Brown items are generally easy to combine given how neutral they come across. But it’s no secret that certain colors just tend to work better with it.
So, here are some great shirt colors you can wear with dark brown pants and jeans:
- Black
- Blue
- White
- Pink
- Green
- Grey
- Mustard
That’s a nice and simple list, but there’s more to it than that.
To figure out the best shirt color to wear with your dark brown pants, it’s important to consider a few factors.
We’ll go through those first, before diving headfirst into pics and descriptions of the shirt colors themselves.
How To Color-Match Dark Brown Pants And Jeans With Shirts
You’ve got plenty of options, but there’s a good chance that one or two of them would be better for your specific circumstances.
1. Consider The Setting
The setting and dress code will influence the shirt color you choose to wear with your dark brown pants or jeans. The dressier the setting, the more likely it is that a neutral shirt color would be more appropriate.
Dark brown pants can be worn in a wide range of settings, but shouldn’t be worn to truly formal settings where the colors black, charcoal, and navy reign supreme.
In short, dark brown pants are better suited to smart-casual and business-casual settings where there’s less risk of underdressing.
Of course, the setting will impact the style of dark brown pants you choose to wear:
- Smart-Casual – Dark brown jeans, twill pants, or chinos.
- Business-Casual – Dark brown chinos or dress pants.
But the setting will also impact the shirt color you choose.
If you’re wearing dark brown pants to a business-casual setting, it’s likely that a light and neutral shirt color would be better.
So, white, light grey, or light blue.
If you’re wearing dark brown pants in a smart-casual setting, you’ve got the freedom to go for a bolder and more vibrant color (eg. green, pink, burgundy) if you wanted to.
2. Low Contrast Vs High Contrast
A low-contrast combination would be pairing dark brown pants with a dark-colored shirt (eg. dark grey, burgundy, forest green).
A high-contrast combination would be combining dark brown pants with a light-colored shirt (eg. light grey, blush pink, sky blue).
In business-casual settings, you’re generally better off going for light and neutral shirt colors.
But in smart-casual settings, you’ve got the freedom to choose between a low-contrast and a high-contrast combination.
In general, high contrast combinations are a little more eye-catching and attention-grabbing.
Low contrast combinations are a little more subtle.
However, it’s also worth bearing in mind that wearing a dark brown pair of pants with a dark-colored shirt (eg. black or navy) would lead to a pretty dark aesthetic overall.
This tends to look better for evening events, although this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule.
3. Consider The Season
While it’s important to not overthink seasonality, certain shirt colors tend to look better in certain seasons.
If you’re simply going for a neutral shirt color (white, grey, or black), ignore this section.
But if you’re wearing a non-neutral color, do consider the season – even just a little.
Dark brown pants are great because they can be worn year-round. It’s generally considered a neutral color although it does have warm undertones due to the yellow/orange base.
Ultimately, any shirt color could potentially pair very well with it.
“Warm” shirt colors (eg. reds, oranges, yellows, pinks) tend to work better during the warmer months of spring and summer. They’re vibrant and bold.
“Cool” shirt colors (eg. blues, greens, purples) are more relaxed and laid-back. They often look better with dark brown pants during the cooler months of fall and winter.
6 Dark Brown Pants And Shirt Combinations
So, here are some great combinations you can try out for yourself.
Dark Brown Pants With A Black Shirt
Dress Code: Smart-Casual
Dark brown pants can be worn with a black shirt to smart-casual events. The dark aesthetic is effortlessly sophisticated.
It’s pretty hard to go wrong with this one, but it works especially well in dressy evening smart-casual settings.
The dark brown pants blend exceptionally well with the black shirt while still being different enough to easily distinguish the two items.
In dressier settings, you could consider a black dress shirt/OCBD with a pair of dark brown dress pants or chinos.
In more casual settings, you could wear a black polo or Henley with a pair of dark brown jeans or cargo pants.
The options are endless. What matters is that dark brown and black pair exceptionally well with each other.
Dark Brown Pants With A Blue Shirt
Dress Code: Smart-Casual Or Business-Casual
Dark brown pants can be worn with shirts in both light and dark shades of blue. A light blue shirt would be a better option in business-casual settings, while darker shades such as navy are better suited to smart-casual events.
While the dress code is the main thing to consider when choosing a shade of blue, it’s also important to consider how much contrast you want.
If you’d prefer a low-contrast, subtle, and effortlessly elegant smart-casual aesthetic, a navy blue shirt worn with dark brown pants would be a great way to go.
Similar to a black shirt, but a little more eye-catching.
Dark Brown Pants With A White Shirt
Dress Code: Smart-Casual Or Business-Casual
A white shirt can confidently be worn with dark brown pants in a variety of settings including business-casual and smart-casual ones.
In many ways, a white shirt would be your easiest option.
Sure, it coordinates with dark brown pants without even needing to think about it.
But it also allows you to add additional pops of color to your outfit without needing to worry about coordination.
For example, you could wear a white shirt, dark brown pants, and a vibrant burgundy blazer.
The white shirt will sit quietly in the background of the outfit while the burgundy blazer is allowed to take the focus.
That’s the beauty of going for light and neutral shirt colors such as white.
Dark Brown Pants With A Grey Shirt
Dress Code: Smart-Casual Or Business-Casual
Both light and dark grey shirts can be worn with dark brown pants in an effective neutral combination.
While a grey shirt is a little bolder than a white one, it’s still extremely neutral and easy to pair with other items.
In much the same way as a white shirt, you could easily add pops of color on top in the form of a blazer or something else entirely (assuming the setting is casual enough to allow for this).
Dark Brown Pants With A Pink Shirt
Dress Code: Smart-Casual
Dark brown pants can be combined with pink shirts in smart-casual settings. The warm undertones of pink pair extremely well with the subtle but noticeable warm undertones of dark brown.
You’ll immediately notice how a pink shirt looks a whole lot more casual than a white or grey shirt does when wearing dark brown pants.
Pink is not neutral. It’s bold, vibrant, and warm.
Dark brown is nearly neutral, but given its yellow/orange base, it should be considered at least partly on the warm spectrum.
Consider wearing a pink shirt with dark brown pants during the spring or summer where the vibrance of the pink shirt is really allowed to shine.
Dark Brown Pants With A Green Shirt
Dress Code: Smart-Casual
Dark brown pants can be worn with a green shirt in smart-casual settings, with the combination working especially well in the fall and winter.
The earthy tones of the green and brown combination tend to look best during the fall, but ultimately, the colors are versatile enough to be worn year-round.
Dark and muted shades of brown work especially well – these include sage and olive.
While it’s sometimes said that olive green can be worn in more formal settings given how muted it is, in general, it’s best to reserve it for smart-casual settings.
At the end of the day, it won’t ever look as formal as a white or light blue dress shirt.
Conclusion
A pair of dark brown pants is surprisingly versatile, although it isn’t quite as commonly seen.
When it comes to a shirt color to go with it, you aren’t short of options.
However, it’s always important to consider the dress code, the contrast, and even the season when choosing the perfect pairing.
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.
