If you love dark brown, this is your year…
Dark brown is “having a moment,” and I’m here for it!
If you’ve been looking for an alternative to black and navy, this season’s rich browns may help add some variety to your neutrals. I think brown is often an underrated neutral, and can look very chic and elegant. While we tend to think of brown as a “warm” color, there is a dark brown for every seasonal palette.
Here are a few of my picks, by season. Because the differences in this color can be subtle, and not always accurate online, I’m only including pieces I’ve seen in person.
Dark browns for every seasonal palette
The Eileen Fisher color “Cassis” is a slightly purplish brown, and a good match for “cocoa” in the Summer palette.
If you prefer to keep darker colors below the waist, here are everyone’s favorite washable stretch crepe pants, also in Cassis. They’re offered in Misses lengths up to 3X and in Petites.
More in Cassis…
Springs & Autumns, we share the same dark brown. This corduroy blazer is “our” dark brown. It runs true-to-size, and is more fitted than many Madewell jacket styles.
This “Coffee” color from Eileen Fisher is spot on for Springs & Autumns in the ponte knit and other knit fabrics. But in the corduroy, it skew more toward Winter’s “bittersweet” brown.
This teddy sherpa jacket in “Deep Chocolate” is a perfect match with the dark brown in the Spring & Autumn palettes. (It’s also 30% off with code SHOPNOW.)
Here are a few more Spring & Autumn dark browns…
Winters, your dark brown is VERY dark, and cool.
In person, the jacket is even darker than in this image.
This image is a better representation of the Coffee color, IMO. As you can see, “almost black.” There’s also a wide-leg style in this color.
Shoes are currently easier to find in Winter’s dark brown than clothes.
These are good looking and very comfortable. They run true-to-size.
I think dark brown looks elegant in combination with other neutrals, but it can also work well with other colors in your palette.
Do you have dark brown in your wardrobe?
More dark browns…
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Love these browns! So hard to find!! Also happy to see you are now consulting. Any chance you can do via emails??
Hi susan, at the moment I’m only doing in-person color analysis. However in the coming months I will be offering more wardrobe and styling services via Zoom.
Thank you for the review on the “browns!” I wondered if you have ever hand washed the sweater jacket from J Crew? I’m also very excited about upcoming wardrobe and styling services;)
Super interesting, thanks. I love the Wintry brown you’ve shown — so pretty.
A comment on Eileen Fisher’s Cassis, which you feature. It really is a unique color — I think you either love it or hate it, as I’ve seen some crazy comments on it. In person, and widely varying by fabric, the color ranges from a brown-purple to a burgundy to some kind of wine color. The name cassis refers, in real life, to the blackcurrant berry, so I assume an EF designer thought it was a berry shade. IMO, this color is more brown than berry.
Reminds me of eggplant.
I’m a summer and recently purchased Eileen Fisher terry wide leg pants in cassis. I felt the matching top made the overall outfit to dark for me, so I returned the top. The color tea rose however with cassis looks great with the pants. I’m enjoying your posts that show different color combinations based on season. Thanks and good luck with your color business!
Susan, I have several EF pieces in the cassis color and love them, but would not call them brown, at all. I’m a summer palette. Most charts list cocoa brown as good. I look for colors with a lot of grayness. It’s a difficult palette to shop for as I’m also petite, to add to the challenge. I look forward to your color consultation insights. It’s fascinating!
That’s interesting. Some of the pieces I’ve seen definitely look like a purplish brown to me, but if they work for you, that’s what matters. 😉
Susan, I so appreciate that you are sharing colors you have seen yourself. I’ve looked at the browns in Eileen Fisher online, and was not at all confident about their actual color. Especially cassis. It’s exciting to see some browns for winters. I love to wear dark brown and pale lavender together. And brown shoes are a boon, they don’t read as “matchy” as some other colors can.
So happy brown is having its moment! One of my favorite colors.
I like brown but have only two brown items in my wardrobe. Let’s see whether I can correct that.
Greetje
I am enjoying the return of brown, but as a warm autumn, I keep to warm coffee and rustier tones.
So much out there presently to choose from , as well as what I have added to my closet over the past two years. Dark brown is for pants only with warmer tones up top.
Thanks for this ,Susan. Really helpful showing the varied colour seasons .
Long ago, 1976, I dressed in browns and burgundy which were prevalent that fall. Although I was a happy new Mummy, I looked tired and dull. Had no idea that it was those dark tones near my face that
were doing me no favours! Even wore darker lipstick. Finally clued in, and found brighter colours to wear.
I’ve been craving brown. Thanks for showing all these options. I am still working on my colors. I would love to come for a color analysis and maybe I can do that in the spring.
I have a strong dislike for brown. The brown pants are pretty. I recently bought an eggplant color Eileen Fisher pleated skirt secondhand. I am also interested in rust as a likely Autumn with natural orange hair.
Susan, would you share how you care for the Eileen Fisher stretch crepe pants?
I wash them in the machine in cold water. I usually line dry them but they can be tumble dried on low.