How to Wear Colour for Men: A Beginner’s Guide to Style

• Master the one-piece rule: Introduce colour one garment at a time – whether it’s an overshirt, jacket, or bold accessory – anchored by your everyday neutrals.
• Start with earth tones: Shades like rust, forest green, and terracotta act as gateway colours that easily layer over dark denim and navy.
• Prioritise confidence over brightness: Steer clear of loud neons or fluorescent hues; muted mid-tones offer maximum impact with zero friction.
  

If you were to open the everyday Aussie man’s wardrobe right now, you’d likely be met with a sea of navy, grey, black, and white. Perhaps, if feeling particularly adventurous, there might be a solitary olive green jumper tucked away in the corner. Australian men have mastered the art of low-key neutrals, which more than earn their keep by being consistently predictable, versatile, and virtually foolproof. But they’re also safe. They’re almost guaranteed to match with all of your chinos, your jeans, your shoes and accessories.

Expanding your palette to add a pop of colour is the single fastest way to elevate your lookence to wear colour, says personal stylist Christina Robert White, who has spent over a decade inside men’s wardrobes.

“We’re still miles behind Europe on this in Australia. They’re right when they say the Italians do it better, because they’re simply not afraid of colour: they embrace it,” Robert White says.

“In Rome, I once watched a man cross the road in slim-fitting fuchsia pants, a black shirt and beautiful black loafers, and I just went ‘wow’. Colour is fun. It shows your personality, and it says, ‘I’m a leader, not a follower.’ The biggest thing I tell clients is that colour looks confident.”

Adding colour to your wardrobe doesn’t mean you need to step out in fuchsia trousers tomorrow, but if you truly want to be on-trend in the world of men’s fashion, it’s time to get on board with pops of colour. So, whether you’re subtly tweaking your palette or overhauling your entire rotation, here’s our beginner’s guide to adding some colour to your wardrobe.

The Neutral Trap: Why Men Avoid Wearing Colour (And How to Fix It)

Why do men gravitate towards darker colours and seemingly avoid clothes with colour like the plague? According to Robert White, the issue usually comes down to a lack of confidence and a fear of standing out for the wrong reasons.

“A lot of would rather slide under the radar than risk looking try-hard or flamboyant,” White explains. “It’s the same handful of colours on repeat: black, navy, grey, and more black. Most men don’t know how to wear anything else, so those three become a bit of a security blanket. There’s a self-consciousness to it, too: they don’t want to look like they’re trying too hard, they don’t want their mates giving them grief, and heaven forbid they get it wrong.”

Menswear creator and stylist Charlie Rincón agrees, noting that the psychological barrier goes all the way back to how men are conditioned from childhood.

“I think it really boils down to traditional gender norms in fashion and the concept of masculinity; the idea that blue is for boys and pink is for girls has been engraved in us since birth,” Rincón says.

How to Find the Best Clothing Colours for Your Skin Tone

You don’t need a colour analysis session to figure out which shades complement your skin tone. Robert White suggests a quick test using natural daylight.

“You need a window and about thirty seconds,” says White. She advises holding two different shades up to your face in natural light and watching your features rather than the garment itself:

• Can you see the colour first, or the man first? If the colour walks in before the man does, it’s wearing him – not the other way around.
• Do you look healthier in colour A or colour B? Hold two shades up to your face and compare. One will look fresh; the other will make you look like you’ve had three hours’ sleep.
• Watch your face, not the shirt. The right colour brightens your eyes and skin. The wrong one leaves you looking tired, dull or washed out.
• Take a few selfies in different colours and compare them side by side – the good ones instantly jump out.

Once you’ve found your colours, it’s time to get dressed.

Related: Why Colour Analysis For Men Is the Ultimate Hack to Upgrade Your Wardrobe

The ‘One-Piece’ Rule: How to Style a Pop of Colour for Men

The easiest way to introduce colour into your daily rotation is to stick to the ‘one piece’ rule. If you’re wearing a navy suit, swap out the white shirt for a pale pink or light blue shirt. If you’re in your weekend uniform of jeans and a white t-shirt, throw a burgundy overshirt over the top. 

