The expert's guide to matching colors correctly

You’re standing in front of your wardrobe or scrolling online, choosing the color of your new jacket, sweatshirt, or pair of trousers. The safe option is usually to click everything in black. At the same time, you can see that earthy tones like olive green, beige, off-white, and navy blue are dominating the fashion scene right now.

So how do you actually break up a wardrobe that’s 90% black – and how do you match colors without it looking overdone or mismatched?

Here’s Workout Brands’ hard styling rule: stop believing that all-black is the only way to a stylish outfit. Earth tones like beige, olive, and navy are the new neutrals. Choose them if you want an outfit that looks considered and premium. Go for all-black (monochrome) when you want a clean, minimalist, sharp silhouette – but avoid mixing black and navy unless you really know what you’re doing.

Below are the key rules for working with color so you can choose pieces that actually go together.

Two style directions: which vibe are you going for?

To make outfit building easier, we’ve split color choices into two clear directions:

1. The monochrome path (all black / grayscale)

Wearing one color – most often black or dark grey – from head to toe is a timeless classic.

Why it works: It instantly creates a slim, clean, and minimalist silhouette. It’s safe, simple, and everything automatically matches.

Expert tip: To keep an all-black outfit from looking flat, you need to mix materials. Combine a matte cotton hoodie with trousers in a technical fabric or a slightly different texture. Texture contrast is what brings the outfit to life.

2. The earth-tone path (beige, olive, navy, off-white)

Earth tones are often called “the new neutrals” because, just like black, they are extremely easy to combine.

Why it works: An outfit made of beige trousers, a white T-shirt, and an olive jacket instantly looks more intentional and premium than an all-black look. The result is softer but still very stylish.

Golden rule: Stick to a maximum of three colors in one outfit. For example: beige trousers, white T-shirt, and an olive jacket – a combination that almost never fails.

The big style question: can you mix black and navy?

This is one of the most commonly asked fashion questions.

Our answer is simple: yes, but carefully. If you combine very dark navy and black without contrast, it can look visually unclear and slightly mismatched. It works best when there is a clear distinction in tones – for example lighter denim with black, or a brighter blue paired with black pieces.

Our final recommendation: which colors should you choose?

Our expert advice is simple: stop defaulting to black.

Next time you buy a basic piece – whether it’s a T-shirt, hoodie, or pair of trousers – try choosing an earth tone like olive or beige instead of black. They are just as easy to style, but they add more variety and make your wardrobe look more intentional and elevated overall.