Brown boots look good with so many different colors and bottoms, which is why they’re one of the most versatile shoes you can have in your closet. They work with other neutrals and bright colors, and you can dress them up or down depending on the style of the boot and your overall outfit. Today’s post is all about how to style different brown boots with pieces you probably already own. They’re often the missing piece in a fall outfit that will bring the whole look together!
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Over the years, I’ve bought brown ankle boots and knee high boots in different types of leather, such as suede, classic leather, and woven leather, and I wear them all. I’ve tried outfit formulas I love and ones that didn’t work too, so I’ll share all my thoughts and tips on styling different types of brown boots throughout this post.
What Goes With Brown Boots
Brown boots go with all different colors and styles of clothing. You can wear them with jeans, dresses, skirts, and trousers in neutral colors and brighter colors. They’re seriously so versatile, and there are so many different shades of brown that there’s always one or two that work with your wardrobe. Here are some brown boots I love. I own the first two pairs and wear them frequently once it’s cold. The Steve Madden pair were very kindly gifted to me and I’ve worn them all the time, so I’m happy to recommend them!
Clothes That Go With Brown Boots
Trousers
I love the contrast of these dark brown suede boots with these light brown corduroy trousers. Honestly, these pants would also look chic with brown leather boots, cognac brown, or even camel if you change your top and belt to a lighter color too! I’d go for a cream color. My trousers also come in black, which would be perfect to wear with dark brown boots.
Straight Leg Jeans
I feel like straight leg jeans were made to be styled with boots. They just always look so good with pretty much any style of boot: Chelsea boots, heeled boots, a boot with a pointed toe, ankle boots, and kitten heel boots. You get the point! Straight leg jeans just bring a tailored feel to your outfit and therefore look good with lots of different boot styles. I love to wear all of my brown boots with straight leg jeans.
Wide Leg Jeans
I like to style wide leg jeans with a sleek brown boot like this suede pair. It helps create some balance in your outfit! You can still wear a knee high boot or an ankle boot – the height doesn’t matter as much since the focus is more on the sole and shape. Having said that, I do like to make sure that either my boots are tall enough or my jeans are long enough to come down over the top of my boot so there isn’t space between your boot and the hem of your jeans.
Wide Leg Jeans and Brown Chunky Boots
I also love to wear my wide leg jeans with my chunky Chelsea boots when there’s snow on the ground or if it’s just really cold. You can read more wide leg jeans outfit ideas here.
Skirts
Mini skirts with tights and mid skirts are a perfect match with brown boots. I typically choose knee high boots to go with a skirts for added warmth, and because I think they look the best! Shorter boots tend to create a harsh line around your ankle that shortens your legs, and it just looks awkward when your boot is shorter than your maxi or midi skirt.
Dresses: Sweater Dresses, Slip Dresses, and Midi Dresses
Knee high boots are my go-to brown boots for all different styles and lengths of dresses too. However, chunky boots also look good with maxi dresses, especially if you want to add a little edge to your outfit. I would avoid wearing chunky boots with a midi skirt unless it’s also a knee high boot. Most chunky boots aren’t typically tall enough to reach your dress hem.
For more outfit ideas, check out my how to style a sweater dress blog post.
Barrel Pants
Barrel jeans and barrel pants are still a newer shape, so it makes sense if you’re wondering what boots to wear with them! I love to style mine with boots that have a pointed toe, a square toe, or an almond shape because they all help elongate your legs. Brown corduroys are the perfect fall and winter pant to style with brown boots.
Black Jeans
Don’t be afraid to style black jeans with brown boots. I love how darker brown boots look with black jeans. Some brown Chelsea boots are actually brown and black because they have a black sole or black details on the side of the boot. So, if you’re choosing between a cognac brown and a chocolate brown, go with the chocolate brown for your black jeans or darker jeans in general!
I love the fit of these black jeans from Aritiza. I wear them a lot with my chunky Chelsea boots when it’s cold, but they also look good with both pairs of my brown suede boots that I’m wearing throughout this post!
Colors That Go With Brown Boots
Cream and White
Cream and white are so easy to style with brown boots because you can wear them with any shade of brown! I love how cream and white with brown feels elegant, so this is a great color combination for work, a special occasion, or church.
Purple
Purple is trending for fall and winter, and I would wear brown boots with any shade of purple. I love how you can style anything from brown suede boots to a camel shade of brown with purple.
