What Color Shirt Goes with Tan Pants?

Think tan pants are boring? Think again. Truth be told, your tan pants are only as dull as the rest of your ensemble. If you pair your tan pants with the right shirt color, your outfit will look phenomenal from start to finish, especially when combined with a leather belt, classic timepiece, and polished dress shoes.

So, what color shirt goes with tan pants? It turns out you have plenty of options. Let’s break down a few different colors that pair perfectly with tan pants—ranging from khakis to dress pants and more.

Pastel Shades

If you want safe color options to wear with tan pants, stick with pastel colors. Pastel colors go perfectly with light, medium, and dark tan trousers. Examples of pastel shades include pale yellow, light blue, and light pink. Think of colors you wear on Easter Sunday, a spring wedding, or a beachfront vacation.

Bright Red

If you want to make more of a statement, bright red is the perfect shade to accomplish that. Indeed, bright red shirts go well with brown pants, particularly medium or dark brown pants, because they create an inherent and vibrant contrast between the two pieces. Pair a red shirt with pants like these 8 Wale Luxury Italian Corduroy pants, for example.

Bright red shirts are also great for work polo shirts or dress shirts. However, if you choose to wear a tie with a bright red shirt, make sure that the color of the tie doesn’t impact your coordination. Your tie should be dark brown or gray to avoid creating too much of a contrasting situation.

Yellow (But Not Banana Yellow!)

Yellow can also go with brown pants, provided you choose a shirt in the right shade. Specifically, you should avoid banana yellow shirts, which may make you accidentally end up looking like Curious George (or like you are a safari tour guide). Instead, opt for mustard yellow with medium to dark tan pants for better results.

Dark Blue

Dark blue is an outstanding pairing choice with brown pants. Blue naturally pairs well with brown, and if you choose dark blue with dark tan pants, like these Super 100’s Gabardine pants, you’ll look professional, put together, and masculine in equal measure. Again, if you wear a tie with your dark blue shirt, make sure the tie is in a complementary color like brown or burgundy rather than another shade of blue or a completely different color altogether.

Black

Black shirts can work well with dark tan pants. Try a black shirt with dark brown pants for a more serious look. This darker look can work well for professionals in creative fields like photography. Pair your dark tan trousers with Chelsea boots and a crisp, black T-shirt.

A black shirt might work well with light brown or medium brown pants depending on the energy you want to evoke. For example, such a color combination could be fine for a work presentation or for attending an after-work event, like a seminar, especially if you wear pants like these Charleston khakis.

Avoid Brown Shirts

Whatever you do, avoid brown shirts at all costs. Pairing brown with brown is never a good idea, even if the brown shirt is in a slightly different shade than your tan pants.

Does White Work with Brown Pants?

As far as white shirts are concerned, they can sometimes work. For example, a classic white T-shirt with brown trousers may produce a good workman’s look. Still, you’ll usually look better by choosing one of the other shades above.

Get the Look at Berle

We hope you enjoyed this guide on what color shirts to wear with tan pants. All in all, plenty of shirts work fabulously with tan pants. You just have to consider what shade of tan you’re wearing and the social occasion. Then, of course, your outfit needs to start with the perfect pair of trousers!

Here at Berle, making trousers is nothing new. As the oldest family-owned trouser manufacturer in the United States, we’ve been outfitting our customers for over 70 years. In that time, we feel we’ve perfected the art of making and delivering the best pair of trousers available today.

If you’re ready to upgrade your wardrobe, shop our Tailored and Casual Collections today. Complimentary hemming is always included with your purchase!