Brown is the New Black

Brown has been the takeover colour of all our wardrobes this winter and even if you haven’t treated yourself to this seasons newest trend, it’s been dominating your social media feed at the very least. Long gone are the days of simple black silhouettes, replaced with rich chocolates, warm tawny and deep walnut. How has this versatile shade been ignored for so long? Put simply we have always pushed the narrative of building your wardrobe around neutrals which most will tell you centre around black, white, grey and beige, sometimes denim if you’re feeling particularly crazy. Combined this with an out of date fashion rule to ‘never mix black and brown’ we were left fearful of this rich earthy shade and it was swept under the rug for years. That is until it was picked up and given life by the likes of fashion designers such as Stella McCartney and Prabal Gurung in their Fall 2020 collection.      

McCartney showcased what would become an all-time favourite this Winter, the brown coat. Her teddy bear and vegan leather coats donned the catwalk in spectacular glory and was quickly picked up by fashion moguls. Huge, draping brown silhouettes displayed by both designers showed what a strong and versatile colour this could be, mixing hues and tones otherwise untouched by mainstream fashion. It has since been seen everywhere, from New York Fashion Week 2020, to our favourite influencers and high street shops.

The hype was only increased on the spotting of Kendall Jenner sporting a brown North Face puffer coat, which are now going for anything up to four-hundred pounds on Depop.

However, trends are exactly that- trends. They come and go and most trend forecasting sites and experts will tell you that this particular movement won’t survive the summer months when we often opt for lighter, softer and warmer shades. In other words: if you’re a fiend for brown, now is your time to shine until the inevitable rise of our next favourite shade. If you’re unsure and looking to experiment with brown, opt for a couple of staple pieces- a brown blazer or brown corduroys will always look good. Use Pinterest, TikTok and Instagram for inspiration, style tips and advice, but there’s really no need to replace your entire clothing collection with what is soon to be a distant memory. For now, enjoy and over use brown to your hearts content. If you love it, you should wear it- simple as that.

Comment below why you are so passionate about the colour brown.

By Emily Kenton