Depending on where you live, winter weather doesn’t inspire colorful wardrobe choices like the Fall and Spring do. Usually you put on all your warm clothes, hope you don’t freeze, and leave stylish color combinations for the other seasons. You can do better. Adding a few winter colors for men can separate you from everyone else just trying to survive the cold.
This doesn’t mean you should just throw on a bunch of brightly colored clothing. You must incorporate color with intent. Like the earth tones of Fall and the bright palette of Spring, your attire should still tastefully match the mood and temperature of the outside environment.
Below are the best winter colors for men. We’ll review some different pieces in each color, and which tones of each you should consider.
- Blue
- Green
- Burgundy
- Grey
- Black
Blue
Most blue tones play well off the icy conditions of the season. You can add a pop of color without looking too out of place.
For winter pants, different hues of blue work easily into any wardrobe. Just like they do with chinos. Dark denim jeans are always a solid casual option. Blue flannel or navy corduroys can add some warmth, texture, and a bit of subtle color to your looks without overwhelming an outfit.
Wearing a royal or sapphire blue sweater is the best way to add seasonal color to brighten up your winter looks. You can either go with a plain sweater or something patterned (fair isle works well here). You can also try a plain navy flannel shirt – almost everyone can pull it off for a masculine yet not too casual look.
A navy overcoat, pea coat, or chore coat is low-risk way to incorporate more blue. If you want to add something bolder and riskier, try some of the patterned outerwear. A slightly lighter than navy or medium blue flannel blazer can add a bit of fun to your more dressed up looks without sacrificing too much formality.
Green
An underrated winter color that works well with a variety of skin tones. You can wear green in winter outside of your holiday parties, and you should look at colors outside of the standard bright Christmas green attire (it has its place, but not all winter).
Dark or pine green work especially well with sweaters, corduroys, and certain outerwear (like field jackets, chore coats, and shirt jackets). If you have a darker skin tone, give these two shades a try. Pretty much any skin tone can sport darker green pants, as these will match a variety of tops in more neutral colors (blue, navy, grey, white, beige, and black).
If you have a lighter skin tone, green gives you a license to add a decently bright pop of color in the winter without looking too out of place. For those who are very pale, emerald green sweaters can add some contrast to your complexion without washing you out. If you’re in-between pale and tan, try a faded green sweater over a white OCBD.
A personal favorite, Blackwatch plaid, is a green dominated plaid that can add a festive touch to your holiday celebrations (without being obnoxious) with the versatility for non-holiday wear.
Burgundy
While true red looks good on almost everyone, its relation to the holiday festivities can render this tone obnoxious if you wear it too often over the entire winter.
Enter burgundy. This tone of red also looks good on almost everyone (although very dark tones can wash out those with very pale skin) and is one of the favorite winter colors for men.
Burgundy or deep red pants are an underrated way to add some flair to your winter outfits. Plain burgundy or patterned sweaters are an obvious choice. You wont have trouble finding patterned flannel in this shade either, which can offer a great choice for more rugged casual looks.
If you want to add some boldness to your rotation, burgundy patterned outerwear may work for you. It takes some sauce but can look excellent and attention-grabbing (in the right way) if you can pull it off.
Grey
Grey seems like a pretty boring color to feature in a post about colors. But in the winter, grey can stand out while keeping true to the feel of the winter season. And every skin color can find a tone of grey that complements it well.
While charcoal remains the standard winter tone of grey, it can feel a little too drab. Lighter grey, on the other hand, can actually add a bit of flair in unexpected pieces. Try some lighter grey flannel trousers or sport coats for dressier looks, steel grey corduroys or moleskin pants for casual outfits, or medium grey outerwear (pea coats and overcoats especially). A plain light grey flannel shirt can work for almost everyone. These tones keep the winter feel while adding a bit of visual interest.
As far as more standard attire, everyone should own a heather grey chunky sweater that you can throw on with any other color mentioned in this post for an effortless winter combination. The medium grey will allow all of the other colors to stand out even more.
Black
Almost everyone looks good in black unless you have very pale complexion (which it can over-exaggerate).
You can incorporate black in every piece of your outfit, including some all black winter outfits. Aside from the common black outerwear and sweaters, black jeans look great in winter too.
Another benefit – black tends to match most colors, and will complement the colors mentioned here particularly well. Black jeans with a burgundy sweater/flannel or a green chore coat or a bold blue sweater, for instance, are all easy ways to highlight these bolder colors while keeping the overall outfit grounded.
Conclusion
Winter doesn’t have to lead to depressing and drab style choices. Add some appropriate winter colors for men to your looks to elevate your style. And if you’re not sure about a color, try it out with a smaller piece (shirts and pants are a good start) to see if they work for your style and skin tone.
You can also check out these articles for more advice on matching colors to your skin tone (darker skin, lighter skin).