Black & Brown: A big No No? Think again.

It's been considered a fashion faux pas for ages. Anyone who wore black and brown know very well the reactions people give, sometimes as severe as "You need to perform an exorcism" look. For the fashion savvy, these people have been conditioned to only know the word "match" rather than coordinate. 

First off, I believe that if the colors blend together and exist in nature then so it should in fashion. That's how most designer presented their work, mostly inspired by nature and things around them. Like anything else, if not put together correctly it can be a disaster. Let's take a look at some of the different looks for wearing a black and brown outfit. 

The girl showcases a perfect Black and Brown outfit while the guy doesn't.

Looking at the girl's outfit, it blends perfectly. The various gradient colors of the scarf brings together the shades of brown and black. Notice that each item is slightly a different shade than the other but they all compliment the entire outfit. As for the guy on the right, I'm not a big fan of wearing ALL black and adding one brown item (unless its an accessory and even then its debatable). The outfit is not really form flattering and it just doesn't fit together. It doesn't look comfortable and the shoes with the white sole just throws off the entire balance. 

Exchanging the boots for the oxfords add a brown tie and maybe some dark chocolate gloves to enhance the outfit.

 Again here it's one brown item and the rest is black. It doesn't look bad but the problem is the boots are wrong for the classic look. Those oxfords are very chic and will instantly fill in the missing blocks. Now let's look at some examples of what I think a very well done coordination of Black and Brown. 

Coats matched with the right accessories make the Black and Brown blend into a great outfit. 

The red pocket square (left) and gold accessories (right) sparks up the outfit. 

The shades of the dark brown, plum-ish hue and black look uber chic. A tie with a pattern would have looked better. 

The importance of accessories is sometimes overlooked by many, specially men. The right combination transforms any outfit giving it a more sophisticated look. Here are some great accessories I came across for men and women. 

If you can pull off this "Audrey Hepburn" look, go for it! The scarf is very versatile and can be used for various styles. 

Both watches mix the black and brown in a chic way and the tie and cuff links color blocking help them blend easily. 

Forget any rules you might have had about Black and Brown and start putting them together and finding what fits best for you. The following two outfits are my favorite. They are both examples of street style chic and look absolutely Picture Perfect! 

This outfits defines street style chic.

 I hope that this post inspired you to be more daring with your choices of outfits and color coordination. Start a discussion and share your thoughts on Black and Brown by commenting below.