Menswear is packed with style rules, most of them historically designed as expressions of class – because only the expensively educated would get to know them. In the 21st century, of course, that means these rules are there to be broken.

Take, for example, the double whammy regarding brown shoes: one, that they should only be worn ‘in the country’ – these days an utterly redundant idea; and two, that they should only be worn with navy. No wonder then that pairing a brown shoe with black trousers feels counter-intuitive. Surely it’s all-black?

That’s certainly the case with properly formal dressing – black tie or upscale business attire. Beyond that, wearing brown shoes with black trousers can look, at first glance, like a mistake.

But no – the brown shoe brings in an element of relaxed informality, toning down the stark, graphic quality of the black trousers. There’s an interesting contrast, especially if you make sure your shoes are a noticeably lighter shade, so think not in terms of dark brown, but of light brown, cognac, camel.

Zara

And it can all be made to look more of a statement – more like you intended to wear brown shoes with black trousers, rather than did so by accident – by matching or co-ordinating your shoes with another part of your outfit, the likes of your belt or socks, or maybe some detail in a printed shirt.

In other words, don’t think of black as being solely for sober dressing, nor as a shade that can’t be mixed with others. Brown shoes with black trousers can be a way to stand out if you know how to do it well. Think of that as a new rule.

How To Wear Brown Shoes With Black Trousers

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The black trews, brown shoes combo is most suited to casual dress, since it fundamentally breaks with the dress etiquette more typically expected of formalwear. Team a crew neck sweater with black chinos and a brown pair of loafers – a casual style of shoe anyway – and the result is obviously relaxed. But – thanks to the black trousers – it still retains just a touch of smartness that will carry you from, say, a pub to a nice restaurant.