Burgundy and chocolate brown is the richest-looking pairing of fall, two dark colors from the same warm family. These five outfits put burgundy leather, knits, jersey and ruffles with brown denim, cashmere, alpaca and suede. Keep chocolate brown and burgundy both dark, and mix the textures.
Burgundy and Chocolate Brown Outfits to Try This Fall
There is a shoe leather that is burgundy and brown at once. Horween's Color 8 shell cordovan, as Ashland Leather explains, is a deep brown-burgundy shade that has become what the word cordovan means, and it is the color that footwear brands like Alden and Allen Edmonds order most.
That tells you how close these two colors sit. Burgundy is a red with brown in it, and chocolate is a brown with a little red in it, so together they look like one rich, dark family instead of a contrast. It is the richest-looking pairing in this series, and it takes almost no effort.
A quick test: put a burgundy knit next to your brownest boot. If they look related, like cousins rather than strangers, keep going.
Two Burgundy Leathers, Two Browns
Métier's clutch is a flat envelope of burgundy leather with a small gold clasp, and Gucci's Boulevard pumps are the same color with a gold horsebit across the toe. For brown, Tory Burch's Romy bag is chocolate suede trimmed in leather, and The Row's Downtown belt is a slim brown leather strap with a silver buckle (the one thing here you will wear every day). Start with whichever color you own less of.
A Burgundy Cardigan and Brown Jeans
Lanvin's cardigan is burgundy wool with a neat crew neck and a bow detail, and it works best buttoned all the way up, as a sweater. Ossou's Noon jeans are dark brown denim, high-rise and straight, which is the easiest way to wear brown if you mostly live in jeans. Lemaire's chocolate leather boots and Dragon Diffusion's big woven brown tote keep everything in one warm, dark key. How to wear it: add nothing bright, not even a white tee at the neck.
Brown Cashmere, a Burgundy Knit Skirt
The Row's Ovida cardigan is dark brown cashmere with a deep V, and Alaïa's burgundy knitted skirt flares from the hip in fine pleats, so the whole outfit is soft knit from top to bottom. Manolo Blahnik's Maysli slingbacks are burgundy suede with a big square buckle, and Serapian's Mosaico tote is chocolate leather woven in a small mosaic pattern. What I would skip: a belt. The cardigan should hang loose over the skirt.
A Burgundy Set, a Brown Fuzzy Jacket
Maygel Coronel's Apertura set is a burgundy jersey crop top with sheer chiffon cape sleeves and a matching long skirt, and it is the evening outfit here. Altuzarra's Irving jacket goes over it: brown alpaca blend with a nubby texture, thin leather trim and no collar, so the cape still shows. Ferragamo's Nylu boots are tall chocolate nubuck on a slim heel, and Tom Ford's small shoulder bag is burgundy leather with a T-shaped clasp.
The Puff-Shoulder Blazer and a Ruffled Blouse
Destree's Amoako blazer is brown cotton drill with puffed shoulders, a stand collar and a long row of small buttons, a little Victorian in the best way. Dôen's Henri blouse is merlot cotton with ruffles down the front, and it peeks out at the neck. Nour Hammour's Garnier skirt is paneled brown suede to mid-calf, and Loeffler Randall's Tove flats are dark brown suede, gathered and soft. It is brown on brown with one ribbon of burgundy, which is how I like it best.
Chocolate Brown and Burgundy Outfit: Keep Both Dark
Burgundy and brown look best when both are deep. Wine, merlot and oxblood with chocolate, espresso and chestnut will always work, while a light tan can make burgundy look pink. Mix textures, because two flat dark colors can look heavy: suede with cashmere, leather with knit. If you are buying one piece, a burgundy knit is the easiest place to start, since most of us already own brown boots. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Cherry Red and Chocolate Brown Outfits to Try This Fall and Gray and Chocolate Brown Outfits to Try This Fall. Another warm pairing for fall is blush against cocoa, so I styled pink and brown fall outfits from cardigans to dresses.
