Purple and Brown Outfits

Purple and Brown Outfits

Purple and brown is the unexpected fall pairing. Violet knits and silk, deep brown coats and trousers, and shoes and bags in both colors.

Purple and brown sounds like an odd couple until you see it. The brown makes purple look richer, and the purple makes brown feel less serious. Think of a bunch of violets in a wooden bowl. Lilac and violet work best with lighter browns, while deep plum looks lovely with chocolate.

I like purple in knits and silk, where the color looks deep rather than loud. Loewe's ribbed wool sweater is a bright violet with a brown plush collar, which is this whole story in one piece. Valentino's virgin wool sweater has a lace trim at the neck, and Alémais's Reggie cardigan is a soft lilac mohair with a sequin flower.

For something to wear out, Alessandra Rich's silk crepe de chine midi skirt is a straight violet column, and Willy Chavarria's wool midi dress is sleeveless and very simple. Christopher Esber's Loophole dress is a plum corduroy mini, and Pauline Dujancourt's Alyona blouse is a dusky purple silk with a tie. Still Here's Cool jeans are a deep purple denim at $325.

A purple sweater with brown trousers is the easiest way to try this. It looks planned without much fuss. The Loewe sweater with the Another Tomorrow trousers is the pairing I'd buy first.

Collage of purple and brown pieces from this edit, with a mood photo

Purple pieces

Deep brown is what keeps purple from feeling too sweet. It works the way black would, but it's warmer.

Max Mara's Tebe cape is a dark brown alpaca and wool fleece, the kind of thing you'd throw on over everything. Simkhai's Cassia jacket is a short brown shearling with a fur collar. Khaite's Karla top in Chestnut is a ribbed, sleeveless knit with a high neck, and Ulla Johnson's Camille sweater has ruffled cuffs.

For the bottom half, Another Tomorrow's pleated wool-blend trousers are a warm mid-brown at $850, and Cult Gaia's Wynn pant comes in a shade called Java. The Nadine skirt, also from Cult Gaia, is long and dark brown at $218. Simkhai's Lavina sweater is off-the-shoulder and ribbed.

Texture matters here as well. Shearling, fleece and ribbed knits in brown make purple silk look even richer.

Brown trousers with a purple knit, or a purple skirt with a brown turtleneck, is where I'd begin.

Deep brown pieces

Shoes and bags let you choose which color leads. A purple bag with a brown coat, or brown boots with a purple dress.

Alaïa's Le Coeur bag is a violet suede heart on a thin strap, and Versace's Pivot bucket bag is lilac suede trimmed with burgundy leather. For brown, Mansur Gavriel's Everyday Soft tote is chocolate suede at $895, and Cult Gaia's Goodie wristlet is a small walnut wood bag on a gold chain.

Chloé's Zia sandals are purple with a brown strap and a chain. Loeffler Randall's Marsy 75 wedges are knotted purple suede. Suede suits both colors, which is why so many of the pieces here are suede. Khaite's Nevada boot is dark brown nappa leather with a low heel, and Mansur Gavriel's Glove slip-on is a soft chocolate flat at $495.

One colored accessory is plenty. If the bag is purple, keep the shoes brown.

Purple and brown shoes and bags

Our honest take

Purple and brown takes a bit of nerve the first time, but it's easier to wear than most bright color pairings, because brown does so much of the calming down.

What I'd skip: bright, cool purple with an orange-toned brown, which can look muddy, and shiny purple satin in large amounts. I'd also skip buying a purple coat before you've tried the color in a sweater. Gold jewelry looks especially warm with purple and brown, if you want one more layer.

If you take one thing away, it's this: let brown do most of the work and add purple in one piece. A violet knit with chocolate trousers, or a purple bag with a brown coat, is enough to make the pairing feel new.