Perfect Match: 7 Fall/Winter Colour Combos For Men That Always Work

Dressing well in the colder months can seem confusing, but it’s really all about having three core concepts nailed down. First, you need to harness the power of good layering. Secondly, master the art of mixing textures to create depth and visual interest. And last but not least, understand what colours pair well together and why.

We’d argue that the last one is the foundation of every good autumn/winter outfit. Get the colours right, and everything else falls into place. But if you aren’t blessed with a natural eye for colour matching, how can you be sure of what works and what doesn’t? Easy. You come to us.

Below is our fall-winter colour-matching cheat sheet. It’s a handy resource you can call on anytime you need a quick dose of inspiration for which shades and tones will gel nicely. Use it as a basis for your cold-weather ‘fits, and you’ll never be left guessing again.

Green And Indigo

Whether you’re layering, matching top to bottom or bottom to top, the classic combo of green and indigo never fails. Both are relatively dark, but they balance one another out. It’s subtle and seasonally appropriate, and the fact that both colours are relatively neutral leaves the door open to add some more vibrant hues if you feel the need.

This combination can work in countless ways. A solid starting point would be a green overshirt and a pair of raw denim jeans. Or you could flip that outfit on its head and pair a raw-denim jacket with military fatigues.

Either way, you can easily add contrast with a white T-shirt or a cream knit, and use accessories and/or outerwear to add bolder pops of colour if desired.

Burnt Orange And Ecru

A staple of the autumnal palette, burnt orange mirrors the season’s natural colours, reminiscent of fallen leaves. It can work well as part of a fall-toned mix, consisting of browns, dark reds and forest green. But it really shines when offset by something lighter, allowing it to take centre stage.

Burnt-orange legwear is a bit of an awkward thing to style, so we’d suggest going down the outerwear route instead. A puffer, parka or a wool overshirt will work well in this earthy hue, and knitwear looks excellent too. The bottom half is where you create your contrast. Ecru denim is a good option, creating a clear distinction between top and bottom.

Sign it off with a pair of lugged deck shoes in dark brown and you’re good to go.

Maroon And Grey

Dark and sophisticated, maroon and grey mingle willingly when the temperature drops, offering a subtle pairing that works well in tailored or semi-tailored outfits. It’s a grown-up option that keeps things measured without resorting to all-out neutrals.

For tailored outfits, and assuming a grey suit as the base, the question is where do you add the maroon? For us, the answer is simple: knitwear. A classic crew neck sweater always looks the part in a rich, dark red, and it’ll add some much-needed supplementary warmth without creating excess bulk.

Olive And Beige

If you want to keep it subtle and restrained without leaning on monochrome hues, olive and beige have got your back. It’s unshowy in the best possible way, yet it still brings colour to the table, making it good for a wide variety of settings and occasions. Best of all, it works in all sorts of configurations – top-bottom/bottom-top split, layers, tailoring, you name it.

One of our favourite ways to wear this combination is with an olive overshirt and beige chinos. Some might call it boring; we’ll call it classic.

If you’d prefer to wear jeans, you can do the olive and beige thing on your top half instead – an overshirt or bomber jacket in the former and a knitted crew neck sweater in the latter.

Tonal Browns

Knowing how to colour match doesn’t always have to rely on sharp contrast – tonal pairings can work well too. For the uninitiated, this means using different shades of the same base colour together, which creates depth and richness. Some colour families work better than others for this, and when it comes to autumn/winter dressing, brown is one of them.

A simple way in is to anchor the look with a dark base, such as espresso-brown trousers, then build upwards through lighter shades – think a tobacco roll-neck and a camel overcoat. Alternatively, reverse it. Cream cords, a light-brown sweater and a heavier, darker outer layer.

The result is warm, refined and visually interesting without screaming for attention.

Navy And Charcoal

If you tend to default to all-black once the clocks go back, navy and charcoal offer a way to keep things dark without looking like you’re going to a funeral.

Both colours are muted, smart and endlessly versatile, but the slight difference in tone is enough to break up an outfit and give it depth. It’s a combination that works across the board, from casual city dressing to full tailoring.

Use navy as the base and charcoal as the accent, or vice versa. A navy peacoat over charcoal knitwear and washed grey denim has a certain off-duty neatness, while a charcoal flannel suit with a knitted navy polo feels modern and understated in a work setting.

Shoes in black leather or oxblood suede keep things coherent without diluting the palette too much.

Black And Off-White

High contrast, low effort. Black and off-white is one of the easiest winter pairings to get right because it does all the heavy lifting for you. It is sharp without being stark, cleaner than the typical navy-and-white combo, and works just as well in casual fabrics such as fleece and denim as it does in tailored wool and leather.

Start with off-white denim or cords, then add a black roll-neck and a black wool coat for a simple, graphic look. Or flip it: black jeans, white Oxford shirt, cream cardigan, finished with a black bomber.

Introduce texture through your choice of materials to stop it from feeling too flat. Add a hint of colour through accessories if you must, but the beauty of this pairing is how confidently it stands alone.