The inherent simplicity of summer style can in many ways make the season that little bit harder to dress for. With a dearth of options in comparison to the autumn/winter half of our wardrobes, a shirt or tee matched with a pair of shorts is about as exciting as it gets for many of us when the mercury soars. This means it’s even more important that you get your colour combinations right. But which hues work best together? Should green really not be seen with blue? These are questions that continue to stump even the most stylish of men. To make things easier, here are four classic and versatile warm-weather pairings that all guys can pull off:

Brown & Navy

This combination forms a core part of menswear’s proverbial DNA – who hasn’t at least once teamed a pair of brown shoes with a navy suit? Despite being a pretty timeless pairing, it’s currently enjoying extra attention under the spotlight due to some of the industry’s top designers utilising it in their spring/summer 2015 collections, from Fendi and Prada to E. Tautz and J.Crew:

Outfit Inspiration

When styling their outfits, several designers went for the same approach: brown up top, and navy on the bottom. Splitting the colours like this creates a striking contrast, and offers an effortless way to pack some punch into an otherwise straightforward summer look:

• The Kooples Striped Crew Neck Cotton T-shirt
• J.crew 9 Stanton Cotton-twill Shorts
• Asos Loafers In Suede

Brown is often limited to footwear when it comes to buttoned-up style, but with a slew of designers and brands channelling the 1970s this season and next, there’s something to be said for brown tailoring. Just as versatile as navy, a brown suit is appropriate for the majority of formal events, as well as business use provided you style it correctly – we recommend teaming with a sky blue shirt and navy tie. However, if a full brown suit is a step too far for your taste, then mix and match. A brown blazer complements navy formal trousers or indigo jeans wonderfully, especially when broken up with a white short- or long-sleeved shirt. You could even add a textured navy tie, to tie the top and bottom half together, if the occasion calls for it: