THE JOURNAL
Photograph by Philip-Daniel Ducasse
Not so long ago, brown’s reputation in menswear was dirt. Dismissed as a boring granddad shade, the colour had more in common with 1970s shag carpets than modern menswear. Fortunately, we got over it. For autumn/winter 2025, designers and stylists alike are embracing brown for its richness, retro vibes and ability to look good with virtually every skin tone and multiple style codes.
“Brown is a neutral colour,” says Michael Fisher, stylist to the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal and Sam Rockwell. “It’s found in nature and extremely versatile.” In fact, brown is so good, you might not need anything else this season. Tonal brown looks are having a moment, partly because brown has a varied palette, from lighter beige shades to russets and walnuts.
“All levels of brown, starting with tan into taupe, chocolate and bark, became popular again during the quiet-luxury movement,” Fisher says. “Layering in cream became the formula, down to the butter-soft sneakers and up to the cap.”
Not that tonal brown looks work only for the Kendall Roys of the world. Throwback collegiate looks, hard-wearing workwear and 1970s-coded tailoring all look good in top-to-bottom brown. The question is, how to get down with brown?
01. Pick your palette
The key thing to remember with any tonal look is that an outfit can very easily fall flat when everything you’re wearing is one colour. You need something to break it up. That could be texture or shape, but the easiest thing is layering different tones of the same colour together.
Mix lighter and deeper shades of brown, like a coffee-coloured suede jacket over a taupe knitted T-shirt. Or a deep chocolate sweater under your go-to camel overcoat. You’ll notice an instant visual harmony when these shades get together.
As Fisher notes, creams are something of a cheat code because they let you create some contrast with a colour that feels like it’s just further along the spectrum. Black does the same job at the other end. But if you’re feeling adventurous, you could also break cover with a flash of something stronger.
“I’m all about mixing unusual colours,” says Britt Theodora, stylist to bold dressers such as Pete Davidson. “Wearing a pop of colour like a cobalt blue sweater under a brown jacket can look really interesting.”
02. Mix your textures
Because of how brown tones play with light, the colour is virtually unmatched at showing off the qualities of different fabrics. That’s especially useful in tonal looks where you’re looking for those subtle points of contrast.
“Wearing brown opens the door to lots of different textures,” Theodora says. “Suede, leather, mohair… All these gorgeous textures can really add dimension to a jacket, shoe, belt or pant. It’s an effortless way to elevate a tonal look, especially for autumn.”
Fisher adds that luxury yarns, such as vicuna, cashmere and camelhair, are all brown in their natural forms, making it a risk-free way of going for a statement fabric. Brown also looks good in harder-wearing materials like twill. Mixing textures with different weights or “naps” is another way to build a rounded brown outfit: think chunky corduroy trousers in chestnut with a lighter cashmere top.
03. Start with the classics
If you’re not sure where to begin with tonal brown outfits, try mining the menswear hall of fame. Lots of timeless pieces look their best in brown shades, from aviator jackets to work boots, wool trousers to chore coats. Pick one you’ll wear time and again – and build your outfit around it.
Invest in, say, a handsome suede jacket in a deep brown. You can build tonal looks around it that are casual (think lighter chinos or carpenter pants) or more formal (tan shirts and wool trousers). The same strategy works with other pieces, too, Fisher says.
“Mid or mocha browns really elevate a classic chino or sport coat,” he says. “Brown cord is a classic (think Ralph Lauren) and also becomes a foundation of the new collegiate trend.”
04. Tailor it
Over the last few years, men’s tailoring has been borrowing liberally from the 1970s, with wide legs, even wider lapels and interesting fabrics all coming back to de-stuff the average two-piece suit. Brown works exceptionally well with that direction of travel and red carpets have been awash with hot-chocolate tailoring. Seth Rogen, Colman Domingo, Andrew Garfield and Walton Goggins have all done it, experimenting with brown double-breasted tuxedos worn with lighter ruffled shirts or dark brown suits worn with a shimmering silk shirt in chestnut.
If you’re going to do it, invest in good fabrics – brown exposes cheaper materials more than other colours. “Also, lean into the type of tailoring the designer is known for, and translate that for your body type,” Theodora says. Try a corduroy suit from Polo Ralph Lauren, something soft and unstructured from Brunello Cucinelli or go classic with TOM FORD. Brownie points all round.
