Most men like have a pair of black trousers in their wardrobe. They might be from a suit, they might be from a tuxedo, or they might just be a pair of black chinos you picked up to wear to the office.
In this guide, you will learn how to match your shoes with black trousers by concentrating on the following points:
- Black Trouser Coordination Overview
- Matching Black Trousers With Different Shoe Colors
- Printable Shoe & Trouser Coordination Download
Scroll down to read it all or use the links above to jump ahead! If you want to learn about different shoe or trouser color coordinations, head to menu below.
Matching Shoes With Black Trousers Overview
There’s not usually a lot to say about black trousers, but we would like to start with some myths that we’d like to debunk, which are as follows:
They are appropriate for daytime wear. This is not, in fact, the case. Black is really only a good look after the sun goes down, and more for social events or dates. For daytime wear, we suggest navy or grey, but at night, a black tuxedo is one of the most classic outfits in the Western world.
They go with anything. Another common but unfortunate misconception, black trousers are actually relatively limited. While in-depth analysis about full outfits is beyond the scope of this article, read on to learn about how to properly pair black trousers with various shoe colors.
NOTE: There are exceptions to every rule.
Use your good judgement, and feel free to leave us a comment if you have questions!
Read on for full explanations and reasoning of the above coordination suggestions. Or, click here to go see our Ultimate Shoe & Trouser Color Coordination Matrix showcasing how to match any color shoes with any color trousers.
How To Coordinate Black Trousers With Different Shoes
Best Shoe Matches
Black
Easily the most popular and best shoe to wear with black trousers, black shoes are a workhorse that every man needs in his closet. Keep casual black shoes around for casual black pants and dressy black shoes around for dressier trousers.
Grey
You don’t see grey shoes all that often, but when you do, they play nicely with black. This is definitely an unorthodox pairing, so be judicious about when and where you wear it. Paul, showing a gumption that’s rarely seen at formal events, paired grey slippers with a tuxedo. He still has friends and associates willing to be seen in public with him, so clearly he did something right.
Acceptable Shoe Matches
Purple
Purple shoes with black trousers? I know, it sounds crazy. Under normal circumstances we would question the wisdom of this being an acceptable pairing, but then Paul went and did this. Our hats are off.
White
It’s rare and almost costume-y, but white shoes with black trousers can work for eccentric, fashion-forward men. If you were around during the early 2000’s, you’ll remember that The Hives wore this combination quite often.
No-Go Shoe Matches
Beige
Beige is an Earth tone whereas black isn’t. This combination is drab, boring, and we don’t recommend it.
Burgundy
Burgundy shoes are better paired with navy or grey trousers, where they can peacefully coexist in an office context. Black trousers do burgundy shoes no favors, and the end result is just kind of funny-looking.
Dark Brown
Despite the fact that it seems to be more ubiquitous than it should, brown with black is never a good color combination. Some pairings are “can’t miss.” This one is “must miss.”
Green
Again, green is an Earth tone, and Earth tones do not tend to do justice to black. Steer clear of this combination unless you either:
- Lost a bet, or
- Have a gun to your head.
Light Brown
Paul and Mike had a well-documented tiff over whether this combination was even acceptable, and “no-go” won. Duke Ellington’s “Black And Tan Fantasy” can’t even save this color combination.
Navy
Navy trousers with black shoes is one thing, but navy shoes with black trousers is another. This combination will serve more as a distraction than anything else.
Orange
Nope. Nope nope nope. It’s not Halloween, and even if it were, you shouldn’t do this. Unless of course you want to dress up like a man who can’t dress himself properly.
Red
Black trousers and red shoes are not something you’ll ever pull off. We suggest you not even try.
Free Printable Download For Reference At Home
You can use our full coordination matrix below by simply downloading it for use at home.
What Next?
Now that you have read about the how to match light grey trousers with shoes, check out some related guides below:
- Shoe & Trouser Coordination Homepage
- Top 10 Best Men’s Dress Shoes
- Most Comfortable Dress Shoes For Men
- Bespoke Unit Shoe Homepage
"This was a somewhat surprising read! And here was me thinking that black trousers went with everything!."Rating: 5.0 ★★★★★
Shoe Content
I’m surprised that you can’t pair dark brown with black trousers. How about when it comes to black jeans or chinos, can you pair these with dark brown or burgundy/oxblood boots, loafers, or brogues oxfords/derbies? I’m just curious. Thanks!
Also every time I’m looking for style advice Google always sends me back to this site. I’ve learnt a lot of the last few years as I gotten more interested in learning about mens styling while trying to find what works best for me. Keep up the good work gentlemen!
Thanks for your feedback, Matt! We always enjoy hearing from our readers that they found our content helpful in their daily lives, and even more so if it’s on more than one occasion.
With regards to your question – we’ve never found a situation where black trousers/chinos ever look appealing with brown/dark brown/oxblood shoes; the fabric/texture of the trouser or shoe style isn’t the issue here, it’s the colors. There are just so many other tones with which to pair these options that it’s kind of a waste of time to try to make it look tasteful.
As always, hope this helps! Best,
Rafael