The easy win here is anchoring the colour with the neutrals you already own. Robert White recommends applying the 80/20 rule to keep things simple. “Keep about 80% of the outfit neutral and let one piece bring the colour. Blue jeans, pink tee. Anchor neutrals – denim, navy, grey, white, camel – are your safe base to build on.”

If you’re reaching for a colourful shirt as your one piece of colour, Robert White advises picking a shade that aligns with your skin’s undertone while steering clear of overly vivid fluorescents. “Avoid the fluoro shades like electric blue, bright pink, bright yellow and bright red – do no one any favours. Keep to muted, mid-depth colours until you’ve worked out your undertone.”

Rincón takes a similar approach, focusing on building a solid neutral foundation first before adding layers or accents. “For me, the easiest way is to build an outfit consisting of neutrals and bring in the pops of colours through accessories or layering,” Rincón explains. “Some combinations I love and like to keep in my back pocket are cream/brown/red, brown/burgundy, and gray/cobalt blue.”

Best Earth Tone Clothes for Men (And How to Wear Them)

For a low-risk, high-reward entry point, start with subtle accents on top of earth tones. These are the gateway shades of the menswear world. Think rust, terracotta, forest green, burnt orange, and deep brown. 

Earth tones are incredibly forgiving because they behave like neutrals. A forest green chore jacket can be thrown over almost anything a navy jacket can, but it adds a layer of depth and interest that navy simply doesn’t provide.

If you’re unsure which single shade to buy first, Rincón recommends starting with a rich, versatile dark red. “Starting strong right off the bat can be too much too soon; it can be intimidating and backfire, so sometimes a slow burn can be good!” Rincón advises. “A good colour to start with in my opinion would be a burgundy.”

Small Accents, Big Impact: How to Wear Colourful Accessories

If you’re still hesitant to commit to a colourful piece of clothing, start with your accessories. This is where you can afford to be a little bolder. 

A brightly coloured beanie or hat, some coloured sunnies, a scarf in mustard or emerald green, jewellery, or a pair of socks that flash a hint of red when you sit down – these are all low-stakes and fun ways to experiment. They require the tiniest bit of commitment and can be removed instantly if you change your mind.

For Robert White, belts and shoes are the easiest starting line. “For me, a belt is the easiest way to bring an outfit to life. I’m a sucker for a multicoloured one, a red, a blue and a white all woven together because it’s fun and goes with everything, instead of defaulting to the same old brown or black,” she says. “Single-colour cord belts are brilliant too… keep everything else neutral, add one hit of colour, and the whole transforms.”

Rincón suggests starting with your ties. “They are the perfect accessory to introduce colour and prints,” he says.

Related: How to Wear Men’s Accessories: A Head-to-Toe Style Guide

Palette Refresh: The Coolest Menswear Brands Embracing Colour

If you’re looking to inject some life into your wardrobe, the good news is menswear is currently in a golden era, and plenty of brands are producing effortlessly cool and colourful clothes for the everyday man. These are some of our favourites:

Joseph & James

• Origin: Melbourne, Australia.
• Background: Founded by First Nations designer Juanita Page in 2021.
• Style: Contemporary, elevated smart-casual menswear combining relaxed streetwear silhouettes with refined tailoring and premium natural fabrics.

This First Nations-owned label delivers sharp, contemporary tailoring accented by restrained, intentional hits of colour. Their sandy-toned shirt jackets are a great place to start.

Mutimer

• Origin: Melbourne, Australia.
• Background: Founded by designer Luke Mutimer.
• Style: Modern streetwear and casualwear, best known for statement leather jackets, clean outerwear, relaxed tailoring, and distinct pop-colour outerwear.

Based in Melbourne, Mutimer is famous for great leather jackets and crisp shirts, but we absolutely love this chore coat in blue.

Incu

• Style Multi-brand fashion retailer and curator stocking top international and local designer labels, alongside their in-house line, Incu Collection (formerly Incu 1976).
• Origin: Sydney, Australia.
• Background: Founded in 2002 by twin brothers Brian and Vincent Wu.

