# Brown Slacks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 28, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251 "2007-08-28T18:36:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/1 "2007-08-28T18:36:59Z")
What does one wear with brown slacks? Black shoes? What about shirts? Any particular colors inappropriate? I have not worn brown clothing for at least 30 years so I’m a little out of the loop on this. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/2 "2007-08-28T18:41:06Z")
You can wear black shoes with brown pants but it’s somewhat frowned upon. A matching or coordinating brown is better. ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/3 "2007-08-28T23:08:41Z")
[QUOTE=Hypno-Toad] What does one wear with brown slacks? What about shirts? [/QUOTE] Yes, especially if you wear a tie. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/4 "2007-08-29T10:55:08Z")
[A red shirt?](http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/95q2/pants.html) ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/5 "2007-08-29T11:26:33Z")
A red shirt, a violet shirt, maybe something cream-colored. Not white, and never black; brown is the one color black doesn’t go with. And brown shoes. Definitely brown shoes. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/6 "2007-08-29T14:10:20Z")
No, no, no. You want a white shirt, white belt, white shoes. You will be stylin’ with a capital STY. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/7 "2007-08-29T15:33:55Z")
About all that I can think of that goes well with brown pants is a UPS driver’s shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/8 "2007-08-29T16:21:20Z")
I’m glad that these slacks were an unasked for gift. Because apparently, I have nothing that matches them and I’m not going to buy a whole matching wardrobe just to go with them. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/9 "2007-08-29T16:53:52Z")
I love a crisp white blouse with brown pants (brown shoes of course). I also think powder blue and pink go beautifully with brown. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/10 "2007-08-29T17:39:35Z")
I wear brown slacks all the time, usually with brown shoes that match the belt. Khaki shirts, white, yellow, green and even black, although most everything I put together is pretty much ‘Earth tone’ through and through. Red and purple I’d have a hard time with, but then I dress pretty conservatively. Obviously, that combination does work for others. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/11 "2007-08-29T17:42:40Z")
Wearing dark brown slacks and a wine-colored button down today with brown belt, brown socks and brown shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/12 "2007-08-29T17:46:02Z")
[QUOTE=zagloba] [A red shirt?](http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/95q2/pants.html) [/QUOTE] I am glad I am not the only one. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/13 "2007-08-29T22:34:30Z")
Okay, we have conflicting opinions in this thread about whether you can wear black with brown pants or not. So which is it? I have no idea, as I was raised by people who evidently were raised by wolves. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/14 "2007-08-29T22:47:51Z")
I have one pair of brown dress pants and one brown miniskirt. I wear brown shoes with both of them (heels with the pants and sandals/flip-flops with the skirt), and tops of all colors except black. My favorite sweater with the pants is a sort of pale lime green v-neck, and with the skirt is a dark blue t-shirt, both of which colors do amazing things to my eyes. (Want green eyes? I’ve got yer green eyes right here!) The hardest to find item was the pair of brown heels – I think it took me nearly four months to find a pair of brown shoes. In the fall, too, so it’s not like it was sandal weather. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/15 "2007-08-30T02:19:28Z")
I wear brown pants with brown shoes, or with burgundy/grey [shoes](http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w=attribute%3AUnisex&p=20&pp=3&view=detail&colourID=1018). Either a brown belt or a burgundy belt. I’ve got a couple shirts that work – green, bright green, red, pink, navy. Some with stripes, some not. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2007, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/16 "2007-08-30T03:57:54Z")
[QUOTE=Hypno-Toad] What does one wear with brown slacks? Black shoes? What about shirts? Any particular colors inappropriate? I have not worn brown clothing for at least 30 years so I’m a little out of the loop on this. [/QUOTE] Didn’t you mention somewhere you were born in 1970? That would put your last brown outfit in about 2nd grade. What I’ve heard, brown suits were looked down on in England because they were originally worn by gentlemen of the upper classes only when visiting the countryside. The country bumkins would mimic this and then be the subject of laughter when they showed up in brown in the city. The color is still not treated the same. From [GQ](http://men.style.com/gq/fashion/styleguy/suitsandblazers/608) > [@](#): > > For a long time, brown suits were out as business wear, but they seem to have made a strong comeback, thanks to stylish black men and President Reagan. I wouldn’t wear brown on a day in court or for a formal meeting, but it’s a good day-to-day relief from the routine of blue and gray. You can wear it in honor of Dutch on days you’re running up a huge deficit. This doesn’t seem to be as much the case for women as for me. The standard rule that black belts and shoes are worn with blues and greys and brown with brown is not always true, but with the exceptions running toward the blue pants and brown shoes/belts. (With more of a light or medium brown than dark browns.) As noted by others, there are some really good colors which go with brown. I like yellows and creams, myself. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2007, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/17 "2007-08-30T05:33:57Z")
I think cream goes nicely with brown. But do they make many cream shirts for men? Some shades of blue go nicely with brown, even better than green. Black shoes aren’t horrible, but not shirts. Too much black and brown together looks off. ---
**Author:** ![Caractacus\_Pott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Caractacus\_Pott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caractacus_Pott)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2007, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/18 "2007-08-30T11:30:33Z")
This thread is enlightening. I didn’t know that shoes are supposed to match anything else than each other. Or that the leather belt color mattered. I wonder what other fashion straight dope I don’t know? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2007, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/19 "2007-08-30T11:46:55Z")
[QUOTE=TokyoPlayer] Didn’t you mention somewhere you were born in 1970? That would put your last brown outfit in about 2nd grade. [/QUOTE] You’re on the ball. And yes, brown clothes are a reminder of what I hated about the 70’s. **Caractacus** , you and I are in the same boat. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2007, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251/20 "2007-08-30T12:04:07Z")
I was under the impression that black shoes are ok as long as you wear a black belt. Your shoes are always supposed to match your belt, not necessarily your pants or shirt. I guess it may depend on how brown these brown pants are? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brown-slacks/417251.md?page=2)