Outfit Color Matcher: What Colors Go Together for Men’s Clothes

The colors that go together most easily in men’s clothes are the neutrals: navy, gray, white, khaki, brown and black. Build each outfit on one or two of them, add at most one stronger color, and keep the shirt clearly lighter or darker than the pants. For shoes, brown works with almost everything except black pants, and your belt should match your shoes. Pick your pants color in the matcher above to see the best shirt and shoe colors, the ones to skip and why.

Which colors go together for men’s clothes?

Navy, gray, white, khaki and brown go with almost every other color, so most good outfits are built on two of them. These five rules cover nearly every combination:

• Start with neutrals: navy, gray, white, khaki, brown and black work with almost every other color. Use them for the pants and shoes, the pieces you wear most.
• Three colors at most: pants, shirt and one accent (shoes, a jacket or a sweater). More than three main colors starts to look busy.
• Contrast between top and bottom: a shirt that is clearly lighter or darker than the pants gives the outfit shape. Colors that are almost the same, like cream on khaki, look like a mistake.
• Warm with warm, cool with cool: brown, olive, khaki and burgundy sit well together, and so do navy, gray and light blue. Mixing the two groups works best when one side is a plain neutral.
• Match the leathers: belt and shoes in the same color and a similar shade. A watch strap that matches is a nice extra, not a rule.

What color shirt goes with each color of pants?

Two of these have their own full guides: what to wear with khaki pants and what shirt goes with grey pants, which covers light gray and charcoal separately.

What color shoes go with what pants?

Dark brown shoes go with every pants color except black, so they are the most useful pair to own. Black shoes go best with charcoal, gray and black pants, and with navy for formal outfits. Tan and cognac suit navy, olive, light jeans and white pants. White leather sneakers go with almost any casual outfit, but most offices still expect leather shoes.

The one rule that holds everywhere: shoes should be clearly lighter or clearly darker than the pants, never almost the same tone. The details for each chino color, plus suede versus leather, are in shoes to wear with chinos.

What colors don’t go together in men’s clothes?

The combinations that look wrong are almost always too close in tone or too far apart in temperature. The most common ones to avoid:

• Navy with black: they look almost the same in dim light, so it reads as a mismatch.
• Brown with black: a brown shirt or brown pants next to black shoes clashes. Pick one family.
• Same color, slightly different shade: a navy shirt with navy pants, or cream on khaki, looks like an accident rather than a choice.
• Two bright colors at once: red pants with a green shirt, or orange with pink. Keep one piece bold and the rest neutral.
• Black shoes with white or olive pants: too heavy against light colors and too harsh against olive.

All black is the exception to the rule about the same color: it works when the fabrics differ, as explained in how to wear all black.

How do you pick colors that suit you?

Your skin tone decides which shirt colors look best near your face, while the pants and shoes can stay neutral. Men with cool undertones look best in navy, gray, blue and burgundy; warm undertones suit olive, cream, rust and brown; neutral undertones can wear almost anything. The skin tone color finder shows your best colors in a minute. For suits, the tie color matcher does the same for suit, shirt and tie.

Outfit color combinations by occasion

Not sure how dressy an event is? Check the men’s dress code guide first, then pick the colors. A good color only looks right on pants that fit, so check your size with the pants size calculator.

Outfit Color FAQs

What is the most versatile color combination for men?

Navy pants or chinos with a white shirt and dark brown shoes is the most versatile combination. It works for the office, dinners, dates and weekends, and every piece also goes with most of the rest of a wardrobe.

Can you wear black and brown together?

You can, but it is easy to get wrong. Black pants with very dark brown shoes can work for a casual outfit. Avoid black shoes with brown pants and a black shirt with brown pants, which clash at close range.

Can you wear navy and black together?

Navy and black can work when the contrast is clear, like a navy jacket over black pants in good light, but it often looks like a mismatch. For easy outfits, pair navy with gray, white or brown instead.

Should your shirt be lighter than your pants?

Usually yes. A lighter shirt with darker pants is the classic, balanced look. A darker shirt with lighter pants, like navy on light gray or khaki, also works, as long as the two are clearly different.

Do your shoes have to match your belt?

Yes, with leather shoes your belt should be the same color and a similar shade. With sneakers, the rule relaxes: a brown or tan belt goes with white sneakers.

How many colors should an outfit have?

Three main colors is a good limit: pants, shirt and one accent such as shoes or a jacket. Neutrals like gray or navy don’t feel like extra colors, so they can be added freely.