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How to Perfectly Color Coordinate Your Outfits With Your Shoes

A man wearing brown shoes with a green outfit

If you need advice on how to match clothes and shoes for guys, we’re here to help! Whether there’s an upcoming job interview, special event, first date, or you just want to become a snazzier dresser in general, being able to color coordinate the color of your clothes with your footwear is a crucial step for gentlemen looking to dress to impress for success. Follow these simple tips on how to match clothes with shoes for guys.

Neutral Tones (Almost) Always Work

When in doubt, it’s hard to go wrong with neutral tones like black, brown, grey, beige, and white. However, there are still some basic guidelines you should follow as you discover how to match clothes and shoes for guys.

Warmer neutral tones like brown, tan, and beige tend to work best with warmer colors like oranges, yellows, and reds, while cooler neutral tones like grey, taupe, and ivory pair better with cooler colors like blue, green, and purple.

Black, brown, and white are the most versatile colors, with white being more common with casual sneakers, and brown and black being more closely associated with dress shoes. That said, if you love the bold look of white dress shoes or the simplicity of brown or black sneakers, more power to you!

flat lay picture of a men’s outfit and shoes

Look to the Color Wheel

As you further explore how to match clothes and shoes for guys, you’ll find that your color choices are largely a matter of preference, but there is still some faux pas you should try to avoid. At the same time, fashion rules are meant to be broken, so don’t stress if your favorite color combo is technically wrong!

One basic rule to keep in mind when learning about how to match clothes with shoes for guys is that trying to match the color of your shoes with the color of your pants is risky, as you want your shoes to stand out, and subtle color variations often clash. Matching your shoes with your shirt is a bit more acceptable.

If you don’t like the look of matching the same colors, consider contrasting/complementary colors.

As you research how to match clothes and shoes for guys, take a look at a color wheel for basic colors, or you could even check a Pantone color chart. This helpful tool shows you which colors really pop together — the colors opposite each other are complementary colors. For example, orange and blue, yellow and purple, and green and red are all complementary color combinations.

Wearing contrasting shoes and clothes is a bold fashion choice that works great when you want to make a statement, but isn’t always ideal. If you do have some colorful kicks, either wear them with neutral tones so they’re the star of the show or wear them alongside contrasting/complementary colors, boldly and with intention — confidence goes a long way in fashion.

green goes well with red

Shop Footwear in Every Color of the Rainbow

Now that you have a better understanding of how to match clothes and shoes for guys, why not expand upon your current shoe collection with some new hues? Shop by color to find hundreds of well crafted, American-designed shoes in a variety of fresh colors, as well as classic staples.

In closing, when considering how to match clothes with shoes for guys, remember that these are just suggestions. Fashion is personal, so have some fun experimenting with your outfits. More colors equal more outfit options, so fill your closet with variety! Shop Just Men’s Shoes for everyday low prices on fashion-forward footwear.

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