Style Day: Ideas for brown & black outfits

For my first “style day” post, I wanted to share a little history of my style. Simple is one word I would use to describe my style. I’m not the person you’ll see with tons of accessories on. I do always carry a purse, but I don’t get a new one or switch all that often. There’s too much to carry and too little time to change it over. Classic is another word I would use to describe my style. I want to get the most wear from my pieces, even if I do get a deal on them, so I’ll often times pick a classic shape over a trendy one. None of my outfit posts will ever be overly trendy (though I do get sucked in by some) or “runway-esque,” but rather tips to enrich your own style with items you most likely already have in your closet.

Often times I hear “don’t wear brown with black” from the same people who still cling to “no white after Labor Day.” Just like white after Labor Day has been debunked, not pairing black with brown has been foiled as well.  One thing you can’t do is mix certain shades of brown with black.  DARK brown, anything considered black/brown, just doesn’t work. It looks like a faded monochromatic look, in my opinion. What does work, though, is throwing in some patterns and textures. This is how I mixed brown and black:

Obviously I included pattern. My skirt is shades of brown and tan, and my sweater is a cognac shade of brown. To balance it out, I wore those items with black shoes and a black top. I also put together some other options, built around the textured brown jacket below. One look is more tailored than the other. The combo on the right feels equestrian to me, with the riding boots and slim jeans. How do you like to put black and brown together?