There’s a few trends I’ve been seeing everywhere, and I think my favorite might be chocolate brown. It’s a beautiful rich hue which looks exactly how it sounds. It’s a very versatile color and a great neutral to add to your wardrobe for the rest of fall and all of winter. I’ve seen this color in everything from pants to sweaters to coats to handbags to shoes. It’s everywhere! I’ve seen cooler tones and warmer tones as well, so I believe there’s something for everyone. I personally hope that this color is here to stay and becomes a fall staple the way that camel and shades of burgundy have.
I’ve included one of my most recent outfits (it’s a favorite for sure!) and a few collages with other ways that you can wear chocolate. I think the most intimidating thing about adding a new color into your wardrobe is how to wear it, so I’ve done the hard part for you! There are definitely more ways to wear chocolate, and I will definitely be experimenting with more colors as the months go on.
I also wanted to talk about the fit of these pants for a moment. I find them very comfortable. I’m somewhat between sizes right now at Ann Taylor and LOFT and I went with my bigger size. For them to fit in the waist, that was the right move. If you have a smaller waist to a larger hip, I would consider the Curve Love styles (for any/all of their pants) because you’ll get a better fit. If you typically get a gap in the back of your pants around the waist, you need a curvy fit that will give you more room in the hips and thighs and a smaller waist. Typically, I’ve also seen women go down one size when they switch from regular to curvy, so that’s something to keep in mind as well! Additionally, I purchased these in a long. I am about 5’7 and mostly legs so the long was perfect to be able to wear with heels and not have them drag on the ground. I would need a regular to wear them with flats and sneakers.
Outfit Details: Sweater / Trousers / Booties / Bag
I thought I would start with the simplest outfit, which also happens to sort of mimic what I’m wearing. Leopard is of course a neutral and goes with everything, and, quite frankly, so does winter white. If you’re concerned about getting makeup on the collar of your sweaters, particularly any in the white family, I would opt for a mockneck over a true turtleneck. The mockneck won’t sit as high on your neck, so you’re much less likely to accidentally rub makeup all over it. You can also avoid this by being careful about how far down into your jawline/neck you bring your foundation. If you bring your makeup down into your neck, you’re much more likely to get makeup on your high-neck tops and even coats and scarves.
Outfit Details: Jacket / Trousers / Necklace / Shoes / Bag
This outfit contains several trends. Chocolate brown, red, and Mary Janes. In this case, I think the trends go well together and there’s nothing wrong with pairing multiple trends, so long as they make sense together. This tweed jacket would be beautiful for the holidays, but there’s no reason for red to be solely relegated to Christmas. I think the fact that red is a big trend for fall and winter proves that. It’s all in how you wear it. I think that pairing red with brown instead of black takes away an element that can feel more Christmas-y and I think it’s a more modern combo. Though that’s not to say you can’t wear red with black – it’s a classic! Additionally, chunky jewelry is back in the form of bold earrings and even bold necklaces. I love this chunky chain necklace for a trendy spin on a classic.
Now if you’re wondering what to wear underneath the jacket, the current trend is to wear the jacket as a top. If you’re not comfortable doing that I would try to find a mockneck or turtleneck in the same color (try searching on the same website as the jacket for whatever the color name is). If all else fails, you can go with a winter white and you’d be fine!
Outfit Details: Jacket / Turtleneck / Trousers / Heels / Bag
Pink has been having such a moment this year and I love it! I love the idea of this deep hot pink paired with the brown. I think it’s a beautiful combo and the pink will really pop against the brown. When wearing brighter colors, I love to match my top, jacket, and shoes whenever possible because it gives the outfit a semi-monochromatic feel. I also try to keep my outfits to three colors or less. Of course a print is the exception, but if you’re wearing solids, I would keep it to three and match back shoes and accessories wherever possible to make the outfit flow and feel intentional. Too many colors in an outfit can feel chaotic, so the more simple you can keep it, the better.
Outfit Details: Dress / Cape / Belt / Boots / Bag
I’ve said it a million times, and I’ll say it again: monochromatic dressing is endlessly chic. I never feel more put together, chic, and stylish than when I’m wearing a monochromatic outfit. As a reminder, the shades don’t have to match perfectly. Unless you’re buying all of the pieces from the same store and collection, it’s typically a challenge to get shades that match exactly, even with black. This sweater dress has a little bit more of a boxy shape through the midsection, so I would add a wide belt to highlight the waist, break up the long dress, and add some visual interest. I love how this outfit starts with a monochromatic base, then pulls in the brown in the houndstooth printed cape, and the bag also brings in the colors of the cape and the dress.
Outfit Details: Denim Jacket / Sweater / Jeans / Booties / Bag
For this final outfit, I wanted something that could be worn to the office or more casually. I love grey with brown, I think it’s a really pretty yet simple combination. I love black with brown. Who would’ve ever thought I’d say that though?! Black and brown together used to be faux pas, same as black with navy, but through the years, we’ve seen many fashion rules fall by the wayside. At this point, basically any neutral can be worn with any other neutral. While there’s *technically* four colors going on here, I don’t consider denim a color, per se. I wouldn’t consider regular jeans a color and I don’t consider a denim jacket to be its own color. It’s more like a category. Therefore, this outfit works with four elements.
Outfit Details: Jacket (old Ann Taylor, similar here and here / Sweater / Trousers / Shoes (old Ann Taylor, similar here and here) / Bag
