Pink and brown fall outfits work best with blush cardigans, bright pink dresses and pink bags set against chocolate browns. I built five outfits, from a pink bag start to a suede coat with a pink sweater, and one rule: keep the brown deep.
Pink and Brown Outfits to Try This Fall
In late 1913 the Paris couturier Jeanne Paquin sketched a rose pink day dress with a draped hobble skirt and brown fur trimming. It is one of 57 designs she made for winter 1913 and 1914, now bound in a volume at the V&A. Pink with brown fur on a cold-weather dress is more than a hundred years old, which makes it hard to call a trend.
The reason it keeps coming back is simple. Brown is the dark, warm neutral that pink needs, because it makes blush look clean and makes bright pink look deliberate. Think of a pink ribbon on a box of dark chocolates, where nobody asks if the colors go together.
A quick test: hold a pink piece against a chocolate brown one near your face. If your skin looks warmer and the pink looks fresher rather than flat, you have the right pair. If the pink turns dull, try a cooler or brighter pink.
Begin With a Pink Bag
A small pink bag is the easiest way into this pairing, and Balmain's Pulse bucket is pale pink leather with gold hardware that reads as sweet and slightly grown up. Etro's studded leather belt is brown with a gold buckle, Loewe's Double L loafers are brown suede, and The Row's Round 90's bag is a brown leather barrel with a top handle. How to wear it: brown trousers, a cream or brown knit and the pink bag, nothing else pink. What I would skip is pink shoes with this one, because the bag is already the moment.
A Pink Cardigan, a Suede Skirt
Flore Flore's Poppy cardigan is a pale pink with a round neck and small buttons, and it is soft enough to wear over almost anything. Nour Hammour's Garnier skirt is paneled chocolate suede that flares at the hem and falls past the calf, which is the part that makes it feel like an outfit. Gucci's Bombshell GG ankle boots are brown suede with a laser-cut pattern and a slim gold heel, and Verafied's Eclair bag is brown calf hair. Button the cardigan all the way up.
A Brown Cardigan, Pale Pink Pants
This one flips the usual order. Sacai's scarf-detailed cardigan is brown wool with a black scarf that hangs from the neckline, and All Three's Tanya pants are a pale pink in a high-rise straight leg. Prada's suede ballet flats are dark brown, and Vivienne Westwood's Hazel bag is a pale pink shoulder bag with the orb at the front. How to wear it: let the cardigan hang open and keep the scarf loose so the brown has some movement.
A Pink Dress, a Brown Trench
Oscar de la Renta's midi dress is a strong pink wool blend with a tie neck, a belt and rolled sleeves, and it is the brightest thing in this edit. Almada's Sienna trench is paneled brown suede that belts at the waist, which keeps the pink from looking too polite. Khaite's Andee boots are brown suede with a block heel and Marc Jacobs' small pink leather bag picks the dress back up. What I would skip: a pink coat over this, since the trench is doing the contrast.
A Suede Coat, a Pink Sweater
The Row's Dakara coat is brown suede, long and boxy with a zip front, and it is the sort of coat you wear for ten years. Maison Kitsune's fox head sweater is a soft pink lambswool, and it looks great peeking out of the collar. Simkhai's wool midi skirt is a warm brown that flares a little, and Gucci's Savoy Horsebit pumps are pink canvas with gold hardware. The pumps are the only loud part, so I would keep the rest simple.
Keep the Brown Deep
If I had to give one rule for this pairing, it is to keep the brown deep. Chocolate, espresso and mocha make pink look fresh, while a washed-out tan can make it look faded. Put the brown in the larger pieces, like coats, skirts and trousers, and let pink come up near your face or in a small bag. If you only own one of the two, start with a pink knit, because most of us already have something brown to wear with it. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Pink and Chocolate Brown Outfits to Try This Fall and Pink and Black Outfits to Try This Fall.
