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What colors go with maroon?

Camel and cream ground maroon, mustard and olive keep it earthy, and teal sets it off. All five live happily in a fall wardrobe.

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What to wear with maroon

  • maroon #7B1E1E
  • camel #C19A6B

Maroon and camel

Neutral base Medium contrast

Camel and maroon both carry brown in their base, so they agree on warmth and differ in depth and redness. The golden mid-tone lightens maroon without fighting it, and the outfit stays cozy and polished even with this much depth in it.

When to wear it: Fall and winter layers: a camel coat over a maroon turtleneck, a maroon cardigan with camel pants, a camel suede bag with a maroon knit dress. It suits weekend brunch, office Fridays and cold-weather dates.

What to avoid: Greyish, taupe-leaning camels break the shared warmth and look drab beside maroon. Pick a camel with a clear golden cast, and keep buckles and jewelry in gold or brass, since silver cools the pair down.

Suits: Warm AutumnDeep Autumn

  • maroon #7B1E1E
  • cream #F2E8CF

Maroon and cream

Neutral base High contrast

Cream is a soft, warm white: light enough to give maroon real contrast, yellow enough to share its warmth. Bright white would look stark next to the brown-red; cream makes the same contrast feel mellow.

When to wear it: All year, in changing fabrics: a cream silk blouse under a maroon blazer, a maroon sweater over cream wide-leg pants, a cream cable knit with a maroon scarf in winter, cream linen with a maroon skirt in late summer.

What to avoid: A cream that has yellowed or gone dingy looks like old white beside maroon's depth. Keep it fresh, and repeat the cream once more lower in the outfit, in shoes or a bag, so the contrast looks planned.

Suits: Deep AutumnWarm Autumn

  • maroon #7B1E1E
  • mustard yellow #D1A11C

Maroon and mustard yellow

Contrasting hues High contrast

Mustard is a golden yellow and maroon a brown-tinged red, far enough apart on the wheel to contrast in hue. Both are muted and warm, which keeps the pair earthy, and the gap in lightness, bright mustard against deep maroon, gives it energy.

When to wear it: Peak fall: a mustard sweater with a maroon corduroy skirt, a maroon dress with a mustard scarf, a flannel shirt that weaves both colors into its plaid. It suits pumpkin patches, harvest fairs and campus days.

What to avoid: Lemon or canary yellow loses the earthiness and makes maroon look dull and brown. Keep the yellow muted and golden, and use it in the smaller amount; a full mustard outfit with a maroon accent is much harder to wear.

Suits: Deep AutumnWarm Autumn

  • maroon #7B1E1E
  • olive green #708238

Maroon and olive green

Contrasting hues Medium contrast

Olive is a yellowed, muted green a third of the wheel from maroon. Both are softened by brown, which takes the festive edge off red against green and leaves the pair earthy and utilitarian.

When to wear it: Outdoor and workwear looks: an olive field jacket over a maroon henley, olive chinos with a maroon crewneck, a maroon flannel shirt under an olive parka for a hiking weekend.

What to avoid: If either color gets too clear, a kelly green or a cherry red, the pair turns into a holiday card. Keep both earthy, and break them up with cream, tan or denim so the outfit does not look camouflaged.

Suits: Deep AutumnWarm Autumn

  • maroon #7B1E1E
  • teal #007B7F

Maroon and teal

Opposites on the color wheel Low contrast

Teal sits roughly opposite maroon on the wheel, and both have depth, so the pair looks jewel-toned and rich without being loud. Teal's coolness makes maroon look warmer, and maroon makes teal look brighter.

When to wear it: Evenings and the colder months: a teal silk blouse under a maroon velvet blazer, a maroon dress with a teal clutch, a teal scarf on a maroon wool coat. Paisley and other printed fabrics often mix the two.

What to avoid: Both colors are mid to deep, so in low light the pairing loses its spark. Choose fabrics with some sheen, such as silk, satin or velvet, which catch the light and keep the two colors distinct.

Suits: Deep AutumnWarm AutumnDeep Winter

Which of these flatter you depends on your color season. Find my season →

Colors to keep away from maroon

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Maroon looks its best in fabrics with texture: corduroy, suede, brushed wool, a chunky knit. It is a deep red darkened with brown, the color of dried rose petals, shaded brick or a worn leather armchair, and texture brings out the red inside the brown. Beside burgundy, which leans purple, it looks warmer and earthier, closer to a dark brown with a red heart than to a true red. It carries plenty of color but rarely shouts, which makes it one of the easiest reds for every day.

Its warm lean decides the company it keeps. The golden, earthy shades that share its brown base, camel, cream, mustard and olive, sit with it most easily, and a cool partner such as teal works as well when it is deep enough to match maroon's weight. When you build around one maroon piece, a sweater, a corduroy jacket or a midi skirt, start with cream up top and camel or denim lower down.

FAQ

Is maroon the same as burgundy?

Not quite. Maroon is a red deepened with brown, so it reads warm and earthy; burgundy is a red deepened with purple, so it reads cool and wine-like. Hung apart, the two can pass for each other, but side by side the difference shows. Warm coloring usually looks better in maroon, cool coloring in burgundy.

Can you wear maroon with denim?

Very well. Denim's faded blue cools maroon slightly and keeps it casual: a maroon sweater with dark-wash jeans is an easy fall uniform, and a maroon tee with light-wash jeans works in late summer. Brown boots or white sneakers finish either version.

What color shoes go with maroon pants?

Mid to dark brown leather is the most natural match, from loafers to chelsea boots, because it shares maroon's brown base. Cognac adds warmth, black suits evenings, and cream or white sneakers keep it casual. Wear a cream, camel or navy top so the outfit is not dark from head to toe.

Does maroon look good with grey?

Usually, as long as the grey is dark. A cool, pale grey can make maroon look brownish and dull, because the two disagree on temperature, while charcoal matches its depth. Charcoal pants with a maroon sweater are the easiest version; brown shoes tie the outfit together, and a cream shirt collar lifts it.

Is maroon only a fall color?

It is most at home in fall, next to rust, mustard and olive, and it suits deep or warm coloring: Warm Autumn, Deep Autumn and Deep Winter wear it best. It works in spring and summer too, in linen or cotton and with more light colors around it, such as cream, tan and sand.