How To Wear Brown

Sneaky, Subtle and Sophisticated: Brown Has Taken Over My Closet

Maybe it happened in the middle of the night. Sneaky and quiet. But somehow, brown is the unassuming color that has snuck into my closet. I mean, it’s not like it was ever uninvited. There was no “keep out, brown” sign. It just wasn’t a color I thought looked good on me: a pale blonde. And with so many bright and beautiful colors to compete with, anything in brown was never the top runner when I had saved enough money to buy a new item. So, if you asked me how much brown I owned, I would probably respond with “not much” or “you know, it’s just kind of a blah color on me.” It’s funny how our minds can convince us of something that isn’t a reality. What is a reality is that from tops to leather pants, to heels to crossbody bags – my closet is now close to 50% brown. I’m officially into brown! It’s time to start acknowledging and appreciating its worth in style. It’s time to start thinking of brown as the new black.

Brown can be used as a base to set the stage for other colors, but also a color that can stand on its own. Unlike its fellow neutral friends (black and white), it has so many different shades – chocolate, beige, tan, camel, nude, to name a few. At least one shade of brown complements almost every color in the rainbow. I love mixing camel with a bold orange or a jewel-tone. I love mixing dark brown with lighter shades, such as a soft yellow or pale pink. And while there could be an argument on whether nude is in the brown family or not, I see it as a member and would wear nude with bright red or cobalt blue.

What I found recently is that I love mixing shades of brown. With so many options, you don’t even have to introduce a different color if you don’t want to (and if you do, I love keeping the tone neutral with a subtle cream). Light and dark head-to-toe brown look is not just a luxurious and classic look, its wearable season round. The current safari trend is the perfect example, as we head from winter style to resort and spring.