to wear anything, as long as you execute it reasonably. That said, particular wardrobe pieces are an obvious essential when it comes to creating a solid, fashionable outfit. If you’re looking to wow your coworkers or your friends, dad jeans just might not do the trick. It’s fundamental to find the appropriate style of clothes, shoes, and accessories to ensure that you create the look you’re going for.
In case you’re on the hunt for what style of jacket suits a particular style of pants, I’ll cover some of the most in-favor combinations that will certainly leave you with a sophisticated, handsome brown and black getup.
A Brown Leather Jacket With Black Denim
A classic, signature look comprises of a clean, brown leather jacket and black denim. Paired with a solid white tee and nice pair of boots, the brown and black create a classy-yet-edgy look that will make you feel rugged and masculine all at once. Don’t be afraid to get creative—layer a light-blue denim button-down or even a beige turtleneck under your leather to mix it up alongside the weather. If you’re shooting more along the lines of a dressed-down trend, toss on a gray zipper hoodie and some white sneakers. Slipping on some sunglasses, a scarf, or a hat never hurt anyone, either.
A Tan Blazer With Black Pants
Blazers are a fundamental piece of a man’s wardrobe. For a staple, endless look that will never go out of style, try pairing a brown blazer with black dress pants. A nude or khaki-hued jacket makes for the perfect addition to this timeless trend. Make it informal by wearing a basic tee and losing the belt. Create a vintage nostalgia with a checked, brown suit coat—no weave is off-limits. If you’re on the hunt for a classy and comfortable combo, dress down your formal blazer, shirt, and tie with a clean pair of black skinny jeans. Top it off with some brown or black tassel loafers and opt for a no-show sock—ankles are in.
A Brown Shearling Jacket With Black Pants
Shearling jackets are not only authentic timepieces that lead us on a journey to the beginning of mankind, but they also make for a masculine, off-duty outfit that will keep you warm in even the coldest temperatures. You can wear shearling with absolutely anything—especially black pants.
A camel-colored jacket will provide you with a cherry on top of the classic black, monochromatic look that is completely versatile and fit for any occasion. Layer a dark brown shearling jacket over a white tee and a buffalo-check flannel, then complement your top half with some solid black jeans. But don’t forget to top it off with some quality Chelsea boots. You can even follow in Kanye’s footsteps and complement an espresso shearling with a burgundy hoodie and black pants. The options are endless.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. You most certainly can wear a brown jacket with black pants. In fact, you probably should mingle the two. Title yourself a trendsetting rulebreaker by taking the brown-and-black plunge. While there are plenty of opinions that claim the two are unfit for each other, the proof is truly in the pudding. The combination of colors that you wear is hardly important; instead, it’s how you wear them that genuinely counts. Dress up or dress down—regardless, brown and black are a beautiful duo that you can always rely on.
If you’ve made it this far without clicking away, I’m just going to assume that you enjoyed this article. If that’s the case, it might be safe to believe that you’ll take my advice and wear more brown with black. If you decide against the color combination, at least subscribe to our email list! You can have access to even more of our fashion articles and help yourself to the plethora of answers that lie within. We’d love to keep you hooked.
