Sure, we all love black—it’s the easiest shade on the color wheel to wear, right? As it turns out, brown is just as versatile. Plus, it’s a lot less predictable. And it’s both a classic color and a trend as of the past several seasons, meaning that brown is, in fact, the new black (sorry, had to).

When paired with a variety of other hues, brown looks surprisingly sophisticated, making it a great replacement for your standard-issue black. It feels rich and luxurious with these complementary colors, and what more could you ask for in a winter-wardrobe color palette? That said, brown is notoriously polarizing. Many consider it to be an “ugly” color. But hear us out and give it a chance. It feels surprisingly fresh this season in particular, and it’s an unexpected departure from other more beloved neutrals.

Intrigued as to which shades work best with this rich neutral? Scroll down to see and shop the seven colors that go with brown.

Pairing your favorite brown blazer with a burgundy bag and gold jewelry is the perfect way to step up your outfit game. Mixing neutral colors looks so cool.

The light blue in this outfit adds a standout pop of color. Pairing light blue and brown makes a statement without being too loud.

You can never go wrong mixing brown and black. The two neutrals complement each other to create a sophisticated outfit. 

Army green is the color that practically doubles as a neutral since you can pair it with just about anything, but we think it looks especially great when worn with shades of brown.

Pair an all-cream outfit with a brown coat for a cozy winter look.

Different shades of a similar color, camel and brown look great together and add a minimalist dynamic to any outfit.

Add a pink pop of color to any brown outfit for a vintage vibe—extra points if one of the pieces is corduroy. 

This post was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated. Next, shop 2021’s It color.