From caramel to cognac via cinnamon and sepia, here’s how to wear brown, from the people who do it best.

In the spectrum of a man’s wardrobe, brown is an all-too-often maligned family member: the uncouth country cousin to sleek grey suits, sophisticated black coats and navy pinstripes. But the natural tones of autumn – russets, cinnamons and sepias – are a happy companion to hints of brown as part of your look, and set a mood that sits somewhere in between on- and off-duty. A survey last year decreed that brown shoes at a job interview were a faux pas, but don’t let such simplistic thinking put you off. Brown is nuanced, it looks subtle and a touch collegiate. In the world of tailoring, more sombre hues tend to dominate, but brown is a refreshing antidote – it’s smart, subdued, but not corporate. Messrs David Beckham, Ryan Gosling and Pharrell Williams have all proved the point in pin-sharp brown suiting. Textured fabrics, too, benefit from the shade. The patina of love-worn leather or the lustrous surface of suede can get lost in black; cognac or fawn adds a certain richness and depth. The winter style fallback for a man can often be black – an inky shaded coat, for example, or an austere suit – but this softer alternative hits a sartorial sweet spot.

The history of the greatcoat – it evolved as a garment for officers in WWI – brings with it certain style flourishes, such as epaulettes, a sweeping peak lapel and burnished brass buttons, the gleam of which is offset nicely by a deep nutmeg shade. Wear it neatly buttoned with smart trousers to showcase its stately air, or subvert tradition by contrasting the ceremonial aspect of it with some easy, low-key knitwear.

Plaids, checks and herringbones – anything that might fall under the term “heritage” – can be a tricky sartorial beast to master. Add the wrong corduroy trousers and you’re venturing into Lord of the Manor territory or worse, Toad of Toad Hall. Traditional fabrics are beautiful, and showcase British textile excellence, but bypass the history lesson and bring things into the 21st century. A crisp, minimalist shirt (worn untucked), perhaps a neat T-shirt or slouched silhouette and – if you’re feeling particularly street edge – a poppered cap will bring grandfather’s Sunday best up to date.

The natural connotations of brown – autumn leaves, mossy hills – lend the colour to outdoor clothing, most effectively in a subtle, evocative pattern; just add a Colorado mountainscape and some rustic denim to the look above to complete the effect. Toy with the tonality of brown by offsetting it with likeminded shades, such as latte, hazelnut and caramel. There’s a whole Starbucks menu of colours available to add a warm element to your autumn attire.

The biannual Florentine menswear fair Pitti Uomo is a veritable petri dish of sartorial influence, and the so-called Pitti peacocks know the quiet power of mixing brown with other hues. The shade’s something of a baseline, and Italian designers such as Brunello Cucinelli, Barena and Canali have long made it a signature of their collections, spliced with solid navy and sky blue shades. The overall effect is masculine, and bucks the notion that navy is purely for the boardroom.

For all the fashion misfires of the 1970s, it was the decade when preconceptions of tailoring were done away with. The suit your father wore to the office a decade earlier was suddenly ripe for disco dancing, with a nipped-in waist, exaggerated lapels and shoulders and – in lieu of a shirt – a sleek rollneck. Add the fact that shades of fawn and taupe can’t help but nod to a certain 1970s retro appeal, and pairing a brown jacket with a polo is a stylistic double whammy. Ensure the latter is a lightweight affair to avoid extra bulk, and opt for two variations on the tone – perhaps cocoa with tan – to bring out its subtleties.

Tufted, textural, nubbly shearling is a winter perennial, as warming as it is pleasingly strokable as a trim on a jacket. Cream is the standard here, but it can sometimes look a tad 1980s detective. A darker tone will look more refined and less teddy-bear-ish. Keep things rustic with a heavy-duty shearling and suede jacket, or mix up materials by adding a silk scarf. Shear delights.

If cream chinos are the summer months’ go-to for polished warm-weather style, then brown trousers – in a substantial fabric – are the grown-up, more worldly older brother. The trick with brown breeks, as the Scots would call them, is to avoid the trap of dad dressing; add a warm knit or a checked shirt and you’ll risk looking ready to carve the Sunday roast. Instead, opt for sharp, sophisticated, well-cut pieces to maintain a powerful presence. You’ll command a certain clout, not cosiness.

The men featured in this story are not associated with and do not endorse MR PORTER or the products shown