A curated boutique stocking chic local and international clothes. They also have their own line, Incu 1976, which does great upgraded basics. If you don’t know where to begin with colour, just walk into one of their stores in Melbourne or Sydney and let them do the heavy lifting.

Porter James

• Origin: Melbourne, Australia (often misattributed to NZ, but founded locally).
• Background: Modern Australian menswear label focused on leisurewear.
• Style: Sportswear-adjacent casualwear, preppy leisurewear, retro-inspired knits, caps, and tonal everyday staples.

This brand focuses on mix-and-match pieces in easy, earthy tones that look awesome together. The quality is fantastic for the price, making it a great starter brand if you’re rebuilding your closet.

Knickerbocker

• Origin: New York City, USA (with strong Australian retail distribution).
• Background: Founded by Andrew Livingston in 2013, rooted in manufacturing heritage.
• Style: Vintage-inspired workwear, classic utility apparel, and timeless Americana made with sustainable fabrics.

A NYC-born brand with a big Aussie following. They make cool, workwear-inspired clothes with a vintage feel. Think light blue cotton shirts and classic stripes – colours that are very easy to wear. 

COS

• Origin: London, UK (part of the Swedish H&M Group).
• Background: Launched in 2007 as a high-street label with a high-end design ethos.
• Style: Scandi-minimalism, architectural silhouettes, understated luxury, and accessible price points with a heavy focus on elevated knitwear and neutrals.

This Scandi brand is famous for its relaxed, modern fits in everything from soft pastels to deep, rich tones. Plus, it’s super affordable if you want to experiment without blowing your budget.

Scotch & Soda

• Origin: Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• Background: Established in the 1980s and rebranded in 2001.
• Style: Eclectic Dutch casualwear, bold prints, rich textures, and expressive resort-style shirts designed for statement dressing.

Hailing from Amsterdam, this brand isn’t afraid of colour or prints. Their shirts feature bold florals, rich textures, and fun patterns that look cool without being too much. Perfect if you’re ready to step outside your comfort zone.

Desigual

• Origin: Barcelona, Spain.
• Background: Founded by Thomas Meyer in 1984.
• Style: High-octane, avant-garde Mediterranean style defined by vibrant patchwork, intense colours, asymmetric cuts, and loud graffiti-style graphics.

Definitely not for playing it safe. This Spanish brand goes hard on loud patterns and bright colours, and is best for men who are happy to stand out in the crowd. Save this one for when you’re feeling full of confidence and ready to make a big statement.

Reiss

• Origin: London, UK.
• Background: Established in 1971 by David Reiss.
• Style: Premium British heritage tailoring, sleek corporate wear, luxury knitwear, and modern suiting featuring rich, sophisticated hues.

Sleek, high-end, and ideal for bringing some joy to corporate wear. They use classy colours like deep teal, warm camel, and dusty rose on sharp suits and clean knits. If you want to add some colour to your work wardrobe, Reiss is the go-to.

Men’s Style Mistakes: What to Avoid When Wearing Colour

While we’re obviously encouraging you to be braver, there are a few pitfalls to sidestep.

First, don’t rush into buying a colourful piece without trying it on. “Buying colour without testing it first” is the single biggest mistake Robert White sees clients make. “Slow down. Take your time to choose the piece, hold it up to your face, put it on, and think about what it’ll go with that you already own.”

Secondly, avoid neon. Unless you’re directing traffic or attending a 90s-themed rave, neon has no place in a grown man’s wardrobe.

Finally, don’t force it. “The second mistake is going too bold, too soon,” Robert White warns. “I see a lot of red and electric blue in men’s wardrobes because they feel strong and sporty bright red will happily drag every bit of redness out of your face.”

The golden rule of style is that you have to wear the clothes, not let the clothes wear you. If you put on a piece and feel instantly uncomfortable, take it off.

Frequently Asked Questions: Styling Men’s Clothes with Colour

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