Gray
I started to style gray and brown together a couple of years ago, and I was surprised at how much I liked and continue to like this color combination. Gray can feel a little tricky to style, but it definitely pairs well with a classic brown leather boot like the one I’m wearing below.
Olive Green
Olive green is a versatile color when it comes to what shade of brown to wear it with! I wear my olive green with both light brown and my dark brown suede boots. I just pick whatever boot looks the best with the rest of my outfit. I know these aren’t boots, but this outfit is a good example of how you can style different shades of brown together with olive green!
Navy and Denim Blue
Denim is really quite easy to style with brown boots. If you’re wearing denim, you can seriously wear any shade of brown boots you want! I wear all of my jeans with chocolate brown, cognac, camel, and dark brown. I don’t necessarily prefer any shade of brown with light or dark denim more, but dark brown and chocolate brown typically bring a dressier feel to your outfit than cognac or camel.
When it comes to navy, I prefer a dark brown boot over a lighter brown boot because they honestly just look better together.
Tonal Outfits: Head to Toe Brown
Okay, there’s nothing better than a tonal or monochrome outfit if you ask me. I love to style all different shades of brown together or shades of brown that look quite similar. It’s always super chic, and you can wear different materials to add interest to your look. This outfit is the perfect example! It’s definitely classic, but it’s also timeless.
Camel and Tan
As you can see in my outfit above and below, camel and tan pair nicely with chocolate brown and just a classic shade of brown. I love to wear my knee high boots or my shorter ankle boots with brown wide leg jeans or brown trousers as part of a tonal outfit. A brown coat works with this outfit too!
Black
I like to style black sweaters, pants, skirts, or jeans with pairs of brown boots that feel closer to black than they do lighter shades of brown, such as a camel. It helps keep the outfit feel streamlined and intentional. You can see what I mean below, and this outfit would actually be super chic with black jeans or a black silk skirt too!
How To Style Brown Boots
Use Heeled Boots to Dress Up Your Outfit
Heeled boots will always help dress up your outfit. You don’t need a sky high heel, either. I typically don’t wear anything higher than 2.5 inches because I want my boots to be practical for my life. There are a lot of chic pairs of brown kitten heel boots that you can style with a pants or jeans to instantly make your outfit look nicer. I love these Margaux knee high boots to wear with a dress or skirt outfit.
Wear Knee High Boots With Dresses and Skirts
I mentioned this above, but dresses and skirts look so chic with brown knee high boots. Plus, they’ll keep you warm! You should try to avoid a space between your skirt or dress and where your boot starts when you’re standing. You can see how I styled a knee high boot with a midi skirt above.
When to Choose Dark Brown or Camel for Dressier Outfits
Dark brown ankle boots or knee high boots typically dress up your outfit more than lighter shades of brown. They just bring a more formal feel! However, if you’re already wearing a dress or a skirt that works best with a lighter shade, such as camel, that’s okay too! You want your outfit to match!
Certain colors look elegant on their own – no matter what color your boots are. For example, a cream or white sweater with a silk skirt will look just as dressy with a camel boot as it does with a dark brown boot.
For Chunky Boots, Medium or Tall Boots Work Best
I do occasionally wear my chunky boots with a knee length dress, but that’s only if I need extra traction. I actually styled this a lot when I was pregnant so I wouldn’t fall! I shared a photo below. You can see how the long lines of my blazer and the length of the dress work really well together so that the shorter boot length doesn’t shorten me (any more than I already am, ha)! These boots also work with this outfit because they’re taller than actual ankle boots. My boots are super old, but I would try this pair!
Jeans Look Chic With Most Brown Boots
Regular denim, such as a blue denim or a light wash denim, are some of my favorite pants to wear with brown boots. It’s such a reliable, classic combination that basically never fails you. The next time you aren’t sure what to wear, pick your favorite pair of straight leg jeans, brown boots, and a button up or sweater. You can add your own personal style with your belt, jewelry, and other accessories, but the base outfit will always look good.
Do Brown Boots Go With Everything?
You can wear brown boots with just about everything, whether you’re getting dressed for work, a special dinner, an engagement party in the winter, or just a cold day on a fall vacation. However, there are some dressier occasions, such as a wedding, where you’ll want to choose a more elegant shoe!
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