Certain shirt colors look good in so many different settings they become an essential wardrobe staple. But color-matching them properly doesn’t become any less important.
So, here are the pants colors that look best with a grey shirt:
- Black
- Navy Blue
- Khaki
- Olive Green
- Burgundy
- Maroon
- White
That’s the short answer, but there’s more to it.
After going through some essential tips for color coordinating to perfection, we’ll run through some great combinations you can try out for yourself.
Let’s get to it.
How To Color Coordinate Grey Shirts With Pants
These aren’t “rules”, but should be considered guidelines at the very least. Consider all of them before choosing a pair of pants to wear with your grey shirt.
1. Consider The Shade Of The Grey Shirt
A “grey shirt” can look very different depending on the shade we’re working with it.
Is it light, medium, or dark grey?
The shade of grey may partly determine the color of pants you should go for.
It comes down to the contrast between light and dark.
When wearing a light grey shirt, you’ve got the option of going for a light-colored pair of pants for a low-contrast look. For example, a light grey shirt with khaki, olive green, or white pants.
Alternatively, you could go for a light grey shirt with a dark-colored pair of pants for a high contrast look. For example, a light grey shirt with black, navy, or maroon pants.
The same principle applies when wearing a dark grey shirt. You’ve got the option of going for a high-contrast combo or a low-contrast one.
In general, the more contrast you’ve got between the shirt and the pants, the more eye-catching and attention-grabbing the outfit will come across.
2. Consider The Dress Code
Grey shirts should be worn with pants in neutral colors when dressing for more formal settings. Eg. black, navy blue, or khaki. They can be worn with pants in more vibrant colors in more casual settings. Eg. olive green, maroon, or burgundy.
So, the dress code matters.
Even if the setting you’re dressing for doesn’t have an explicit dress code, it’s usually pretty simple to gauge the general vibe and formality.
If you think there’s a risk of underdressing, go for neutral-colored pants.
If you think you’ve got more freedom to experiment with pants colors, consider a more vibrantly colored pair of pants instead.
3. Consider The Color Wheel
The color wheel can be helpful when color-matching shirts with pants.
However, it’s worth noting that grey doesn’t appear anywhere on the color wheel because it’s neutral.
Essentially, you could pair a grey shirt with pants in any of the colors on the color wheel and it would work.
The reason it would still be worth considering the color wheel here is that it gives you an idea of what “warm” and “cool” colors you can choose from.
In general, warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) are more vibrant, eye-catching, and summer/spring-friendly.
Cool colors (greens, blues, purples) are more laid-back, relaxed, and winter/fall-friendly.
All of these colors would look more casual than simply going for a neutral pair of pants.
But in more casual or smart-casual settings, this may be what you want.
In general, go for dark or muted shades of these colors to keep things subtle.
For example, instead of a light, bright, and bold shade of red, go for burgundy or maroon.
Grey Shirt And Pants Combinations
Here are some great combinations you could try out for yourself. You’ll notice that certain combinations look dressier than others.
Grey Shirt With Black Or Navy Pants
Color Scheme: Dark Neutrals
Dress Code: Formal, Business-Professional, Business-Casual, Smart-Casual
A grey shirt can be worn with black or navy blue pants in a wide variety of settings ranging from business-professional to smart-casual ones. Dark and neutral colors such as these give you the benefit of versatility.
If you ever feel as though there’s a risk of underdressing, these would be the safest options.
A similarly dressy option would be to go for a monochromatic combination.
For example, a light grey shirt with a dark grey pair of pants or vice versa.
When dressing for work (eg. in business-professional workplaces), a light grey shirt would usually work best, while a dark grey shirt can work well for dressy evening social settings.
Grey Shirt With Khaki Pants
Color Scheme: Light Neutrals
Dress Code: Business-Casual, Smart-Casual
A grey shirt can easily be worn with khaki pants in business-casual and smart-casual settings. However, the combination usually wouldn’t be appropriate in formal or business-professional settings.
Khaki is an incredibly versatile color that is, in many ways, considered neutral in the world of men’s style.
The reason for this is that it’s very easy to pair with other items given how muted it is, despite having noticeably warm undertones.
Khaki pants are a staple of business-casual attire and can easily be worn to office parties, conferences, etc.
They’d also be perfectly acceptable in smart-casual settings where you’ve got a lot more options when it comes to pants colors.
However, if you feel as though you need to dress up a little more (eg. formal/business-professional settings), a dark and neutral pair of pants would usually be better.
So, what other items could wear with a grey shirt and khaki pants combo? Consider these:
- A black or dark grey blazer or sports coat
- A white pocket square
- Brown Derby shoes (brogue or non-brogue)
Grey Shirt With Maroon Or Burgundy Pants
Color Scheme: Warm
Dress Code: Smart-Casual
A grey shirt would look great with maroon or burgundy pants in smart-casual settings where vibrant colors such as these wouldn’t risk underdressing.
As you can see, a pair of pants in these colors would be a whole lot more eye-catching and attention-grabbing than the more neutral options in the previous examples.
Because of this, they’d really only be suitable in smart-casual settings. Avoid the combination in formal, business-professional, and even business-casual settings.
This is an example of a “warm” colored pair of pants. Going a step further, it’s an example of a dark and muted shade of a warm color (i.e red).
While you could go for a dark and muted shade of different warm color (eg. burnt orange or mustard yellow), burgundy and maroon are usually the best options.
They’re commonly seen and so won’t draw too much attention. But at the same time, they’re different enough from the usual neutrals to make a subtle statement.
Grey Shirt With Olive Green Pants
Color Scheme: Cool
Dress Code: Business-Casual, Smart-Casual
Olive green pants can be worn with a grey shirt in smart-casual settings, as well as the more casual of business-casual settings.
While it isn’t quite as dressy as black, navy, or khaki-colored pants, olive green pants are muted enough to often be considered appropriate for business-casual events.
It’s a dressier option than a pair of maroon or burgundy pants.
They work especially well during the winter and fall months, but can quite comfortably be worn year-round and still look great.
Here, we’ve got an example of a pair of “cool” colored pants working exceptionally well with a grey shirt.
It goes to show just how wide the range of possible pants colors you can choose from really is. A grey shirt is extremely versatile.
However, it also shows how muted colors tend to work better than bolder ones. Olive green is no exception.
Grey Shirt With White Pants
Color Scheme: Light Neutrals
Dress Code: Smart-Casual
A grey shirt can be worn with white pants in smart-casual settings. Given how light the pair of pants will look in comparison, the result is a high-contrast combination that’s sure to draw attention.
It can look great, but should only be worn to casual or smart-casual events.
While white is definitely a neutral color, the contrast produced is too high to be considered appropriate in dressier settings such as business-professional or business-casual ones.
It can look great, but shouldn’t be worn inappropriately.
Conclusion
While you’ve clearly got plenty of options, restricting your choices to a few classics is usually the best way to go.
Consider the dress code, as well as the shade of the grey shirt you’re wearing when choosing a pair of pants.
Enjoy.
Ready Sleek founder. Obsessed with casual style and the minimalist approach to building a highly functional wardrobe. Also a fan of classic, vintage hairstyles.
