Brown Color Combos: Pink

Today I am starting my dark brown color combos for fall/winter outfits series with one of my all-time favorites: pink! I like pink + brown together so much that I posted 8 outfits featuring soft pink and brown last winter in my soft pink color combo series. In today's post, I have an additional 4 pink + brown outfit examples to inspire you in ways to wear the season's trendiest color.

First, I have an updated solid brown clothing capsule to share because my back-ordered brown cardigan that I mentioned in the wardrobe curation post arrived! In the photo, it looks like a very greyed-out brown, but in reality, it's a more neutral brown that I can readily mix and match with my other brown pieces.

I'm happy because it's a light-to-mid-weight 100% cotton sweater in an easy-to-wear grandpa/boyfriend style. I didn't want a heavy sweater even in Minnesota because I plan to wear it 3 seasons of the year, using different layers to make it weather- and personal-temperature-appropriate. (I have an incredible ability to overheat so layers are my friend.) I can't remember when...or even if...I have owned a brown cardigan as an adult, so I'm kind of excited about it, even though it's a wardrobe basic/staple piece in a plain neutral color and classic style. But it's more about what I can do with it in terms of building great outfits than any inherent wow quality it has on its own, you know?

Now, on to the outfits...

Soft Pink + Brown

Because I already shared so many outfits in this color palette in last year's post, today I have two outfits that use brown as more of an accent color in footwear and accessories than as a major color for clothing. My examples feature prints containing brown because I like that color integrated look, but you could easily do the same thing with no other brown in the outfit. If you have brown boots, a brown scarf, brown jewelry, etc., these examples can give you some ideas for pairing them with soft pink tones for a fall/winter outfit.

Outfit #1: I created this outfit around the lovely multi-colored print skirt using Road Map Styling to pull out the wine tone for a coordinating t-shirt and cardigan (modern twin set) and the brown tone for the tights and boots. This cardigan has a blouse in the same color/same brand that I purchased with it, but when I saw a plain long-sleeved T in a similar color on sale for $6 last winter, I bought it to have another option that was more casual and with a simpler cut.

OOTD #1: 3/25/25

This skirt is incredibly versatile because (1) I can wear it in any season and (2) it includes so many colors. In cold Minnesota winters, tights and boots are a must with skirts, so the question is always "what tights/boots can I wear with this?" Some people have a fabulous range of tights/boots colors, but I stick to the more traditional neutral and semi-neutral (colored neutral) options: black, grey, brown, cognac, navy, burgundy/maroon, and olive. This skirt works great with black, brown, cognac, burgundy/maroon, and olive, making it a cold season favorite.

I added some subtle print mixing with this striped silk scarf in colors that coordinate well with the skirt (even though they don't precisely match), wearing it over a long gold circle necklace that contrasts nicely with the dark background.

I wore a DIY memory wire bracelet that I made specifically to coordinate with the skirt (which also looks great with the scarf, as you can see).

I used some gorgeous glass beads of the swirled "porphyr" type with clear glass and brown swirls to create these simple "bead and bead dangle" earrings (see design #7 in this post). The beads came in a Boss's Bead Bag from Fire Mountain Gems, and I was fortunate to get two of them in the larger oval shape and two of them in the smaller faceted barrel shape - perfect for making a pair of earrings.

Outfit #2: A soft blush pink is a minor player in the colors of this print skirt, and sometimes people will advise you to be wary of pulling such a limited color for the rest of your outfit because people seeing you may not realize that the color matches. But it's 2025 and the world has happily moved on from thinking that color matching is the only way to create a great outfit! I think pulling a minor color from a print is an easy way to get an effect similar to Jodie's "color not in the print" option from her color recipe. If a professional designer thought blush pink worked well in this print, and I liked the print well enough to buy the skirt, then blush pink will almost assuredly work well with this print (in the event that no one who sees it knows the pink is there). I would never have thought to put soft pink with a brown, orange, and teal skirt, but I love the result. The brown tights and leather flats ground the somewhat unexpected color combination.

OOTD #2: 12/2/24

Bright Pink + Brown

Bold pinks also pair well with brown for a more vibrant and energetic combination. Let's take a look at two outfits with a significant brown presence.

Outfit #3: In this depths-of-winter look, dark brown is the major color used in a sweater, quilted vest, tights, and boots, and a bright salmon pink is the pop of color appearing in the skirt. I use this color formula repeatedly in the winter months, brightening up my neutral pieces with a pop of vivid color skirt. Not only is it a less-expected way to combine colors that has a lot of visual impact, it's also a cost-effective one! Sweaters, vests, and boots are typically more expensive, and we wear them for a limited time span each season; we often have those pricier pieces with limited seasonality in fewer colors (often neutrals). However, skirts can often be found at less expensive price points, come in a vast array of colorful options, and are often wearable across multiple seasons. In this example, the brown boots really ground the look, and the bright skirt adds surprising vibrancy and fun to it. Note that the scarf does not match the colors of the outfit (for example, it has beige and black but no brown) but still looks good with it.

OOTD #3: 1/23/23

Outfit #4: This outfit is a variation on the previous one, using mostly brown pieces jazzed up a bright pink, only this time I have a brown vest, jeans, and shoes with a pop of color sweater. The scarf repeats the bright pink color in its fabulous multi-color print but doesn't contain any brown, which is absolutely fine!

OOTD #4: 1/16/22

Want more inspiration for wearing brown this season? Stay tuned...I have more color combinations to share in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Janice at The Vivienne Files recently posted a brown, ivory, and soft pink capsule wardrobe for fall/winter with shopping recommendations. Bo and Mireille are both showing brown with a variety of color options.

Do you like wearing brown footwear or accessories? Would you pair a vivid color like bright pink with brown? Have you experimented with the "color not in the print" color recipe option? Do you wear skirts in winter?

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